Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 23336

ZIP code 23336 is home to just one elementary school, Chincoteague Elementary, serving grades PK through 5 with 241 students in the Accomack County Public Schools district. This small coastal community school stands out for serving an almost universally low-income student body—99.17% of students receive free or reduced-price lunch—yet it still manages to beat state averages in several early-grade subjects. For example, 3rd grade math proficiency is 76%, just above the state’s 74%, and 4th grade reading proficiency is 77.78%, topping the state’s 73.70%. These results are especially notable because the district as a whole scores considerably lower in those same areas, suggesting that early elementary instruction at Chincoteague is a real strength.

However, the school shows a troubling drop-off in 5th grade. Math proficiency falls from 76% in 3rd grade to 66.67% in 5th grade, while reading drops from 68% in 3rd grade to 63.64% in 5th grade. The biggest concern is 5th grade science, where only 51.52% of students are proficient—far below the state average of 68.75% and even below the district’s 57.49%. This science score also dropped sharply by 19.53 points from the prior year. Meanwhile, chronic absenteeism is 16.5%, higher than both the district (10.1%) and state (14.8%), which may be linked to the school’s high poverty rate and could help explain why gains made in earlier grades are not always sustained. The school does have a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.3 and spends $11,991 per student, indicating solid resources, but those resources have not yet translated into consistent upper-grade success.

On a positive note, Chincoteague Elementary made impressive year-over-year improvements in several subjects: 3rd grade reading surged by 20.63 points, 3rd grade math rose by 18.11 points, and 4th grade Virginia Studies jumped by 18.73 points. The school’s state ranking improved from 734th to 683rd out of about 1,111 schools, though it remains below its 2023–2024 peak of 510th. Overall, parents should know that this school excels in the early grades despite immense economic challenges, but should keep a close eye on 5th grade performance and attendance. With its current trajectory, the key to future improvement lies in stabilizing upper-grade outcomes and reducing chronic absenteeism.