Summary:
Zip code 23350 (Exmore, VA) is served by a single public elementary school, Occohannock Elementary, which enrolls 385 students in grades PK-6 within Northampton County Public Schools. This rural school is the only educational institution in the area, so students must leave the zip code for middle and high school.
Occohannock Elementary serves an overwhelmingly economically disadvantaged population, with a free/reduced lunch rate above 100%, yet it maintains a favorable 12:1 student-teacher ratio and strong attendance. Chronic absenteeism is just 9.6% — notably better than the district's 13.6% and the state's 14.8%. Academically, the school has made impressive year-over-year gains on Virginia SOL tests: math proficiency rose from 51.1% to 57.5%, reading from 47.9% to 56.1%, and science jumped from 32.1% to 50.0%. Despite this progress, the school still trails state averages by roughly 13 to 19 percentage points in all subjects, and the district itself ranks in the bottom 8% of Virginia districts.
There are a few key takeaways for parents. First, the school earned 1 star after two consecutive years with 0 stars, climbing from the 7th to the 13th percentile in state rankings — a sign of upward momentum. Second, attendance is a clear bright spot and likely a foundation for continued improvement. Third, while the school remains below state proficiency benchmarks, the consistent gains across all subjects suggest recent efforts are working. One curious detail: 6th grade math proficiency was exactly 53.85% in both school years, though the district's 6th grade math performance fell sharply, narrowing the gap. For parents considering this area, Occohannock Elementary is a high-poverty school with a small student-teacher ratio, improving test scores, and strong attendance, but it still faces significant challenges in closing the achievement gap with the rest of Virginia.
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