Summary:
Zip code 23860 in Hopewell, Virginia contains 5 public schools serving approximately 3,642 students across elementary, middle, and high school grades, all part of Hopewell City Public Schools, a district ranked 128 out of 131 Virginia school districts. Every school in this area serves a very high-poverty population, with free/reduced lunch eligibility at or above 100%, and chronic absenteeism exceeds the state average of 14.8% in all five schools.
Among the elementary schools, Harry E. James Elementary is the clear standout, ranking 914th out of 1,111 elementary schools and earning 1 star. It has the highest per-student spending ($12,840) and lowest student-teacher ratio (11.3:1), and it posts the strongest scores in the zip code, including 78.57% proficiency in 4th grade VA Studies and 65.48% in 4th grade reading. Dupont Elementary also earned 1 star and impressed in 5th grade science (70% proficient, above the state's 68.75%), while Patrick Copeland Elementary is the weakest school in the area, ranking 1,052nd of 1,111. At the secondary level, Carter G. Woodson Middle ranks low overall but posts perfect or near-perfect scores in advanced math, with 100% proficiency in 7th grade Algebra I and 95.12% in 8th grade Algebra I, both above state averages. Hopewell High ranks 319th of 331 high schools with an 85.1% graduation rate, yet some 12th grade history and biology classes outperform the state.
Math is the biggest systemwide weakness, with elementary math proficiency roughly 24-28 points below the state and 6th grade math at just 30.69% proficiency compared to the state's 63.19%. Chronic absenteeism is a serious concern, hitting 25.4% at Hopewell High, nearly double the state rate. Encouragingly, several schools show year-over-year improvements, including Harry E. James 4th grade math and Dupont's 5th grade science, though declines in Patrick Copeland's 5th grade math and Hopewell High's 9th grade Algebra I show progress remains uneven.
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