Summary:
Zip code 24121 in Moneta, Virginia contains one middle school—Staunton River Middle—serving grades 6 through 8 with 612 students as part of Bedford County Public Schools. With an 87.42% free/reduced lunch eligibility rate, Staunton River Middle serves a predominantly economically disadvantaged student body, yet the school has shown steady improvement in its state ranking, moving from 280th (33rd percentile) in 2023-2024 to 209th (50th percentile) in 2025-2026, earning a 3-star rating.
The school's most striking feature is its advanced math program. Staunton River Middle posted 100% proficiency in 7th grade Algebra I in both 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, and 100% in 8th grade Geometry in 2025-2026—matching or exceeding district and state averages. However, on-grade-level math tells a different story. Only 52.86% of 7th graders scored proficient in math in 2025-2026, and while this is a significant recovery from the 38.39% proficiency rate the year prior, it remains below the Bedford County district average of 55.50%. Reading scores consistently hover near state averages but fall below district levels across all grades, with 8th grade reading at 71.74% versus the district's 77.50%.
Chronic absenteeism is a significant concern at 19.6%, compared to 11.8% for the district and 14.8% for the state. Despite this, the school's improving rankings suggest resilience. Per-student spending is $8,949 with a favorable 14.3 student-to-teacher ratio. The school also outperforms state averages in 6th grade math, 8th grade science (71.89%), and 8th grade geography (74.61%). The biggest opportunity lies in translating the success of the advanced math track into stronger support for all students, particularly in on-grade-level math and reading, while addressing the high absenteeism rate.
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