Best Public Schools in Zip Code 24312

Zip code 24312 (Austinville, VA) is served by two public elementary schools—Jackson Memorial Elementary and Laurel Elementary—both covering grades PK–5 and together enrolling 428 students, with no middle or high schools in the area. Jackson Memorial is the clear standout, backed by its district, Wythe County Public Schools, which ranks #13 out of 131 Virginia districts (90th percentile, 5 stars). Jackson posts a 72.7% average SOL proficiency rate versus Laurel’s 67.8%, and its chronic absenteeism rate is just 4.6%—far below Laurel’s 10.1% and the state’s 14.8%. Jackson also excels in math, with 4th grade math at 80.6% and 3rd grade math at 79.5%, both above state averages.

Laurel Elementary, part of Carroll County Public Schools (ranked #49, 63rd percentile, 3 stars), is resource-focused rather than top-performing academically. It spends $9,187 per student—about $508 more than Jackson—and has a slightly lower student-teacher ratio (11.6 vs. 12.0). Despite these advantages, Laurel trails Jackson in math (70.2% vs. 78.0%) and reading (65.6% vs. 71.1%), while leading slightly in 5th grade science (64.7% vs. 59.3%). Both schools serve high-poverty populations, with free/reduced lunch eligibility at 81.7% for Jackson and 91.5% for Laurel. Laurel has shown meaningful year-over-year improvement in 3rd grade reading (+6.5 points) and VA Studies (+12.0 points), but its state ranking has declined from the 58th to the 36th percentile over three years.

A few shared patterns stand out. Math is a relative bright spot at both schools despite high poverty, but 3rd grade reading is a common weakness—both sit near 61%, below the state average of 67.6%. The most striking negative trend is 5th grade science, which fell sharply at both schools (Jackson down 15.7 points, Laurel down 9.6 points) from one year to the next. VA Studies, on the other hand, improved dramatically at both. Chronic absenteeism is a key differentiator: Jackson’s excellent 4.6% rate likely supports its stronger outcomes, while Laurel’s higher absenteeism and poverty may offset its higher spending. With small enrollments, grade-level test scores can swing from cohort to cohort, so parents should look at multi-year trends. Overall, Jackson Memorial is the stronger academic choice in 24312, while Laurel offers more resources but faces greater challenges.