Summary:
Zip code 24317 is home to exactly one school: St. Paul, a small elementary school in Cana, Virginia, serving grades PK through 7 within Carroll County Public Schools. With 304 students and a very high poverty rate (94.08% free/reduced lunch eligibility), this school stands out for its strong mathematics performance, low chronic absenteeism, and unusually broad grade span that covers both elementary and early middle school years.
St. Paul's most impressive strength is math: students consistently outperform both district and state averages, with an 82.8% average proficiency in 2024-2025 and 77.8% in 2025-2026, compared to state averages of 66.5% and 70.7%. The 7th grade cohort in 2024-2025 was exceptional, achieving 94.12% proficiency in math, 88.24% in reading, and a perfect 100% in Civics & Economics. The school also reports a chronic absenteeism rate of only 7.3%—roughly half the state rate of 14.8%—and enjoys a favorable student-teacher ratio of 10.7 with per-student spending of $9,806. These factors suggest a well-resourced, supportive environment that is particularly effective in math despite the challenges of high poverty.
However, reading is the school's clear weak spot. In 2025-2026, reading proficiency fell to 66.6%, below both the district (70.1%) and state (71.7%) averages, with 3rd grade dipping to 61.11%. Science (64.29%) and Virginia Studies (62.86%) also trailed state averages, contributing to a gradual decline in state ranking from the 52nd percentile in 2023-2024 to the 41st percentile in 2025-2026. Yet, the school's strong math foundation, low absenteeism, and standout 7th grade results provide a solid base. Targeted literacy support and continued investment in small class sizes could help reverse the ranking trend and create more balanced achievement across all subjects for this sole educational hub in zip code 24317.
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