Summary:
Zip code 24348 is home to just one public middle school: Independence Middle, which serves grades 6–8 in Independence, Virginia, as part of Grayson County Public Schools. With 280 students and a 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio, it is a relatively small school with modest class sizes. The school has earned a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger and ranks in the 72nd percentile of Virginia middle schools, placing it in the top 30% statewide.
Independence Middle's overall SOL proficiency averages about 77.5% for the 2025–2026 school year, compared to roughly 67.6% for the state. The school's biggest strength is mathematics: 7th grade math proficiency (80.23%) far exceeds the state average (51.11%), and 8th grade math (76.29%) is dramatically above the state's 46.86% proficiency rate. Algebra I is a perfect 100% proficient in both reported years. Science and English reading scores in grades 7 and 8 also trend above state averages. The only subject area where the school falls below the state average is 6th grade reading, at 69.77% versus 73.00% statewide.
Despite a high-poverty enrollment — 92.86% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch — the school consistently outperforms state averages, which is noteworthy. However, chronic absenteeism sits at 20.1%, well above the district's 13.3% and the state's 14.8%. Also worth monitoring is a sharp drop in 6th grade math proficiency, from 86.08% to 68.60% year over year, which could reflect normal swings at a small school. Still, the school has held a steady 4-star rating across the past three years, and its district ranks 37th of 131 divisions statewide. For families in the 24348 area, Independence Middle offers strong academics — particularly in math — in a low student-teacher ratio environment, though attendance and 6th grade reading are areas worth watching.
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