Summary:
ZIP code 24422, covering the Clifton Forge area of Virginia, contains just one public school: Sharon Elementary, a PK–5 school in the Alleghany Highlands Public Schools district serving 216 students. Because this is the only school in the area, the entire picture of local education rests on this single elementary school, which stands out as a top performer.
Sharon Elementary is academically exceptional despite serving a student population where 84.26% qualify for free/reduced-price lunch. In the 2025–2026 school year, its average SOL proficiency across all tested subjects was roughly 92%, compared to about 74% for the district and 72% for the state. Math is a particular strength: all three tested grade levels scored above 96% proficiency, outperforming the state by more than 23 percentage points, and in the prior year 4th and 5th grade math proficiency was a perfect 100%. Reading has also improved dramatically year over year, with 3rd grade reading jumping from 75% to 90.63% and 5th grade reading rising from 74.07% to 84.85%. Science (87.88% proficient) and VA Studies (92.86% proficient) also far exceed state averages. These results earned the school a 5-star rating and a statewide rank of 44th out of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools — the 96th percentile.
Beyond test scores, the school maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.5:1 and a chronic absenteeism rate of 13.6%, which is half the district's rate of 27.3% and slightly better than the state's 14.8%. Its statewide ranking has remained consistently high, fluctuating from #64 in 2023–2024 to #139 in 2024–2025, then rebounding to its best rank of #44 in 2025–2026. Per-student spending is $11,026. Since there are no middle or high schools in this ZIP code, older students attend schools outside the area, but for elementary-age children, Sharon Elementary is a remarkably strong choice that achieves outstanding results in a high-poverty context.
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