Best Public Schools in Zip Code 24437

Zip code 24437 in Fort Defiance, Virginia, is served by three public schools in Augusta County Public Schools, covering grades PK–12 and enrolling roughly 2,050 students in a traditional feeder pattern with no alternative school options inside the zip code. Each school has its own strengths: Edward G. Clymore Elementary leads in attendance and early-grade academics, S. Gordon Stewart Middle shines in advanced math, and Fort Defiance High posts the strongest graduation and dropout rates.

All three schools serve similar populations—roughly 62–69% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch—so differences in outcomes are especially telling. Edward G. Clymore Elementary keeps chronic absenteeism at just 9.7%, far better than the district and state, and its 3rd-grade math (79.8%) and reading (70%) beat state averages. However, proficiency falls sharply in 4th and 5th grade, especially math, which drops to 61.7%. S. Gordon Stewart Middle achieves a perfect 100% proficiency on 8th-grade Algebra I SOL tests, yet standard 8th-grade math sits at just 48.5%, highlighting a wide gap between advanced and grade-level math students. Fort Defiance High posts a solid 92.5% graduation rate and a 2.6% dropout rate, but its overall rank has declined from the 67th to the 33rd percentile over three years as Algebra I and Biology scores slipped below state averages.

Spending increases by grade level—$7,565 per pupil at elementary, $9,115 at middle, and $9,483 at high school—but higher spending hasn't translated into higher rankings. Chronic absenteeism nearly doubles when students move to middle school (17.6%) and stays elevated at high school (15.3%), despite the middle school having the lowest student–teacher ratio (13.1). The clearest opportunities for improvement are in upper-elementary core subjects, secondary reading, and standard math courses, along with addressing the attendance spike after elementary school. For parents, this cluster offers a friendly mid-tier choice with specific bright spots, but success depends on which school and grade level you're considering.