Beta You're viewing our redesigned school list. Prefer the classic layout?

Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 24501

At a glance

Schools

803

Students

Top rankedWilliam M. Bass Elementary1069^th of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools

Summary:

In zip code 24501 (Lynchburg, VA), there are three elementary schools—Robert S. Payne Elementary, William M. Bass Elementary, and Dearington Elementary/Innovation—all part of Lynchburg City Public Schools and serving grades PK–5. Together they enroll about 803 students, and every school serves a nearly universal high-poverty population, with 94.7% to 98.3% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. These schools face serious challenges, and all three currently rank in the bottom 4% of Virginia elementary schools.

William M. Bass Elementary stands out as the strongest of the three academically, with a 2024–2025 average proficiency of 62.6% and by far the lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 9.0%. It also has the highest per-pupil spending ($16,009) and a favorable 9.4:1 student–teacher ratio. However, Bass’s average proficiency fell sharply to 44.2% in 2025–2026, and its state ranking dropped from the 42nd percentile to the 4th percentile in two years. Robert S. Payne Elementary is the largest school (435 students) but has the lowest per-pupil spending ($9,579) and the highest student–teacher ratio (13.1:1). Its proficiency has been low and flat, hovering near 38% in both years. Dearington Elementary/Innovation had a promising 2024–2025 (58.5% average proficiency) but collapsed to 39.3% in 2025–2026, matching Payne’s low level.

Chronic absenteeism is a major dividing factor: Bass’s 9.0% rate is far better than the district average of 27.0%, while Payne (25.7%) and Dearington (21.5%) remain well above the state average of 14.8%. Math is a particular weakness across all three schools, especially in upper grades, with 4th- and 5th-grade math proficiency often below 25% at Payne. Science was a temporary bright spot in 2024–2025 when Bass and Dearington both exceeded the state average in 5th-grade science, but those scores plummeted the next year. For parents, the key takeaway is that all three schools are below district and state averages, and while Bass currently offers better attendance, smaller classes, and more funding, its recent decline shows how unstable performance can be in these small, high-poverty schools.

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				SOL Mathematics (2026)			SOL Science (2026)	SOL English Reading (2026)			SOL VA Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SOL Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Robert S. Payne Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1201 Floyd St	Lynchburg	24501	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 515-5270	435	33	13.1	97.2%	79 (18.2%)	280 (64.4%)	34 (7.8%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (9.0%)	3.6	1084^th of 1111 public elementary schools	2.4%		4.8	1074^th of 1110 public elementary schools	3.2%	10	44.1	21.2	22.5	41.4	36.8	53.0	47.1	43.1	$9,579	$2,364	$7,215
William M. Bass Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1730 Seabury Ave	Lynchburg	24501	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 515-5200	188	20	9.4	94.7%	43 (22.9%)	86 (45.7%)	21 (11.2%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (19.7%)	5.1	1069^th of 1111 public elementary schools	3.8%		34.9	773^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	30.4%	296	51.3	38.6	54.6	45.5	48.7	43.9	36.4	34.6	$16,009	$3,045	$12,964
Dearington Elementary/Innovation	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	210 Smyth St	Lynchburg	24501	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(434) 515-5220	180	19	9.4	98.3%	29 (16.1%)	117 (65.0%)	11 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (11.7%)	2.7	1093^rd of 1111 public elementary schools	1.6%		24.3	884^th of 1110 public elementary schools	20.4%	209	45.5	37.8	35.6	42.2	36.4	32.4	40.0	44.4	$15,178	$2,100	$13,078

Cities Near Zip Code 24501

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Lynchburg	0.44 mi	27	304^th
Madison Heights	3.17 mi	5	316^th
Forest	6.9 mi	5	54^th
Rustburg	9.51 mi	7	173^rd
Concord	11.62 mi	1	140^th

See the top VA Virginia cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Virginia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.