Best Public Schools in Zip Code 24502

Zip code 24502 contains 10 schools—6 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools—serving 6,258 students across Lynchburg City Public Schools and Campbell County Public Schools in a high-poverty area where roughly 85% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The two districts produce dramatically different results: Campbell County schools average around the 49th percentile statewide, while Lynchburg City schools average around the 11th percentile. Campbell County schools accomplish this while spending about $2,300 less per student and posting a chronic absenteeism rate of just 9.1% versus 28.9% in Lynchburg City schools.

The standout schools are all in the Campbell County district. Leesville Road Elementary ranks in the 62nd percentile with 3 stars and posts strong math and reading scores across 3rd through 5th grades, while Brookville Middle (53rd percentile, 3 stars) excels in 8th grade Algebra I with 97.4% proficiency. Brookville High (36th percentile) posts a 96.2% graduation rate, a 1.7% dropout rate, and chronic absenteeism of just 9.5%. The Lynchburg City schools struggle overall, but there are bright spots: Heritage High beats state averages in 12th grade Biology (84.62%) and 12th grade Algebra I (88.89%), and Sandusky Middle—despite being one of the lowest-ranked schools in Virginia—has 8th grade Algebra I proficiency near the state average at 91.94%.

Chronic absenteeism is a defining challenge in the Lynchburg City schools, with Perrymont Elementary at 33.3%, Heritage High at 34.5%, and Sandusky Middle at 29.6%, all well above the state average of 14.8%. The lowest-performing schools are almost all in the 90%+ poverty range, while the schools with poverty rates in the 72–79% range are the highest performers, though Leesville Road and Brookville Middle prove high-poverty schools can succeed. There are also notable grade-level inconsistencies—such as Heritage High's 11th grade Geometry at 54.55% versus 10th grade at 23.08%—that suggest small cohorts heavily influence results. Overall, Campbell County schools demonstrate that strong outcomes are achievable even with lower spending.