Schools in Zip Code 24523

ZIP code 24523 in Bedford, Virginia, is home to four schools in the Bedford County Public Schools district—Liberty High (grades 9-12), Liberty Middle (grades 6-8), Bedford Elementary (grades 2-5), and Bedford Primary (PK-1)—serving about 1,940 students. While the district ranks 35th out of 131 Virginia districts with a 4-star rating, the schools in this ZIP code are mostly 1- or 2-star schools, suggesting the district's strong overall rating is buoyed by schools outside 24523.

Liberty Middle is the clear standout, especially in math, where proficiency tops state averages at every grade level and Algebra I results are nearly universal (100% in 7th grade, 98% in 8th). The flip side: its 8th-grade science, geography, and civics scores all trail the state. Liberty High posts solid 9th-grade Algebra I and Biology scores but struggles with an 85.4% graduation rate and 8.8% dropout rate, both well off state marks. Bedford Elementary is the most concerning school, ranking in the 14th percentile statewide and falling below Virginia averages in every subject—while dropping from the 29th percentile over two years. Bedford Primary has no test scores but leads the ZIP code with 22.1% chronic absenteeism and spends the most per student ($10,636).

All four schools serve high-poverty populations, with free/reduced-price lunch rates from 72% at Liberty High to more than 100% at the elementary schools. Chronic absenteeism runs above the district average at every school, and three of four exceed the state average. Social studies is a consistent weakness across the feeder pattern, from Bedford Elementary's Virginia Studies scores to Liberty High's World History I results. The bottom line: this ZIP code's schools face real challenges with attendance, early elementary performance, and high school graduation—even as Liberty Middle demonstrates that students here can outperform the state, particularly in mathematics.