Summary:
Zip code 24526 contains exactly one school, Big Island Elementary, which serves grades PK–5 and is part of Bedford County Public Schools, a district ranked 35th out of 131 in Virginia. This small elementary school, with 182 students, is the only educational option in the immediate area, meaning its performance is especially important for local families, and after 5th grade students must transition to schools outside the zip code.
Big Island Elementary has shown exceptional strength in mathematics, outperforming both district and state averages in every grade tested during 2025–2026. The school saw dramatic year-over-year gains: 3rd grade math jumped from 69.57% to 90.32% proficient, 4th grade from 61.90% to 79.17%, and 5th grade from 71.88% to 93.33%. Reading is more of a concern, with 3rd grade at 61.29% proficient (below the district's 73.89% and state's 67.61%) and 5th grade dropping 11 points to 73.33%. While 4th grade reading improved significantly to 66.67%, it still lags the district. Science performance is also inconsistent, with 5th grade falling from 81.25% to 66.67% proficient, now below both district and state averages.
The school serves a high-poverty population, with 82.42% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, and chronic absenteeism at 15.1%—above both the district (11.8%) and state (14.8%). Despite these challenges, the school's math scores are remarkably strong, and its state ranking improved slightly from 580th to 527th out of roughly 1,110 schools, though the overall percentile remains modest at 53rd. Per-student spending is $9,621 with a student-teacher ratio of 14.9. Given the small enrollment, score swings can be exaggerated by just a handful of students, but the standout math performance and persistent reading gaps provide clear focus areas for the school.
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