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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 24551

New rankings! Virginia test scores for the 2025-26 school year were just released — SchoolDigger posted updated rankings TODAY.

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At a glance

Schools

3,417

Students

5-star school

Top rankedNew London Academy Elementary105^th of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools

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Biggest riser

New London Academy Elementary up 106 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Forest Middle 13.9 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

5★

4★

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Summary:

Zip code 24551 (Forest, VA) is served by five schools — three elementary schools (PK-5), one middle school (6-8), and one high school (9-12) — all part of Bedford County Public Schools, a 4-star district ranked 35th out of 131 in Virginia. Together, Thomas Jefferson Elementary, Forest Elementary, New London Academy Elementary, Forest Middle, and Jefferson Forest High enroll about 3,417 students. The area's schools serve a relatively low-poverty population (22.6% free/reduced-price lunch) and enjoy strong attendance, with chronic absenteeism at just 9.2% compared to the state average of 14.8%. Weighted per-pupil spending averages about $8,225, and the student-to-teacher ratio is roughly 16:1.

New London Academy Elementary is the highest-ranked school in the zip code, landing at 105th of 1,111 elementary schools (91st percentile, 5 stars) despite having the highest poverty rate (31.8% FRL). It also posts the lowest chronic absenteeism (4.6%) and the highest per-pupil spending ($8,950) in the area. Jefferson Forest High is the biggest turnaround story, jumping from the 49th percentile in 2024-25 to the 75th percentile in 2025-26, with a 95.6% graduation rate and 98.3% Geometry proficiency. Forest Middle ranks in the 89th percentile statewide with 100% proficiency in Algebra I and Geometry, though grade-level 8th-grade math sits at just 52.6%. The cautionary tale is Forest Elementary, which has fallen from the 89th to the 76th percentile, with 4th-grade math dropping from 89.5% to 68.7%.

Notably, poverty does not predict performance here — the highest-poverty school is also the top-ranked — suggesting that attendance culture and resource allocation matter more than demographics. Within the elementary schools, per-pupil spending aligns closely with outcomes, from $8,950 at New London Academy Elementary down to $7,713 at Forest Elementary. Thomas Jefferson Elementary remains a steady, reliable performer at the 87th percentile for two straight years. Overall, zip code 24551 is an above-average area with strong attendance, excellent advanced math, and a rapidly improving high school. The main concern is Forest Elementary, whose recent decline in math and VA Studies warrants attention from parents and district leaders.

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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 Writing (2026)		SOL Geometry (2026)		SOL Algebra I (2026)					SOL Algebra II (2026)	SOL Mathematics (2026)						SOL Biology (2026)			SOL Science (2026)		SOL English Reading (2026)								SOL Geography (2026)	SOL World History I (2026)		SOL Civics and Economics (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	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 Writing 11th Grade	SOL Writing 12th Grade	SOL Geometry 8th Grade	SOL Geometry 9th Grade	SOL Algebra I 7th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 9th Grade	SOL Algebra I 10th Grade	SOL Algebra I 11th Grade	SOL Algebra II 9th Grade	SOL Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Biology 9th Grade	SOL Biology 10th Grade	SOL Biology 11th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL Science 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL English Reading 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 11th Grade	SOL English Reading 12th Grade	SOL Geography 8th Grade	SOL World History I 9th Grade	SOL World History I 10th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 7th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
New London Academy Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1133 Academy Lane	Forest	24551	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 525-2177	330	22	15.0	31.8%	260 (78.8%)	20 (6.1%)	21 (6.4%)	7 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.7%)	86	105^th of 1111 public elementary schools	90.5%		80.4	211^th of 1110 public elementary schools	81.0%	106											90.2	92.9	85.7							83.3		92.2	85.7	85.7										91.1	$8,950	$528	$8,422
Forest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	One Scholar Lane	Forest	24551	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 525-2681	384	22	17.6	18.0%	273 (71.1%)	18 (4.7%)	32 (8.3%)	36 (9.4%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.5%)	75.7	271^st of 1111 public elementary schools	75.6%		84.2	141^st of 1110 public elementary schools	87.3%	130											89.9	68.7	90.0							91.8		88.4	85.7	86.9										73.8	$7,713	$582	$7,132
Forest Middle	Public	6-8	100 Ashwood Dr	Forest	24551	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 525-6630	854	61	13.9	20.5%	664 (77.8%)	63 (7.4%)	45 (5.3%)	36 (4.2%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (5.2%)	80.5	44^th of 416 public middle schools	89.4%		81.4	39^th of 419 public middle schools	90.7%	5			100.0		100.0	100.0								81.1	60.3	52.6					82.4				87.5	83.4	87.3			88.9			86.3		$8,018	$431	$7,587
Jefferson Forest High	Public	9-12	1 Cavalier Circle	Forest	24551	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 525-2674	1,282	74	17.2	22.2%	965 (75.3%)	95 (7.4%)	86 (6.7%)	51 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	84 (6.6%)	70.5	83^rd of 331 public high schools	74.9%		56.2	167^th of 328 public high schools	49.1%	84	86.0	81.3		98.3			87.7	82.1	72.2	100.0							96.4	66.2	76.5									91.8	95.2		54.8	72.7			$8,054	$516	$7,538
Thomas Jefferson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1255 Patriot Place	Forest	24551	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 534-6159	567	35	16.1	24.5%	404 (71.3%)	38 (6.7%)	51 (9.0%)	29 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (7.9%)	84.3	140^th of 1111 public elementary schools	87.4%		84.2	140^th of 1110 public elementary schools	87.4%												89.0	85.9	93.0							88.7		81.0	87.4	85.7										87.4	$8,846	$336	$8,510

Cities Near Zip Code 24551

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Forest	0.31 mi	5	54^th
Lynchburg	2.49 mi	27	304^th
Goode	8.32 mi	1	40^th
Rustburg	8.93 mi	7	173^rd
Madison Heights	9.79 mi	5	316^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.