Best Public Schools in Zip Code 24609

In zip code 24609, there is just one public school, Cedar Bluff Elementary, a PK–5 elementary school in Cedar Bluff, Virginia, serving 308 students as part of Tazewell County Public Schools. This high-poverty school (91.56% free/reduced lunch) has a notable strength in reading: it outperformed the Virginia state average in every grade level tested for both reported school years, often by double digits — for example, 3rd grade reading reached 86.21% in 2024–2025 versus 66.93% statewide. Math is more mixed, with 4th grade near or above state averages but 5th grade math a persistent weak spot (63.27% in 2025–2026 vs. 72.39% statewide). The school has also seen broad year-over-year declines across most subjects, including a dramatic 11.45-point drop in 4th grade VA Studies, and its state ranking has fallen sharply from the 92nd percentile (5 stars) in 2023–2024 to the 57th percentile (3 stars) in 2025–2026.

Chronic absenteeism is a significant concern, affecting 26.8% of students — nearly double the state rate of 14.8% and above the district’s 23.8%. Given the school’s high poverty rate, absenteeism may be a key factor in the recent test-score declines. Still, Cedar Bluff maintains a favorable 14:1 student–teacher ratio and per-student spending of $9,110, which may help explain why it continues to exceed state reading benchmarks despite economic disadvantages. The school’s ranking decline aligns with its subject-level dips, suggesting that recent academic pressure is real, but the stability of reading performance offers a foundation to build on.

Because this zip code contains only one school, there are no local peer comparisons to draw from; the most meaningful benchmarks are the district and state averages. Overall, Cedar Bluff Elementary is a moderately sized, high-poverty school with clear reading strengths but concerning recent drops in math, science, and social studies. Parents should be aware that while the school has historically been a top performer in the district, its rapid two-year decline in statewide ranking and elevated chronic absenteeism warrant attention and targeted support to reverse the trend.