It’s back to school and I’m your guide on a journey through the educational landscape of Lynchburg City Public Schools. We’re skipping the fluff and diving into the hard facts – so, grab a seat and let’s explore the rankings and metrics of each school.

Before we start ranking, let’s talk about why school quality matters. Great schools don’t just teach; they shape futures and impact communities. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and dive into the nitty-gritty of Lynchburg’s school system. Keep in mind that the rankings are on a scale of 10 with 10 being the best.

Some 2’s

Bedford Hills Elementary, Heritage Elementary, Linkhorne Elementary and Perrymont Elementary all have a low, low overall score of 2! Bedford Hills Elementary has test scores at 3, academic progress at 3 and equity at 1. Heritage Elementary and Linkhorne Elementary both have 2’s across the board. Perrymont Elementary has test scores at 1, academic progress at 4 and equity at 1.

So Many 3’s

Our biggest grouping are schools with an overall rating of 3! This includes EC Glass High, Heritage High, Robert S Payne Elementary, Sandusky Elementary, Sandusky Middle, and Sheffield Elementary. EC Glass High has test scores at 3, academic progress at 6 and equity at 1. Heritage High has test scores at 3, academic progress at 5 and equity at 3. Robert S Payne Elementary has test scores at 3, academic progress at 4 and equity at 1. Sandusky Elementary has test scores at 4, academic progress at 3 and equity at 3. Sandusky Middle has test scores at 2, academic progress at 3 and equity at 3. Sheffield Elementary has test scores at 3, academic progress at 4 and equity at 2.

Some 4’s

TC Miller Elementary for Innovation, William M Bass Elementary, Dearington Elementary, and Linkhorn Middle all have overall ratings of 4. TC Miller Elementary for Innovation has test scores at 4, academic progress at 6, and equity at 3. William M Bass Elementary has 4’s across the board. Dearington Elementary has test scores at 4, academic progress at 5, and equity at 3. Linkhorne Middle has test scores at 3, academic progress at 6, and equity at 4.

5 and Above!

Our smallest grouping, unfortunately, is the group that has an overall score of 5 or above. Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle for Innovation has an overall rating of 5, with test scores at 4, academic progress at 6, and equity at 4. And Lastly with a score of 8 we have Paul Munro Elementary with test scores at 9, academic progress at 10, and equity at 5.

My Thoughts

As we dig into the metrics – test scores, academic progress, and equity – we discern a definite need for improvement across the school district. It’s very disheartening to see very few schools receiving an overall rating of 5 or above. Test scores are awful. Apart from Paul Munro’s 9, the highest score is 4. Academic progress is little better, once again taking the outlier of Paul Munro, which has a 10, out of the equation, our highest score is 6. And equity is particularly alarming. As someone who believes all children deserve quality education, it’s very disappointing to see even our top school, Paul Munro, comes in with only a 5. Between all this, it’s not surprising to find that the Lynchburg City Public School district ranks 105^th out of Virginia’s 131 School Districts. 

But let’s not let this all be doom and gloom! Surrounding Lynchburg are a number of school districts that outperform the LCS District, and I plan to cover these in another post soon! Additionally, if you do end up living in the LCS District, I highly recommend you get involved in the local school board to help make positive improvements for your child and their classmates. If you are considering moving to Lynchburg, then I hope this post has been informative and helpful in your decision-making process. Thank you and I’ll see you next week!