The last couple of weeks we’ve been talking about the school districts in and around the Lynchburg area and how they stack up. So far, we’ve covered the Lynchburg City School District, the Amherst County School District, the Campbell County School District, and this week we’re going to do the same thing with the Bedford County School District. Once again, this is important because great schools don’t just teach; they shape futures and impact communities. So, let’s analyze the Bedford County School District. Keep in mind that once again the rankings are on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best.

One 2

Bedford County only has one school with a rating of 2, Staunton River Middle with 2’s across the board.

A Couple 3’s

Coming in with ratings of 3, we have Staunton River High and Bedford Middle. Staunton River High has test scores at 3, academic progress at 2, and equity at 2. And Bedford Middle has test scores at 4, academic progress at 3, and equity at 3.

One 4

Bedford’s one school with a rating of 4, Liberty High, has test scores at 5, academic progress at 6, and equity at 3.

5+

Now in past posts of this series, we’ve been grouping our 5 and up ratings all together. But since most of Bedford County’s schools are a 5 or higher, I’m further splitting this group up.

Lots of 5’s

Goodview Elementary, Forest Middle, Bedford Elementary, Montvale Elementary and Huddleston Elementary all have an overall rating of 5. Goodview Elementary has test scores at 4, academic progress at 7, and equity at 3. Forest Middle has test scores at 7, academic progress at 5, and equity at 4. Bedford Elementary has test scores at 5, academic progress at 7, and equity at 2. Montvale Elementary has test scores at 6, academic progress at 4, and equity at 5. And Huddleston Elementary has test scores at 5, academic progress at 5, and equity at 4.

A Few 6’s

Jefferson Forest High, New London Academy Elementary, and Stewartsville Elementary all have overall ratings of 6. Jefferson Forest High has test scores at 8, academic progress at 4, and equity at 7. New London Academy Elementary has test scores at 8, academic progress at 5, and equity at 5. And Stewartsville Elementary has test scores at 6, academic progress at 6, and equity at 7.

Lots of 7’s

Thomas Jefferson Elementary, Otter River Elementary, Moneta Elementary, and Boonsboro Elementary all have overall ratings of 7. Thomas Jefferson Elementary has test scores at 8, academic progress at 8, and equity at 6. Otter River Elementary has test scores at 7, academic progress at 8, and equity at 4. Moneta Elementary has test scores at 7, academic progress at 9, and equity at 5. And Boonsboro Elementary has test scores at 9, academic progress at 8, and equity at 4.

A Couple 8’s

Bedford County’s top schools, both coming in with an overall rating of 8, are Forest Elementary and Big Island Elementary. Forest Elementary has test scores at 10, academic progress at 5, and equity at 10. And Big Island Elementary has test scores at 8, academic progress at 8, and equity at 7.

If you remember from the last couple weeks, the Lynchburg City school district was pretty disappointing, Amherst was only a little better, and Campbell County was significantly better. So how does the Bedford County School District compare? Looking at the overall ratings, we have 14 schools that are a 5 or above as opposed to Lynchburg’s 2, Amherst’s 3, and Campbell’s 8. Test scores are also looking great with half the scores receiving a 7 or higher. Academic progress is also better, with half the scores also receiving a 6 or higher. Equity is also a little better, with almost half the district’s schools receive a 5 or higher. Between all this, it’s not surprising to find that the Bedford County School District ranks 43rd out of Virginia’s 131 School Districts. Remember that the Lynchburg City School District is at 105, Amherst County School District is at 98, and the Campbell County School District is at 53, making Bedford County our top performing school district in the area.

So, if you’re moving to the Lynchburg area, and have or are planning to have children, Bedford County is a great option to live in for high quality schools. And once again, if you do have to live in an area with underperforming schools, 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!