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Very Good

#501 of 1,851 schools in VA

Top 27% in state

Buchanan Elementary

Elementary School · Botetourt County Public Schools · Buchanan, VA

A Botetourt County Public Schools elementary school where students score 3 points above what's typical for similar communities.

255 Schoolhouse Rd, Buchanan, VA 24066

  • Math 80% vs VA 74% (2025)
  • Reading 82% vs VA 72% (2025)
  • 13:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.3Very Good50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-0.6 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics7.5Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency80% (2025 SOL)
Reading/ELA Proficiency81% (2025 SOL)
Math vs. State Avg+6.8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+5.3 pts
Overall Proficiency81% (2025 SOL, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)77% (model expectation from 2025 SOL)
vs. Expected+3.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile63th
Resources & Environment8.1Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13:1
District spending per student$13,903
Chronic Absenteeism9%

Students at Buchanan Elementary score 80% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 77%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 SOL proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. VA average.

Math Proficiency80%(2025 SOL)
School
State
74%(2025 SOL)
ELA Proficiency82%(2025 SOL)
School
State
72%(2025 SOL)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 6 points since 2019, to 81% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
92%
ELA
98%
2010
Math
92%
ELA
92%
2011
Math
67%
ELA
98%
2012
Math
82%
ELA
77%
2013
Math
87%
ELA
77%
2014
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2015
Math
87%
ELA
82%
2016
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2017
ELA
87%
2018
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2019
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2020*
Math
72%
ELA
77%
2021*
Math
72%
ELA
77%
2025
Math
80%
ELA
82%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 82% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 84% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 33 test records from VA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

47.3%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Buchanan Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 13Car-Dependent
  • Bike 21Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Elevated782/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$62,536

Median home value

$200,100

Median rent

$947/mo

College educated

19.1%

Homeownership

84.4%

Poverty rate

9.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 24066; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 in Botetourt County Public Schools

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Breckinridge ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.9PK–5Not available201Compare →
Cloverdale ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.2PK–5Not available243Compare →
Colonial ElementaryEnrollment path unverified9.1PK–5Not available461Compare →
Eagle Rock ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.9PK–5Not available123Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Botetourt County Public Schools

Schools in district
12
Rank in district
#9 of 11
District spending per student
$13,903NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
6.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Buchanan Elementary is listed in Botetourt County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Buchanan Elementary

Buchanan Elementary is a public elementary school in Buchanan, VA, part of Botetourt County Public Schools, serving approximately 300 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 13:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.5 out of 10 and ranks #501 of 1,851 schools in VA. State assessment records show 82% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 84% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Buchanan Elementary

What grades does Buchanan Elementary serve?

Buchanan Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Buchanan Elementary?

Buchanan Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 300 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Buchanan Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Buchanan Elementary is 13:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Buchanan Elementary rank in VA?

Buchanan Elementary ranks #501 of 1,851 schools in VA.

What is Buchanan Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Buchanan Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Buchanan Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Buchanan Elementary has 82% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 84% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Buchanan Elementary a charter school?

No, Buchanan Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Buchanan Elementary a Title I school?

No, Buchanan Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Buchanan Elementary?

47.3% of students at Buchanan Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
300
Student-Teacher Ratio
13:1
Teachers (FTE)
23
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Botetourt County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
9.0%
Area population (ZIP 24066)
5,234
Area average commute
31.8 min
Area median age
50.4
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 SOL · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 SOL. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 SOL · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 SOL. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 24066; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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