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Excellent

#84 of 1,851 schools in VA

Top 5% in state

Central Academy Middle

Middle School · Botetourt County Public Schools · Fincastle, VA

A Botetourt County Public Schools middle school where students score 10 points above what's typical for similar communities.

367 Poor Farm Rd, Fincastle, VA 24090

  • Math 91% vs VA 66% (2025)
  • Reading 86% vs VA 74% (2025)
  • 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.7Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-0.21 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics9.1Excellent35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency92% (2025 SOL)
Reading/ELA Proficiency86% (2025 SOL)
Math vs. State Avg+16.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+10.3 pts
Overall Proficiency89% (2025 SOL, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)79% (model expectation from 2025 SOL)
vs. Expected+9.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile86th
Resources & Environment8.8Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.7:1
District spending per student$13,903
Chronic Absenteeism9.9%

Students at Central Academy Middle score 89% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 79%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 SOL proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. VA average.

Math Proficiency91%(2025 SOL)
School
State
66%(2025 SOL)
ELA Proficiency86%(2025 SOL)
School
State
74%(2025 SOL)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency has held near 89% across the 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
85%
ELA
92%
2010
Math
89%
ELA
92%
2011
Math
81%
ELA
93%
2012
Math
85%
ELA
83%
2013
Math
88%
ELA
84%
2014
Math
96%
ELA
87%
2015
Math
95%
ELA
87%
2016
Math
81%
ELA
85%
2017
ELA
84%
2018
Math
92%
ELA
81%
2019
Math
92%
ELA
81%
2020*
Math
77%
ELA
83%
2021*
Math
77%
ELA
83%
2025
Math
91%
ELA
86%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 88% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 86% (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

40.3%

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 Central Academy Middle 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 5Car-Dependent
  • Bike 15Somewhat 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

$88,125

Median home value

$267,100

Median rent

$887/mo

College educated

22.7%

Homeownership

87.4%

Poverty rate

12.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 24090; 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

1 in Botetourt County Public Schools

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Read Mountain MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.56–8Not available661Compare →

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
#3 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

Central Academy Middle is listed in Botetourt County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Central Academy Middle

Central Academy Middle is a public middle school in Fincastle, VA, part of Botetourt County Public Schools, serving approximately 362 students in grades 6th-8th with a 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.9 out of 10 and ranks #84 of 1,851 schools in VA. State assessment records show 88% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 86% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Central Academy Middle

What grades does Central Academy Middle serve?

Central Academy Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Central Academy Middle?

Central Academy Middle has an enrollment of approximately 362 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Academy Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Central Academy Middle is 11.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Central Academy Middle rank in VA?

Central Academy Middle ranks #84 of 1,851 schools in VA.

What is Central Academy Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Central Academy Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.9 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 Central Academy Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Central Academy Middle has 88% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 86% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Central Academy Middle a charter school?

No, Central Academy Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Central Academy Middle a Title I school?

No, Central Academy Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Central Academy Middle?

40.3% of students at Central Academy Middle 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
362
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
31
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Botetourt County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
9.9%
Area population (ZIP 24090)
4,612
Area average commute
29.1 min
Area median age
48.5
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 24090; 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

Related reading

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