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Essex County School District

109 N Cross St
Tappahannock, VA 22560
(District boundaries shown in map)
2/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Essex County School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Virginia for:

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 10%)
For the 2025-26 school year, there are 2 public elementary schools serving 753 students in Essex County School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in Virginia.
Public Elementary Schools in Essex County School District have an average math proficiency score of 57% (versus the Virginia public elementary school average of 67%), and reading proficiency score of 52% (versus the 67% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 75% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the Virginia public elementary school average of 56% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (VA)
# Schools
3 Schools
1,493 Schools
# Students
1,163 Students
828,856 Students
# Teachers
88 Teachers
59,516 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
13:1
13:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Essex County School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 132 school districts in Virginia (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 92% has increased from 90-94% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (VA)
#106 out of 132 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
60%
68%
(20-21)
55%
69%
(20-21)
25-29%
59%
92%
89%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.62
0.72
% American Indian
1%
n/a
% Asian
2%
8%
% Hispanic
5%
19%
% Black
55%
22%
% White
27%
44%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
10%
7%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $15,866 is higher than the state median of $15,502. The school district revenue/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,284 is higher than the state median of $15,257. The school district spending/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
This School District
This State (VA)
Total Revenue
$19 MM
$19,496 MM
Spending
$19 MM
$19,187 MM
Revenue / Student
$15,866
$15,502
Spending / Student
$16,284
$15,257

Best Essex County School District Public Elementary Schools (2025-26)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Tappahannock Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
205 Elementary School Circle
Tappahannock, VA 22560
(804) 443-5301
Gr: PK-4 | 422 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 73%
Rank: #22.
James H. Cary Intermediate
(Math: 54% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
912 Intermediate School Circle
Tappahannock, VA 22560
(804) 443-3040
Gr: 5-8 | 331 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 77%

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Quick Facts (2025-26)

  • District size: 3 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 1,163 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 13:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 73%
  • : 92% (Top 10% in VA)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 60% (Btm 50%)
  • : 55% (Btm 50%)
  • : 25-29% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), VA Dept. of Education

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