Amherst Elementary

Summary:

Amherst Elementary is a public elementary school in Amherst, Virginia, serving 260 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Amherst County Public Schools district, which is ranked 95 out of 130 districts in the state.

Amherst Elementary stands out for its consistent academic performance, consistently outperforming the district and state averages on SOL (Standards of Learning) assessments, particularly in Mathematics and English Reading. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Amherst Elementary's 3rd grade Mathematics proficiency rate was 77.78%, compared to 62.72% for the district and 70.11% for the state. The school also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 11:1 to 18.6:1 over the past three years. However, Amherst Elementary has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 53.65% to 78.08% in recent years, which is higher than the surrounding schools like Temperance Elementary.

Amherst Elementary's student population is more diverse than some of the nearby schools, with a higher percentage of African American and Hispanic students. This diversity could be an asset, providing opportunities for cross-cultural learning and understanding. While Amherst Elementary generally outperforms other schools in the Amherst County Public Schools district, the nearby Temperance Elementary school also stands out with strong academic performance and a higher statewide ranking in recent years.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 156 Davis St
       Amherst, VA  24521


(434) 946-9704

District: Amherst County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
540th of 1,114 Virginia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,385 Help


Students who attend Amherst Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Amherst Middle
High:    Amherst County High

Student/teacher ratio:  13.3 Help
Number of students:  267

Racial breakdown:

White:
60.7%
African American:
19.1%
Two or more races:
10.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  79.4% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Amherst Elementary ranks better than 51.5% of elementary schools in Virginia. It also ranks 2nd among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Amherst County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 55.76. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (60.7%), African American (19.1%), two or more races (10.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 79.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Amherst County Public Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Amherst Elementary is 13.3. 3 elementary schools in the Amherst County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Amherst Elementary employs 20 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Amherst Elementary is $9,385, which is the 2nd highest among 6 elementary schools in the Amherst County Public Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Amherst Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Amherst Elementary 540th of 1114 Virginia public elementary schools. (See Amherst Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Amherst County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Amherst County Public Schools 95th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Amherst Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Amherst Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 35.27 805th 1062 24.2%
2006 44.55 701st 1071 34.5%
2007 35.42 829th 1083 23.5%
2008 56.87 494th 1081 54.3%
2009 57.56 470th 1082 56.6%
2010 56.18 528th 1113 52.6%
2011 38.87 817th 1117 26.9%
2012 44.84 705th 1117 36.9%
2013 54.57 533rd 1120 52.4%
2014 66.04 348th 1110 68.6%
2015 70.75 289th 1100 73.7%
2016 64.00 400th 1096 63.5%
2017 55.72 537th 1099 51.1%
2018 34.26 833rd 1097 24.1%
2019 67.10 379th 1105 65.7%
2021 63.30 420th 1103 61.9%
2022 71.69 322nd 1109 71.0%
2023 56.78 523rd 1114 53.1%
2024 55.76 540th 1114 51.5%
See the entire list of Virginia Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Amherst Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 66.20 321st 1036 69.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Amherst Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 55.31 528th 1100 52.0%
2024 53.93 555th 1098 49.5%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Amherst Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 54.45 523rd 1093 52.2%
2024 53.09 551st 1101 50.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Amherst Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 40.53 656th 984 33.3%
2024 41.48 649th 979 33.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Virginia Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Amherst Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Virginia Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Amherst Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 438 438
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 355 355
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 368 368
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 378 378
1993 281 100 1 0 2 n/a n/a 0 384
1994 289 99 1 0 2 n/a n/a 0 391
1995 261 96 3 0 1 n/a n/a 0 361
1996 261 96 3 0 1 n/a n/a 0 361
1997 274 90 3 0 2 n/a n/a 0 369
1998 266 94 4 0 2 n/a n/a 0 366
1999 248 94 4 0 3 n/a n/a 0 349
2000 239 93 4 1 2 n/a n/a -4 335
2001 233 96 2 6 2 n/a n/a 0 339
2002 252 92 2 4 0 n/a n/a 0 350
2003 252 92 2 4 0 n/a n/a 0 350
2004 259 77 4 4 0 n/a n/a 0 344
2005 278 80 3 13 0 n/a n/a 0 374
2006 269 76 3 12 1 n/a n/a 2 363
2007 262 73 3 13 1 n/a n/a 1 353
2008 236 76 5 14 1 n/a n/a 6 338
2009 228 70 3 10 1 n/a n/a 9 321
2010 243 73 3 6 1 n/a n/a 7 333
2011 236 59 2 11 0 0 19 0 327
2012 225 52 2 9 1 0 22 0 311
2013 238 45 2 12 1 0 21 0 319
2014 228 51 2 10 1 0 21 0 313
2015 233 52 1 9 2 0 22 0 319
2016 220 43 1 14 2 0 23 0 303
2017 206 44 0 15 5 0 31 0 301
2018 201 47 0 13 5 0 25 0 291
2019 191 47 0 16 3 0 26 0 283
2020 179 42 1 16 4 1 29 0 272
2021 181 38 1 18 3 0 20 0 261
2022 152 38 2 18 3 1 19 0 233
2023 162 48 2 24 0 0 24 0 260
2024 162 51 2 24 0 0 28 0 267

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Amherst Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 438 25.3 17.3 n/a
1990 355 22.4 15.8 n/a
1991 368 23.1 15.9 n/a
1992 378 23.5 16.0 n/a
1993 384 27.3 14.1 n/a
1994 391 19.5 n/a 28.1
1995 361 n/a 0.0 28.3
1996 361 n/a 0.0 28.3
1997 369 n/a 0.0 24.9
1998 366 n/a 0.0 26.5
1999 349 26.0 13.4 30.1
2000 335 n/a 0.0 31
2001 339 25.3 13.4 30.4
2002 350 30.0 11.7 33.1
2003 350 30.0 11.7 33.1
2004 344 28.0 12.3 34
2005 374 28.0 13.4 34
2006 363 30.0 12.1 34.3
2007 353 34.0 10.4 33.2
2008 338 23.0 14.7 36.4
2009 321 23.0 14.0 37.5
2010 333 23.0 14.4 43.6
2011 327 21.0 15.5 40.4
2012 311 24.0 12.9 43.1
2013 319 22.7 14.0 41.4
2014 313 21.7 14.3 40.6
2015 319 21.0 15.1 37.6
2016 303 21.0 14.4 36
2017 301 21.0 14.3 41.2
2018 291 21.0 13.8 43
2019 283 21.0 13.4 45.9
2020 272 20.5 13.2 46
2021 261 14.0 18.6 n/a
2022 233 17.6 13.2 53.6
2023 260 23.5 11.0 78.1
2024 267 20.0 13.3 79.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Amherst Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 438 25.3 17.3 n/a
1990 355 22.4 15.8 n/a
1991 368 23.1 15.9 n/a
1992 378 23.5 16.0 n/a
1993 384 27.3 14.1 n/a
1994 391 19.5 n/a 28.1
1995 361 n/a 0.0 28.3
1996 361 n/a 0.0 28.3
1997 369 n/a 0.0 24.9
1998 366 n/a 0.0 26.5
1999 349 26.0 13.4 30.1
2000 335 n/a 0.0 31
2001 339 25.3 13.4 30.4
2002 350 30.0 11.7 33.1
2003 350 30.0 11.7 33.1
2004 344 28.0 12.3 34
2005 374 28.0 13.4 34
2006 363 30.0 12.1 34.3
2007 353 34.0 10.4 33.2
2008 338 23.0 14.7 36.4
2009 321 23.0 14.0 37.5
2010 333 23.0 14.4 43.6
2011 327 21.0 15.5 40.4
2012 311 24.0 12.9 43.1
2013 319 22.7 14.0 41.4
2014 313 21.7 14.3 40.6
2015 319 21.0 15.1 37.6
2016 303 21.0 14.4 36
2017 301 21.0 14.3 41.2
2018 291 21.0 13.8 43
2019 283 21.0 13.4 45.9
2020 272 20.5 13.2 46
2021 261 14.0 18.6 n/a
2022 233 17.6 13.2 53.6
2023 260 23.5 11.0 78.1
2024 267 20.0 13.3 79.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Amherst Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $762 (9.2%) $7,516 (90.8%) $8,279
2020 $789 (8.7%) $8,257 (91.3%) $9,046
2021 $735 (7.8%) $8,650 (92.2%) $9,385

Data source: Virginia Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Amherst Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 379th of 1105 Elementary schoolsRanks 523rd of 1114 Elementary schools
 12.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Amherst Elementary)9165.3
 25.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Amherst County Public Schools)8161.7
 19.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8269.1
 12.9%
3rd Grade English Reading (Amherst Elementary)8775.5
 11.5%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Amherst County Public Schools)7462
 12%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Virginia)7166.1
 4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Amherst Elementary)8851.4
 36.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Amherst County Public Schools)8261.2
 20.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8369.7
 13.3%
4th Grade English Reading (Amherst Elementary)8375.7
 7.3%
   4th Grade English Reading (Amherst County Public Schools)7669.2
 6.8%
   4th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7572.7
 2.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Amherst Elementary)8980
 9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Amherst County Public Schools)8361.1
 21.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8167
 14%
5th Grade Science (Amherst Elementary)7368.6
 4.4%
   5th Grade Science (Amherst County Public Schools)7653.8
 22.2%
   5th Grade Science (Virginia)7966
 13%
5th Grade English Reading (Amherst Elementary)8274.3
 7.7%
   5th Grade English Reading (Amherst County Public Schools)7866.3
 11.7%
   5th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7871.4
 6.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students283260
 8.1%
African American4748
 2.1%
American Indian30
 100%
Asian02
Hispanic1624
 50%
Pacific Islander00
White191162
 15.2%
Two or More Races2624
 7.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients45.9%78.1%
 32.1%


Schools Near Amherst Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Amherst Elementary

Students who attend Amherst Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Amherst Middle
High : Amherst County High

Students at Amherst Elementary are 61% White, 19% African American, 10% Two or more races, 9% Hispanic.

In the 2023-24 school year, 267 students attended Amherst Elementary.

Amherst Elementary ranks 540th of 1114 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Virginia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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