South Boston Elementary

Q: Is South Boston Elementary a good school?

South Boston Elementary ranks 715 th of 1114 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

South Boston Elementary is a public elementary school serving 666 students in grades K-5 in South Boston, Virginia, which is part of the Halifax County Public Schools district.

Despite being part of a district ranked 86 out of 130 in Virginia, South Boston Elementary has consistently underperformed compared to state and district averages on SOL assessments, with proficiency rates lower than the state in all subject areas. The school's statewide ranking has declined from 562 in 2018-2019 to 715 in 2023-2024, indicating a relative decline in performance. Notably, the school's performance varies significantly by student subgroup, with Hispanic students outperforming African American and White students. Additionally, South Boston Elementary has a very high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 87.38% to 92.94% over the past three school years.

When compared to nearby schools in the Halifax County Public Schools district, such as Meadville Elementary and Clays Mill Elementary, South Boston Elementary generally performs worse on SOL assessments, with lower proficiency rates and lower statewide rankings. This suggests that there may be successful practices or strategies at these other schools that could be replicated to improve student learning at South Boston Elementary.

Detail:

Public K-5

2320 Parker Avenue
South Boston, VA 24592

(434) 517-2620

District: Halifax County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
715^th of 1,114 Virginia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $6,546

Students who attend South Boston Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Halifax County Middle
High:	Halifax County High

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 694

Racial breakdown:

African American:

55.2%

White:

31.1%

Hispanic:

6.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 98.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details South Boston Elementary ranks worse than 64.2% of elementary schools in Virginia. It also ranks 5^th among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Halifax County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.11. (See more...)

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

Compare Details South Boston Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Halifax County Public Schools District. Racial makeup is: African American (55.2%), White (31.1%), Hispanic (6.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 98.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Boston Elementary is 14.3. 6 elementary schools in the Halifax County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare South Boston Elementary employs 48.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Boston Elementary is $6,546. 6 elementary schools in the Halifax County Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South Boston Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks South Boston Elementary 715^th of 1114 Virginia public elementary schools. (See South Boston Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Halifax County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Halifax County Public Schools 86^th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for South Boston Elementary

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Rank History for all students at South Boston Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile
2010	41.37	810^th	1113	27.2%
2011	53.62	567^th	1117	49.2%
2012	32.10	911^th	1117	18.4%
2013	54.78	529^th	1120	52.8%
2014	23.54	974^th	1110	12.3%
2015	34.93	823^rd	1100	25.2%
2016	38.30	791^st	1096	27.8%
2017	38.51	789^th	1099	28.2%
2018	48.79	644^th	1097	41.3%
2019	54.95	562^nd	1105	49.1%
2021	13.69	981^st	1103	11.1%
2022	23.38	895^th	1109	19.3%
2023	26.72	875^th	1114	21.5%
2024	41.11	715^th	1114	35.8%

See the entire list of Virginia Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at South Boston Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	25.41	888^th	1100	19.3%
2024	42.37	701^st	1098	36.2%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at South Boston Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	28.22	857^th	1093	21.6%
2024	37.96	748^th	1101	32.1%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at South Boston Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	29.56	452^nd	579	21.9%
2024	47.68	337^th	588	42.7%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at South Boston Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	56.72	257^th	580	55.7%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at South Boston Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	28.94	785^th	984	20.2%
2024	43.88	629^th	979	35.8%

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.

Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2)

100%

Reviews:

by a teacher
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

The school is not inclusive of all children when it comes to positive reinforcement. The school does not encourage/support a lot of parental involvement or volunteers compared to the number of students in the school. Close Quote

Enrollment information for South Boston Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2008	347	471	6	27	0	n/a	n/a	0	851
2009	377	459	5	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	866
2010	385	476	6	29	0	n/a	n/a	2	898
2011	363	407	5	22	0	2	4	0	803
2012	323	410	12	28	1	2	5	0	781
2013	301	399	13	39	1	0	15	0	768
2014	285	403	12	36	1	0	14	0	751
2015	279	393	17	33	0	0	22	0	744
2016	266	392	18	28	0	0	25	0	729
2017	244	372	15	28	0	0	31	0	690
2018	223	367	9	32	0	0	34	0	665
2019	229	353	10	28	0	0	25	0	645
2020	211	341	15	36	1	3	27	0	634
2021	204	343	11	34	1	2	33	0	628
2022	195	331	10	34	0	3	37	0	610
2023	206	372	8	44	0	4	32	0	666
2024	216	383	9	48	0	3	35	0	694

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 South Boston Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	851	47.7	17.8	60.4
2009	866	49.0	17.7	63.4
2010	898	49.0	18.3	65.3
2011	803	41.0	19.5	61.8
2012	781	48.4	16.1	63.4
2013	768	48.0	15.9	67.6
2014	751	50.0	14.9	64.4
2015	744	49.0	15.1	64.7
2016	729	52.0	14.0	63.5
2017	690	48.6	14.1	65.9
2018	665	46.9	14.1	89.8
2019	645	45.5	14.1	84.3
2020	634	45.6	13.8	84.1
2021	628	45.0	13.9	n/a
2022	610	44.6	13.6	87.4
2023	666	43.5	15.3	92.9
2024	694	48.2	14.3	98.3

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 South Boston Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	851	47.7	17.8	60.4
2009	866	49.0	17.7	63.4
2010	898	49.0	18.3	65.3
2011	803	41.0	19.5	61.8
2012	781	48.4	16.1	63.4
2013	768	48.0	15.9	67.6
2014	751	50.0	14.9	64.4
2015	744	49.0	15.1	64.7
2016	729	52.0	14.0	63.5
2017	690	48.6	14.1	65.9
2018	665	46.9	14.1	89.8
2019	645	45.5	14.1	84.3
2020	634	45.6	13.8	84.1
2021	628	45.0	13.9	n/a
2022	610	44.6	13.6	87.4
2023	666	43.5	15.3	92.9
2024	694	48.2	14.3	98.3

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 South Boston Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$565 (8.4%)	$6,186 (91.6%)	$6,751
2020	$620 (9.3%)	$6,065 (90.7%)	$6,685
2021	$702 (10.7%)	$5,844 (89.3%)	$6,546

Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Boston 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 562^nd of 1105 Elementary schools	Ranks 875^th of 1114 Elementary schools	27.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (South Boston Elementary)	85	72.5	12.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Halifax County Public Schools)	86	64.1	21.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	82	69.1	12.9%
3rd Grade English Reading (South Boston Elementary)	73	61.8	11.2%
3rd Grade English Reading (Halifax County Public Schools)	71	59.1	11.9%
3rd Grade English Reading (Virginia)	71	66.1	4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (South Boston Elementary)	82	49.5	32.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Halifax County Public Schools)	86	60	26%
4th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	83	69.7	13.3%
4th Grade English Reading (South Boston Elementary)	84	63.9	20.1%
4th Grade English Reading (Halifax County Public Schools)	76	62.9	13.1%
4th Grade English Reading (Virginia)	75	72.7	2.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (South Boston Elementary)	86	33.8	52.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Halifax County Public Schools)	83	64.4	18.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	81	67	14%
5th Grade Science (South Boston Elementary)	70	33.8	36.3%
5th Grade Science (Halifax County Public Schools)	75	60.8	14.2%
5th Grade Science (Virginia)	79	66	13%
5th Grade English Reading (South Boston Elementary)	81	57.5	23.5%
5th Grade English Reading (Halifax County Public Schools)	77	72.4	4.7%
5th Grade English Reading (Virginia)	78	71.4	6.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	645	666	3.3%
African American	353	372	5.4%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	10	8	20%
Hispanic	28	44	57.1%
Pacific Islander	0	4
White	229	206	10%
Two or More Races	25	32	28%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	84.3%	92.9%	8.6%

Schools Near South Boston Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SOL Mathematics (2024)			SOL Science (2024)	SOL English Reading (2024)			SOL VA Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SOL Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
South Boston Elementary	Public	K-5	2320 Parker Avenue	South Boston	24592	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 517-2620	694	48	14.3	98.3%	216 (31.1%)	383 (55.2%)	48 (6.9%)	9 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	35 (5.0%)	41.1	715^th of 1114 public elementary schools	35.8%		26.7	875^th of 1114 public elementary schools	21.5%	160	73.6	62.2	62.5	60.4	65.7	65.1	71.9	61.5	$6,546	$702	$5,844
South Boston/Halifax Early Learning Center	Public	PK	1927 Jeffress Blvd.	South Boston	24592	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 572-4273	123	12	10.6	99.2%	30 (24.4%)	72 (58.5%)	9 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (9.8%)								(n/a)
Sinai Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1011 Sinai Elementary Drive	Halifax	24558	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 476-6193	247	22	11.4	99.6%	52 (21.1%)	171 (69.2%)	8 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (6.5%)	35	778^th of 1114 public elementary schools	30.2%		29.5	848^th of 1114 public elementary schools	23.9%	70	74.1	34.8	60.7	67.9	73.1	47.8	68.0	39.1	$8,688	$1,284	$7,403
Scottsburg Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1010 Scottsburg School Trail	Scottsburg	24589	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 454-6454	186	17	11.2	99.5%	97 (52.2%)	65 (34.9%)	6 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	17 (9.1%)	48.9	630^th of 1114 public elementary schools	43.4%		66.8	387^th of 1114 public elementary schools	65.3%	243	66.7	70.8	71.9	65.6	68.4	79.2	62.5	66.7	$8,730	$672	$8,058
Cluster Springs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	7091 Huell Matthews Hwy.	Alton	24520	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 517-2600	533	36	14.6	99.2%	347 (65.1%)	117 (22.0%)	38 (7.1%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (4.9%)	45.6	664^th of 1114 public elementary schools	40.4%		49	619^th of 1114 public elementary schools	44.4%	45	64.3	63.2	76.3	57.9	63.9	70.2	73.7	70.2	$7,576	$1,672	$5,904
Clays Mill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1011 Clays Mill School Dr	Scottsburg	24589	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 476-3022	230	19	11.8	97.8%	151 (65.7%)	59 (25.7%)	14 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.6%)	67.2	394^th of 1114 public elementary schools	64.6%		59.3	489^th of 1114 public elementary schools	56.1%	95	76.0	74.2	85.0	85.0	72.0	77.4	65.0	87.1	$11,620	$1,323	$10,297
Meadville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1011 Meadville School Loop	Nathalie	24577	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 349-1012	160	13	12.6	101.3%	103 (64.4%)	47 (29.4%)	3 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.4%)	60.5	485^th of 1114 public elementary schools	56.5%		63.5	423^rd of 1114 public elementary schools	62.0%	62	85.7		66.7	62.5	82.1	61.1	79.2		$7,962	$775	$7,187
Sydnor Jennings Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1011 Sydnor Jennings Rd	Nathalie	24577	Halifax County	Halifax County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 349-1013	181	17	10.6	98.9%	95 (52.5%)	58 (32.0%)	6 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (12.2%)	25.4	893^rd of 1114 public elementary schools	19.8%		24.7	890^th of 1114 public elementary schools	20.1%	3	69.6	47.8	71.4	50.0	56.5	60.9	53.6	43.5	$10,865	$1,078	$9,787

Frequently Asked Questions about South Boston Elementary

Is South Boston Elementary a good school?

South Boston Elementary ranks 715^th of 1114 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is South Boston Elementary in?

Halifax County Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of South Boston Elementary?

Students at South Boston Elementary are 55% African American, 31% White, 7% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

How many students attend South Boston Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 694 students attended South Boston Elementary.

What schools do graduates of South Boston Elementary attend?

Students who attend South Boston Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Halifax County Middle
High : Halifax County High

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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.