James River Elementary

Summary:

James River Elementary is a public elementary school in Williamsburg, Virginia, serving students from kindergarten to 5th grade as part of the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools district.

Despite having a diverse student population, James River Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Virginia elementary schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance is particularly low for English Language Learner (ELL) students, ranking 235 out of 306 schools in the state. Additionally, the school's test scores in mathematics, reading, and science are consistently lower than the district and state averages, with the school often ranking in the bottom half of Virginia elementary schools in these subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's 3rd-grade mathematics proficiency rate was 56.47%, compared to 74.04% for the district and 70.11% for the state.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Yorktown Elementary, which is part of the York County Public Schools district, James River Elementary generally performs worse on standardized tests and has a much lower statewide ranking. Despite the school's relatively high per-student spending of $10,914 in the 2020-2021 school year, this increased funding does not appear to be translating into improved academic outcomes for the students.


Detail:

Public K-5

 8901 Pocahontas Trail
       Williamsburg, VA  23185


(757) 887-1768

District: Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
817th of 1,114 Virginia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,914 Help


Students who attend James River Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    James Blair Middle
High:    Jamestown High

Student/teacher ratio:  11.7 Help
Number of students:  445

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
44.9%
White:
26.5%
African American:
19.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  64.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details James River Elementary ranks worse than 73.3% of elementary schools in Virginia. It also ranks last among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.39. (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
Help
Compare Details James River Elementary has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools District. Student population at James River Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (44.9%), White (26.5%), African American (19.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 64.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James River Elementary is 11.7, which is the 4th best among 9 elementary schools in the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare James River Elementary employs 38 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at James River Elementary is $10,914, which is the highest among 9 elementary schools in the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

James River Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks James River Elementary 817th of 1114 Virginia public elementary schools. (See James River Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools 36th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for James River Elementary?

Rank History for James River Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at James River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 49.14 588th 1062 44.6%
2006 42.67 721st 1071 32.7%
2007 27.37 929th 1083 14.2%
2008 31.81 874th 1081 19.1%
2009 49.37 618th 1082 42.9%
2010 62.80 396th 1113 64.4%
2011 68.85 294th 1117 73.7%
2012 60.49 436th 1117 61.0%
2013 35.15 816th 1120 27.1%
2014 47.39 642nd 1110 42.2%
2015 43.97 718th 1100 34.7%
2016 33.96 840th 1096 23.4%
2017 35.51 824th 1099 25.0%
2018 36.60 805th 1097 26.6%
2019 26.93 912th 1105 17.5%
2021 13.86 979th 1103 11.2%
2022 34.48 790th 1109 28.8%
2023 30.70 835th 1114 25.0%
2024 31.39 817th 1114 26.7%
See the entire list of Virginia Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at James River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 27.55 235th 306 23.2%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 36.12 725th 1036 30.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at James River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 20.13 940th 1100 14.5%
2024 25.39 885th 1098 19.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at James River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 45.75 646th 1093 40.9%
2024 36.93 763rd 1101 30.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at James River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 41.41 368th 564 34.8%
2024 44.56 357th 580 38.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at James River Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 52.12 516th 984 47.6%
2024 46.58 597th 979 39.0%
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.

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





Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)
0%

100%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Thursday, May 22, 2014

Open Quote I have 5 children who are attending or who have attended James River Elementary school. One is in High School now and two are in Junior High. James River teachers, staff and administration work hard as a team to meet the needs of all of their students. It is a small neighborhood school where the children are seen as individuals and goals are individualized. My children have received a strong foundation for higher academic challenges here at James River. Two of them required reading recovery assistance and one has required speech assistance; they also all received enrichment services from the gifted & talented teacher. All of them have become strong accelerated students on track for competitive colleges. National test scores do not reflect the commitment of the teachers or staff, they do not reflect actual progress for each individual child, and they should not be used to grade a school. Close Quote



Enrollment information for James River Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1994 320 126 7 6 0 n/a n/a 0 459
1995 330 125 7 11 3 n/a n/a 0 476
1996 330 125 7 11 3 n/a n/a 0 476
1997 321 149 3 9 4 n/a n/a 0 486
1998 310 156 3 8 4 n/a n/a 0 481
1999 294 172 7 14 5 n/a n/a 0 492
2000 277 187 8 10 9 n/a n/a -4 487
2001 262 175 10 9 7 n/a n/a 0 463
2002 200 156 10 4 2 n/a n/a 0 372
2003 200 156 10 4 2 n/a n/a 0 372
2004 200 158 13 12 3 n/a n/a 1 387
2005 208 181 11 20 6 n/a n/a 8 434
2006 235 195 8 22 3 n/a n/a 6 469
2007 235 171 11 27 3 n/a n/a 9 456
2008 232 181 13 41 6 n/a n/a 5 478
2009 241 178 13 47 6 n/a n/a 3 488
2010 237 172 13 52 3 n/a n/a 8 485
2011 207 145 3 63 1 3 44 0 466
2012 214 143 7 90 1 2 36 0 493
2013 244 148 11 106 2 2 37 0 550
2014 210 149 12 103 3 0 35 0 512
2015 214 134 9 108 2 0 36 0 503
2016 198 134 12 116 3 0 29 0 492
2017 190 141 8 123 1 0 37 0 500
2018 185 130 7 135 0 1 40 0 498
2019 153 112 4 141 0 0 39 0 449
2020 131 124 3 159 0 0 37 0 454
2021 100 110 3 177 1 0 38 0 429
2022 95 100 3 186 1 0 35 0 420
2023 104 86 2 197 1 0 41 0 431
2024 118 85 1 200 0 0 41 0 445

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 James River Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 459 29.1 n/a n/a
1995 476 n/a 0.0 29.4
1996 476 n/a 0.0 29.4
1997 486 n/a 0.0 30.7
1998 481 n/a 0.0 34.1
1999 492 36.0 13.7 50
2000 487 n/a 0.0 53
2001 463 36.5 12.7 53.1
2002 372 42.6 8.7 63.2
2003 372 42.6 8.7 63.2
2004 387 34.0 11.4 63
2005 434 38.4 11.3 60.1
2006 469 41.0 11.4 58.1
2007 456 46.0 9.9 57.5
2008 478 32.5 14.7 52.4
2009 488 34.0 14.4 54
2010 485 33.5 14.4 58.1
2011 466 31.3 14.8 57.7
2012 493 29.6 16.6 60.9
2013 550 32.3 17.0 58.5
2014 512 32.3 15.8 57.6
2015 503 32.0 15.7 59.8
2016 492 32.0 15.3 62.8
2017 500 28.7 17.3 62.4
2018 498 32.5 15.3 66.7
2019 449 31.5 14.2 69.7
2020 454 31.1 14.5 69.8
2021 429 29.2 14.6 n/a
2022 420 30.1 13.9 75.5
2023 431 39.5 10.9 66.4
2024 445 38.0 11.7 64.9

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 James River Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 459 29.1 n/a n/a
1995 476 n/a 0.0 29.4
1996 476 n/a 0.0 29.4
1997 486 n/a 0.0 30.7
1998 481 n/a 0.0 34.1
1999 492 36.0 13.7 50
2000 487 n/a 0.0 53
2001 463 36.5 12.7 53.1
2002 372 42.6 8.7 63.2
2003 372 42.6 8.7 63.2
2004 387 34.0 11.4 63
2005 434 38.4 11.3 60.1
2006 469 41.0 11.4 58.1
2007 456 46.0 9.9 57.5
2008 478 32.5 14.7 52.4
2009 488 34.0 14.4 54
2010 485 33.5 14.4 58.1
2011 466 31.3 14.8 57.7
2012 493 29.6 16.6 60.9
2013 550 32.3 17.0 58.5
2014 512 32.3 15.8 57.6
2015 503 32.0 15.7 59.8
2016 492 32.0 15.3 62.8
2017 500 28.7 17.3 62.4
2018 498 32.5 15.3 66.7
2019 449 31.5 14.2 69.7
2020 454 31.1 14.5 69.8
2021 429 29.2 14.6 n/a
2022 420 30.1 13.9 75.5
2023 431 39.5 10.9 66.4
2024 445 38.0 11.7 64.9

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 James River Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $531 (5.5%) $9,096 (94.5%) $9,627
2020 $402 (4.2%) $9,279 (95.9%) $9,680
2021 $483 (4.4%) $10,431 (95.6%) $10,914

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

Impact of COVID-19 on James River 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 912th of 1105 Elementary schoolsRanks 835th of 1114 Elementary schools
 7.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (James River Elementary)7571.8
 3.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools)8576.2
 8.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8269.1
 12.9%
3rd Grade English Reading (James River Elementary)6352.1
 10.9%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools)7370
 3%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Virginia)7166.1
 4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (James River Elementary)6364.6
 1.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools)8578.5
 6.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8369.7
 13.3%
4th Grade English Reading (James River Elementary)5763.5
 6.5%
   4th Grade English Reading (Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools)7878.9
 0.9%
   4th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7572.7
 2.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (James River Elementary)7542.3
 32.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools)8668.6
 17.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8167
 14%
5th Grade Science (James River Elementary)6648.2
 17.8%
   5th Grade Science (Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools)8369
 14%
   5th Grade Science (Virginia)7966
 13%
5th Grade English Reading (James River Elementary)6456.4
 7.6%
   5th Grade English Reading (Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools)8375.3
 7.7%
   5th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7871.4
 6.6%
6th Grade Mathematics (James River Elementary)100100
   6th Grade Mathematics (Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools)8172
 9%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7857
 21%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students449431
 4%
African American11286
 23.2%
American Indian01
Asian42
 50%
Hispanic141197
 39.7%
Pacific Islander00
White153104
 32%
Two or More Races3941
 5.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients69.7%66.4%
 3.4%


Schools Near James River Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about James River Elementary

In the 2023-24 school year, 445 students attended James River Elementary.

Students who attend James River Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : James Blair Middle
High : Jamestown High

Students at James River Elementary are 45% Hispanic, 27% White, 19% African American, 9% Two or more races.

James River Elementary ranks 817th of 1114 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star 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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