Is Big Island Elementary a good school?

Big Island Elementary ranks 418 th of 1114 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Big Island Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 149 students attended Big Island Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Big Island Elementary?

Students at Big Island Elementary are 79% White, 10% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic, 4% African American.

What schools do graduates of Big Island Elementary attend?

Students who attend Big Island Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Liberty Middle High : Liberty High

Big Island Elementary

Summary:

Big Island Elementary is a public elementary school in Big Island, Virginia, serving 149 students in grades PK-5 and part of the Bedford County Public Schools district.

Big Island Elementary stands out for its strong academic performance, with high proficiency rates on SOL (Standards of Learning) tests, particularly in 5th grade Mathematics where the school had a 96.15% proficiency rate, significantly higher than the Bedford County Public Schools (73.79%) and Virginia (67.98%) averages. The school also has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 69.13%, which is an important factor to consider. Compared to nearby schools, Big Island Elementary generally performs better on academic measures, though schools like Thomas Jefferson Elementary and Forest Elementary also demonstrate strong academic performance.

Another notable aspect of Big Island Elementary is its demographic makeup, with a significantly higher percentage of White students (78.52%) compared to the surrounding schools, which have more diverse student populations. This is an interesting contrast, and the school has seen some shifts in its racial composition over the past few years, with a decrease in the percentage of White students and an increase in the percentage of students of color. Despite the challenges it faces, Big Island Elementary's consistent high performance is a testament to the dedication of its staff and the resilience of its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1114 Schooldays Rd
Big Island, VA 24526

(434) 299-5863

District: Bedford County Public Schools

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,175

Students who attend Big Island Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Liberty Middle
High:	Liberty High

Student/teacher ratio: 16.1

Number of students: 149

Racial breakdown:

White:

78.5%

Two or more races:

10.1%

Hispanic:

6.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 69.1%

See top rated Virginia elementary schools

Compare Big Island Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Big Island Elementary ranks better than 62.5% of elementary schools in Virginia. It also ranks 6^th among 12 ranked elementary schools in the Bedford County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 65.65. (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 Big Island Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Bedford County Public Schools District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Big Island Elementary is $11,175, which is the 6^th highest among 12 elementary schools in the Bedford County Public Schools District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Big Island Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Big Island Elementary 418^th of 1114 Virginia public elementary schools. (See Big Island Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Bedford County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Bedford County Public Schools 43^rd of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Big Island Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Big Island Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile
2005	58.27	464^th	1062	56.3%
2006	50.32	601^st	1071	43.9%
2007	43.50	701^st	1083	35.3%
2008	41.42	749^th	1081	30.7%
2009	24.60	968^th	1082	10.5%
2010	37.25	863^rd	1113	22.5%
2011	36.85	846^th	1117	24.3%
2012	28.56	952^nd	1117	14.8%
2013	30.84	867^th	1120	22.6%
2014	30.36	884^th	1110	20.4%
2015	60.66	456^th	1100	58.5%
2016	54.27	556^th	1096	49.3%
2017	59.54	466^th	1099	57.6%
2018	63.08	430^th	1097	60.8%
2019	69.79	328^th	1105	70.3%
2021	74.14	282^nd	1103	74.4%
2022	73.97	289^th	1109	73.9%
2023	81.74	180^th	1114	83.8%
2024	65.65	418^th	1114	62.5%

See the entire list of Virginia Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Big Island Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	84.36	76^th	1036	92.7%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Big Island Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	82.71	138^th	1100	87.5%
2024	80.37	178^th	1098	83.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Big Island Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	76.40	232^nd	1093	78.8%
2024	64.14	416^th	1101	62.2%

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

Rank History for White students at Big Island Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	67.26	310^th	984	68.5%
2024	69.86	263^rd	979	73.1%

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

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Enrollment information for Big Island 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	238	238
1990	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	227	227
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	208	208
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	215	215
1993	185	30	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	216
1994	194	29	0	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	226
1995	215	37	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	256
1996	215	37	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	256
1997	228	32	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	263
1998	224	40	2	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	269
1999	238	29	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	271
2000	231	28	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	-4	258
2001	225	30	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	259
2002	223	24	1	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	252
2003	223	24	1	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	252
2004	200	20	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	225
2005	195	10	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	207
2006	189	9	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	201
2007	208	10	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	222
2008	177	5	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	2	186
2009	193	7	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	39	241
2010	206	8	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	216
2011	193	13	0	2	0	0	2	0	210
2012	170	12	0	2	0	0	1	0	185
2013	157	13	0	3	0	0	2	0	175
2014	130	13	0	3	0	0	3	0	149
2015	128	13	0	1	0	0	3	0	145
2016	120	14	0	2	1	0	3	0	140
2017	139	9	0	0	0	0	7	0	155
2018	118	7	0	0	0	0	12	0	137
2019	128	4	0	6	0	0	14	0	152
2020	122	5	0	4	0	2	16	0	149
2021	107	5	0	3	0	0	10	0	125
2022	100	5	0	4	0	0	10	0	119
2023	117	6	0	10	1	0	15	0	149

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 Big Island Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	238	14.4	16.5	n/a
1990	227	13.2	17.1	n/a
1991	208	13.3	15.6	n/a
1992	215	13.5	15.9	n/a
1993	216	14.3	15.1	n/a
1994	226	10.4	n/a	23
1995	256	n/a	0.0	22.3
1996	256	n/a	0.0	22.3
1997	263	n/a	0.0	22.4
1998	269	n/a	0.0	27.9
1999	271	18.4	14.7	28
2000	258	n/a	0.0	28.6
2001	259	18.5	14.0	28.6
2002	252	19.0	13.3	32.1
2003	252	19.0	13.3	32.1
2004	225	20.0	11.3	36.9
2005	207	19.0	10.9	37.2
2006	201	21.0	9.6	44.3
2007	222	23.5	9.4	38.7
2008	186	16.0	11.6	48.4
2009	241	16.0	15.1	45
2010	216	16.0	13.5	44
2011	210	13.0	16.1	51
2012	185	12.1	15.2	42.7
2013	175	12.3	14.1	40.6
2014	149	13.0	11.4	49
2015	145	10.0	14.5	45.5
2016	140	11.0	12.7	38.6
2017	155	11.8	13.0	43.2
2018	137	10.3	13.3	47.4
2019	152	10.6	14.2	55.9
2020	149	11.5	12.9	49.7
2021	125	10.5	11.8	n/a
2022	119	11.5	10.3	62.2
2023	149	9.2	16.1	69.1

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 Big Island Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	238	14.4	16.5	n/a
1990	227	13.2	17.1	n/a
1991	208	13.3	15.6	n/a
1992	215	13.5	15.9	n/a
1993	216	14.3	15.1	n/a
1994	226	10.4	n/a	23
1995	256	n/a	0.0	22.3
1996	256	n/a	0.0	22.3
1997	263	n/a	0.0	22.4
1998	269	n/a	0.0	27.9
1999	271	18.4	14.7	28
2000	258	n/a	0.0	28.6
2001	259	18.5	14.0	28.6
2002	252	19.0	13.3	32.1
2003	252	19.0	13.3	32.1
2004	225	20.0	11.3	36.9
2005	207	19.0	10.9	37.2
2006	201	21.0	9.6	44.3
2007	222	23.5	9.4	38.7
2008	186	16.0	11.6	48.4
2009	241	16.0	15.1	45
2010	216	16.0	13.5	44
2011	210	13.0	16.1	51
2012	185	12.1	15.2	42.7
2013	175	12.3	14.1	40.6
2014	149	13.0	11.4	49
2015	145	10.0	14.5	45.5
2016	140	11.0	12.7	38.6
2017	155	11.8	13.0	43.2
2018	137	10.3	13.3	47.4
2019	152	10.6	14.2	55.9
2020	149	11.5	12.9	49.7
2021	125	10.5	11.8	n/a
2022	119	11.5	10.3	62.2
2023	149	9.2	16.1	69.1

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 Big Island Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$699 (7.2%)	$8,952 (92.8%)	$9,651
2020	$563 (6.2%)	$8,557 (93.8%)	$9,120
2021	$589 (5.3%)	$10,587 (94.7%)	$11,175

Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Big Island 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 328^th of 1105 Elementary schools	Ranks 180^th of 1114 Elementary schools	13.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Big Island Elementary)	77	80	3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Bedford County Public Schools)	83	77.3	5.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	82	69.1	12.9%
3rd Grade English Reading (Big Island Elementary)	73	84	11%
3rd Grade English Reading (Bedford County Public Schools)	74	70.3	3.7%
3rd Grade English Reading (Virginia)	71	66.1	4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Big Island Elementary)	92	78.6	13.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Bedford County Public Schools)	84	74.3	9.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	83	69.7	13.3%
4th Grade English Reading (Big Island Elementary)	83	89.3	6.3%
4th Grade English Reading (Bedford County Public Schools)	76	76.4	0.4%
4th Grade English Reading (Virginia)	75	72.7	2.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Big Island Elementary)	97	95.7	1.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Bedford County Public Schools)	84	72.5	11.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	81	67	14%
5th Grade Science (Big Island Elementary)	87	87	0%
5th Grade Science (Bedford County Public Schools)	84	70.2	13.9%
5th Grade Science (Virginia)	79	66	13%
5th Grade English Reading (Big Island Elementary)	90	78.3	11.7%
5th Grade English Reading (Bedford County Public Schools)	84	73.5	10.5%
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	152	149	2%
African American	4	6	50%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	6	10	66.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	128	117	8.6%
Two or More Races	14	15	7.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	55.9%	69.1%	13.2%

Schools Near Big Island 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	SOL VA Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Big Island Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1114 Schooldays Rd	Big Island	24526	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 299-5863	149	9	16.1	69.1%	117 (78.5%)	6 (4.0%)	10 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (10.1%)	65.6	418^th of 1114 public elementary schools	62.5%		81.7	180^th of 1114 public elementary schools	83.8%	238	40.9	74.2	96.2	80.8	40.9	93.6	92.3	80.7		$11,175	$589	$10,587
Natural Bridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	42 Natural Bridge School Rd.	Natural Bridge Station	24479	Augusta County	Rockbridge County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 291-2292	221	25	9.0	67.9%	168 (76.0%)	7 (3.2%)	15 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (13.6%)	31.4	818^th of 1114 public elementary schools	26.6%		32.5	815^th of 1114 public elementary schools	26.8%	3	60.7	46.9	61.9	61.9	57.1	59.4	78.6	37.5		$10,622	$1,666	$8,956
Boonsboro Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1234 Eagle Circle	Lynchburg	24503	Lynchburg city	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 384-2881	331	22	15.2	29.0%	263 (79.5%)	26 (7.9%)	13 (3.9%)	4 (1.2%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.6%)	69.4	368^th of 1114 public elementary schools	67.0%		72.7	300^th of 1114 public elementary schools	73.1%	68	90.9	87.0	83.9	67.9	70.4	76.7	78.6	74.0		$8,316	$226	$8,090
Otter River Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1044 Otter River Dr	Goode	24556	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 586-9210	198	15	12.9	38.9%	165 (83.3%)	9 (4.5%)	12 (6.1%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (5.6%)	69.8	361^st of 1114 public elementary schools	67.6%		72.1	313^th of 1114 public elementary schools	71.9%	48	91.3	87.9	68.8	59.4	82.6	84.9	78.1	81.8		$12,493	$419	$12,074
Elon Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	147 Younger Dr	Madison Heights	24572	Amherst County	Amherst County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 528-6496	341	27	12.5	77.1%	269 (78.9%)	34 (10.0%)	8 (2.3%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (7.0%)	51.9	587^th of 1114 public elementary schools	47.3%		37.3	752^nd of 1114 public elementary schools	32.5%	165	73.4	69.6	66.1	71.2	73.0	80.4	67.8	52.2		$7,487	$446	$7,041
Forest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	One Scholar Lane	Forest	24551	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 525-2681	351	21	16.9	16.8%	278 (79.2%)	18 (5.1%)	15 (4.3%)	22 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.1%)	84.7	125^th of 1114 public elementary schools	88.8%		84.3	131^st of 1114 public elementary schools	88.2%	6	89.7	83.1	83.7	84.0	84.5	92.3	81.6	93.8		$8,758	$256	$8,502
Paul Munro Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4641 Locksview Rd	Lynchburg	24503	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 515-5260	369	25	14.9	98.1%	197 (53.4%)	104 (28.2%)	19 (5.1%)	7 (1.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (11.1%)	81.8	175^th of 1114 public elementary schools	84.3%		81.8	179^th of 1114 public elementary schools	83.9%	4	83.3	90.5	78.6	81.0	76.2	90.5	88.1	88.1	85.0	$7,505	$603	$6,902
Enderly Heights Elementary	Public	2-5	101 Woodland Ave	Buena Vista	24416	Buena Vista city	Buena Vista City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(540) 261-6151	191	13	14.9	85.9%	155 (81.2%)	8 (4.2%)	11 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (8.4%)	57.5	518^th of 1114 public elementary schools	53.5%		49.2	618^th of 1114 public elementary schools	44.5%	100	79.1	57.4	76.3	81.4	85.1	64.8	74.6	57.4		$6,814	$1,350	$5,464
Bedford Hills Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4330 Morningside Dr	Lynchburg	24503	Lynchburg city	Lynchburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(434) 515-5210	383	34	11.4	97.7%	189 (49.3%)	127 (33.2%)	36 (9.4%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (7.0%)	22.9	921^st of 1114 public elementary schools	17.3%		23.1	906^th of 1114 public elementary schools	18.7%	15	56.7	46.4	48.2	62.3	46.3	58.9	66.7	35.7	69.8	$10,243	$1,040	$9,202
Thomas Jefferson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1255 Patriot Place	Forest	24551	Bedford County	Bedford County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(434) 534-6159	510	34	15.0	27.5%	387 (75.9%)	37 (7.3%)	30 (5.9%)	14 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	41 (8.0%)	81.2	195^th of 1114 public elementary schools	82.5%		79.9	209^th of 1114 public elementary schools	81.2%	14	87.9	96.2	82.6	76.8	80.0	93.7	75.0	86.3		$10,712	$546	$10,165

Big Island Elementary

Big Island Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Bedford County Public Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Big Island Elementary

Rank History for all students at Big Island Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Big Island Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Big Island Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Big Island Elementary

Rank History for White students at Big Island Elementary

Enrollment information for Big Island Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Big Island Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Big Island Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Big Island Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Big Island Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Big Island Elementary