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Forest Elementary

Summary:

Forest Elementary is a public elementary school located in Forest, Virginia, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 351. The school is part of the Bedford County Public Schools district, which is ranked 43 out of 130 school districts in Virginia and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Forest Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Virginia, with a statewide ranking of 125 out of 1,114 schools in the 2023-2024 school year, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's students demonstrate exceptional academic achievement, with significantly higher proficiency rates in SOL (Standards of Learning) assessments compared to the Bedford County Public Schools district and the state of Virginia averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 89.66% of 3rd-grade students at Forest Elementary were proficient or better in SOL Mathematics, compared to 76.47% for the Bedford County district and 70.11% for the state. Forest Elementary also has a relatively diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 79.2% White, 5.13% African American, 4.27% Hispanic, 6.27% Asian, and 5.13% two or more races in the 2022-2023 school year, which is higher than the surrounding schools in the Bedford County district.

When comparing Forest Elementary to the nearby schools in the Bedford County district, the school consistently outperforms the other elementary schools in SOL assessment results, with higher proficiency rates across various grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Forest Elementary's 5th-grade students had a 93.75% proficiency rate in SOL VA Studies, compared to 78.57% for the Bedford County district. Additionally, Forest Elementary has a more diverse student population compared to the other Bedford County elementary schools, which tend to have a higher percentage of White students. These factors, combined with the school's low student-teacher ratio, contribute to its strong focus on academic excellence and equity.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 One Scholar Lane
       Forest, VA  24551

(434) 525-2681

District: Bedford County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
125th of 1,114 Virginia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,758 Help


Students who attend Forest Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Forest Middle
High:    Jefferson Forest High

Student/teacher ratio:  16.9 Help
Number of students:  351

Racial breakdown:

White:
79.2%
Asian:
6.3%
African American:
5.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  16.8% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Forest Elementary ranks better than 88.8% of elementary schools in Virginia. It also ranks 2nd among 12 ranked elementary schools in the Bedford County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 84.71. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 Forest Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Bedford County Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Teachers
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Forest Elementary is $8,758. 11 elementary schools in the Bedford County Public Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Forest Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Forest Elementary 125th of 1114 Virginia public elementary schools. (See Forest Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Bedford County Public Schools:

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


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Rank History for Forest Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Forest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 75.84 187th 1062 82.4%
2006 79.56 118th 1071 89.0%
2007 71.64 242nd 1083 77.7%
2008 64.41 365th 1081 66.2%
2009 81.69 77th 1082 92.9%
2010 79.22 107th 1113 90.4%
2011 65.79 359th 1117 67.9%
2012 69.11 290th 1117 74.0%
2013 68.09 341st 1120 69.6%
2014 76.77 195th 1110 82.4%
2015 79.42 156th 1100 85.8%
2016 69.20 319th 1096 70.9%
2017 63.96 400th 1099 63.6%
2018 70.73 303rd 1097 72.4%
2019 78.26 197th 1105 82.2%
2021 93.16 25th 1103 97.7%
2022 89.46 62nd 1109 94.4%
2023 84.29 131st 1114 88.2%
2024 84.71 125th 1114 88.8%
See the entire list of Virginia Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Forest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 80.85 164th 1100 85.1%
2024 84.36 111th 1098 89.9%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Forest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 83.52 136th 1093 87.6%
2024 80.84 177th 1101 83.9%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Forest Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 77.89 144th 984 85.4%
2024 78.76 132nd 979 86.5%
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.

Forest Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Virginia Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Forest Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 417 417
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 439 439
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 452 452
1993 497 30 6 0 0 n/a n/a 0 533
1994 554 36 10 7 0 n/a n/a 0 607
1995 450 31 11 4 0 n/a n/a 0 496
1996 450 31 11 4 0 n/a n/a 0 496
1997 455 38 17 9 0 n/a n/a 0 519
1998 457 32 15 4 0 n/a n/a 0 508
1999 462 38 10 2 0 n/a n/a 0 512
2000 451 32 8 1 0 n/a n/a -4 488
2001 319 14 5 0 1 n/a n/a 0 339
2002 332 17 9 5 1 n/a n/a 0 364
2003 332 17 9 5 1 n/a n/a 0 364
2004 337 18 11 3 1 n/a n/a 0 370
2005 341 23 12 3 1 n/a n/a 0 380
2006 366 21 19 7 1 n/a n/a 0 414
2007 379 21 23 8 0 n/a n/a 0 431
2008 373 28 26 5 0 n/a n/a 0 432
2009 355 21 27 4 0 n/a n/a 1 408
2010 391 21 40 4 2 n/a n/a 5 463
2011 380 16 39 10 1 0 10 0 456
2012 378 15 41 8 1 0 10 0 453
2013 385 14 35 9 2 0 14 0 459
2014 377 14 30 14 1 0 9 0 445
2015 304 12 22 14 0 0 11 0 363
2016 309 15 19 11 0 0 10 0 364
2017 303 19 18 14 0 0 15 0 369
2018 283 20 21 19 1 0 15 0 359
2019 288 19 22 14 0 0 18 0 361
2020 272 15 18 14 0 0 24 0 343
2021 205 13 17 10 0 0 20 0 265
2022 224 14 23 13 0 0 17 0 291
2023 278 18 22 15 0 0 18 0 351

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 Forest Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 417 21.2 19.6 n/a
1991 439 22.6 19.4 n/a
1992 452 23.0 19.6 n/a
1993 533 26.2 20.3 n/a
1994 607 28.0 n/a 6.4
1995 496 n/a 0.0 8.1
1996 496 n/a 0.0 8.1
1997 519 n/a 0.0 8.7
1998 508 n/a 0.0 8.5
1999 512 27.0 19.0 9
2000 488 n/a 0.0 6.3
2001 339 21.0 16.1 4.4
2002 364 27.0 13.5 5.5
2003 364 27.0 13.5 5.5
2004 370 23.0 16.1 4.6
2005 380 23.0 16.5 4.2
2006 414 30.0 13.8 8.2
2007 431 34.5 12.5 9.7
2008 432 27.0 16.0 11.8
2009 408 27.0 15.1 8.4
2010 463 26.0 17.8 13.3
2011 456 26.0 17.5 13.8
2012 453 27.5 16.4 13.7
2013 459 25.8 17.7 12.6
2014 445 26.3 16.8 13.3
2015 363 21.0 17.2 11.6
2016 364 20.0 18.2 9.9
2017 369 22.3 16.5 11.4
2018 359 21.3 16.8 13.4
2019 361 21.8 16.5 15
2020 343 20.8 16.4 13.7
2021 265 17.9 14.8 n/a
2022 291 22.0 13.2 16.2
2023 351 20.7 16.9 16.8

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 Forest Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 417 21.2 19.6 n/a
1991 439 22.6 19.4 n/a
1992 452 23.0 19.6 n/a
1993 533 26.2 20.3 n/a
1994 607 28.0 n/a 6.4
1995 496 n/a 0.0 8.1
1996 496 n/a 0.0 8.1
1997 519 n/a 0.0 8.7
1998 508 n/a 0.0 8.5
1999 512 27.0 19.0 9
2000 488 n/a 0.0 6.3
2001 339 21.0 16.1 4.4
2002 364 27.0 13.5 5.5
2003 364 27.0 13.5 5.5
2004 370 23.0 16.1 4.6
2005 380 23.0 16.5 4.2
2006 414 30.0 13.8 8.2
2007 431 34.5 12.5 9.7
2008 432 27.0 16.0 11.8
2009 408 27.0 15.1 8.4
2010 463 26.0 17.8 13.3
2011 456 26.0 17.5 13.8
2012 453 27.5 16.4 13.7
2013 459 25.8 17.7 12.6
2014 445 26.3 16.8 13.3
2015 363 21.0 17.2 11.6
2016 364 20.0 18.2 9.9
2017 369 22.3 16.5 11.4
2018 359 21.3 16.8 13.4
2019 361 21.8 16.5 15
2020 343 20.8 16.4 13.7
2021 265 17.9 14.8 n/a
2022 291 22.0 13.2 16.2
2023 351 20.7 16.9 16.8

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 Forest Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $172 (2.7%) $6,236 (97.3%) $6,408
2020 $90 (1.4%) $6,544 (98.6%) $6,634
2021 $256 (2.9%) $8,502 (97.1%) $8,758

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Forest 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 197th of 1105 Elementary schoolsRanks 131st of 1114 Elementary schools
 6.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Forest Elementary)9481.7
 12.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Bedford County Public Schools)8377.3
 5.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8269.1
 12.9%
3rd Grade English Reading (Forest Elementary)9082.8
 7.2%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Bedford County Public Schools)7470.3
 3.7%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Virginia)7166.1
 4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Forest Elementary)9881.6
 16.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Bedford County Public Schools)8474.3
 9.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8369.7
 13.3%
4th Grade English Reading (Forest Elementary)9685.7
 10.3%
   4th Grade English Reading (Bedford County Public Schools)7676.4
 0.4%
   4th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7572.7
 2.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Forest Elementary)8188.1
 7.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Bedford County Public Schools)8472.5
 11.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8167
 14%
5th Grade Science (Forest Elementary)8886.8
 1.2%
   5th Grade Science (Bedford County Public Schools)8470.2
 13.9%
   5th Grade Science (Virginia)7966
 13%
5th Grade English Reading (Forest Elementary)8289.7
 7.7%
   5th Grade English Reading (Bedford County Public Schools)8473.5
 10.5%
   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 Students361351
 2.8%
African American1918
 5.3%
American Indian00
Asian2222
Hispanic1415
 7.1%
Pacific Islander00
White288278
 3.5%
Two or More Races1818
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients15%16.8%
 1.9%

Schools Near Forest Elementary








Frequently Asked Questions about Forest Elementary

Students who attend Forest Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Forest Middle
High : Jefferson Forest High

Forest Elementary ranks 125th of 1114 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 351 students attended Forest Elementary.

Students at Forest Elementary are 79% White, 6% Asian, 5% African American, 5% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic.


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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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