Cluster Springs Elementary

Q: Is Cluster Springs Elementary a good school?

Cluster Springs Elementary ranks 664 th of 1114 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Cluster Springs Elementary is a public elementary school in Alton, Virginia, serving 547 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Halifax County Public Schools district, which is ranked 86 out of 130 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating.

Cluster Springs Elementary stands out in several ways. It has a higher percentage of white students (64.17%) compared to nearby schools like Sinai Elementary, which has a majority African American student body. However, the school's performance, as measured by SOL test scores, is generally below the state and district averages, particularly in mathematics and science. Cluster Springs also has an extremely high percentage of students (over 92%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

While Cluster Springs Elementary struggles with performance, the nearby Meadville Elementary and Clays Mill Elementary schools perform better, with higher rankings and better SOL test scores. This suggests that there may be opportunities to learn from the practices and strategies employed at these higher-performing schools. Additionally, the school's performance has declined over the past 10 years, going from a 3-star rating to a 2-star rating, indicating the need for intervention and improvement strategies to support the success of all students at Cluster Springs Elementary.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

7091 Huell Matthews Hwy.
Alton, VA 24520

(434) 517-2600

District: Halifax County Public Schools

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,576

Students who attend Cluster Springs Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Halifax County Middle
High:	Halifax County High

Student/teacher ratio: 14.6

Number of students: 533

Racial breakdown:

White:

65.1%

African American:

22.0%

Hispanic:

7.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Cluster Springs Elementary ranks worse than 59.6% of elementary schools in Virginia. It also ranks 4^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 45.57. (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 Racial makeup is: White (65.1%), African American (22%), Hispanic (7.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cluster Springs Elementary is 14.6, which is the highest among 8 elementary schools in the Halifax County Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Cluster Springs Elementary employs 36.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cluster Springs Elementary is $7,576. 5 elementary schools in the Halifax County Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cluster Springs Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Cluster Springs Elementary 664^th of 1114 Virginia public elementary schools. (See Cluster Springs Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

White students:

Halifax County Public Schools:

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

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Rank History for Cluster Springs Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Cluster Springs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile
2010	72.30	226^th	1113	79.7%
2011	58.95	470^th	1117	57.9%
2012	66.92	325^th	1117	70.9%
2013	54.20	538^th	1120	52.0%
2014	25.22	952^nd	1110	14.2%
2015	28.39	891^st	1100	19.0%
2016	38.58	784^th	1096	28.5%
2017	48.96	634^th	1099	42.3%
2018	56.30	541^st	1097	50.7%
2019	65.39	411^th	1105	62.8%
2021	33.87	771^st	1103	30.1%
2022	58.19	501^st	1109	54.8%
2023	48.95	619^th	1114	44.4%
2024	45.57	664^th	1114	40.4%

See the entire list of Virginia Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Cluster Springs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	43.09	675^th	1100	38.6%
2024	40.99	720^th	1098	34.4%

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

Rank History for Male students at Cluster Springs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	54.20	527^th	1093	51.8%
2024	49.95	599^th	1101	45.6%

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

Rank History for African American students at Cluster Springs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	54.22	295^th	579	49.1%
2024	45.27	361^st	588	38.6%

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

Rank History for White students at Cluster Springs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	37.56	694^th	984	29.5%
2024	34.11	732^nd	979	25.2%

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 Cluster Springs Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2008	497	206	1	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	722
2009	519	210	3	17	1	n/a	n/a	0	750
2010	479	194	3	25	0	n/a	n/a	1	702
2011	400	170	1	20	0	0	5	0	596
2012	409	162	0	19	0	0	8	0	598
2013	393	161	0	22	0	0	5	0	581
2014	381	141	0	17	0	0	14	0	553
2015	392	142	0	18	0	0	19	0	571
2016	405	130	0	13	0	0	22	0	570
2017	405	114	2	16	0	0	21	0	558
2018	379	114	3	22	0	0	17	0	535
2019	417	125	7	25	0	0	16	0	590
2020	399	122	6	20	0	0	23	0	570
2021	362	123	6	29	1	0	17	0	538
2022	348	119	4	34	1	0	16	0	522
2023	351	129	2	41	3	1	20	0	547
2024	347	117	1	38	3	1	26	0	533

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 Cluster Springs Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	722	40.0	18.1	46.7
2009	750	40.0	18.8	49.9
2010	702	40.0	17.5	52.1
2011	596	33.0	18.0	53.7
2012	598	38.6	15.4	55.2
2013	581	37.5	15.4	52.3
2014	553	38.1	14.4	50.3
2015	571	38.0	15.0	49.6
2016	570	40.0	14.2	51.4
2017	558	38.6	14.4	48.6
2018	535	36.4	14.6	56.1
2019	590	40.0	14.7	84.9
2020	570	40.3	14.1	84.6
2021	538	36.8	14.6	n/a
2022	522	39.1	13.3	92.3
2023	547	37.5	14.5	95.1
2024	533	36.3	14.6	99.2

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 Cluster Springs Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	722	40.0	18.1	46.7
2009	750	40.0	18.8	49.9
2010	702	40.0	17.5	52.1
2011	596	33.0	18.0	53.7
2012	598	38.6	15.4	55.2
2013	581	37.5	15.4	52.3
2014	553	38.1	14.4	50.3
2015	571	38.0	15.0	49.6
2016	570	40.0	14.2	51.4
2017	558	38.6	14.4	48.6
2018	535	36.4	14.6	56.1
2019	590	40.0	14.7	84.9
2020	570	40.3	14.1	84.6
2021	538	36.8	14.6	n/a
2022	522	39.1	13.3	92.3
2023	547	37.5	14.5	95.1
2024	533	36.3	14.6	99.2

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 Cluster Springs Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,481 (19.2%)	$6,216 (80.8%)	$7,697
2020	$1,396 (19.0%)	$5,957 (81.0%)	$7,353
2021	$1,672 (22.1%)	$5,904 (77.9%)	$7,576

Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cluster Springs 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 411^th of 1105 Elementary schools	Ranks 619^th of 1114 Elementary schools	18.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Cluster Springs Elementary)	93	67.6	25.4%
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 (Cluster Springs Elementary)	73	64.8	8.2%
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 (Cluster Springs Elementary)	87	58.8	28.2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Halifax County Public Schools)	86	60	26%
4th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	83	69.7	13.3%
4th Grade English Reading (Cluster Springs Elementary)	72	60	12%
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 (Cluster Springs Elementary)	88	77.8	10.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Halifax County Public Schools)	83	64.4	18.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	81	67	14%
5th Grade Science (Cluster Springs Elementary)	85	68.1	16.9%
5th Grade Science (Halifax County Public Schools)	75	60.8	14.2%
5th Grade Science (Virginia)	79	66	13%
5th Grade English Reading (Cluster Springs Elementary)	87	86.1	0.9%
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	590	547	7.3%
African American	125	129	3.2%
American Indian	0	3
Asian	7	2	71.4%
Hispanic	25	41	64%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	417	351	15.8%
Two or More Races	16	20	25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	84.9%	95.1%	10.1%

Schools Near Cluster Springs 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
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
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)
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
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Cluster Springs Elementary

How many students attend Cluster Springs Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 533 students attended Cluster Springs Elementary.

What district is Cluster Springs Elementary in?

Halifax County Public Schools

What schools do graduates of Cluster Springs Elementary attend?

Students who attend Cluster Springs Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Halifax County Middle
High : Halifax County High

What is the racial makeup of Cluster Springs Elementary?

Students at Cluster Springs Elementary are 65% White, 22% African American, 7% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.

Is Cluster Springs Elementary a good school?

Cluster Springs Elementary ranks 664^th of 1114 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 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.