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Pennington Middle

Summary:

Pennington Middle is a public middle school located in Pennington Gap, Virginia, serving grades 5-7 with a total enrollment of 274 students. The school is part of the Lee County Public Schools district, which is ranked 45 out of 130 school districts in Virginia and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Pennington Middle has a significantly higher percentage of white students (96.35%) compared to the state average and nearby schools, which is an important factor to consider. The school has shown strong performance in Mathematics, with a 7th-grade proficiency rate of 91.11%, significantly higher than the state average of 52.49% and the Lee County Public Schools district average of 80.75%. Pennington Middle has also performed exceptionally well in supporting its low socioeconomic status (SES) and disabled student subgroups, ranking 62nd out of 402 Virginia middle schools for low SES students and 45th out of 281 Virginia middle schools for disabled students.

While Pennington Middle has shown strong performance in certain areas, its statewide ranking has declined over the years, from 138th out of 424 Virginia middle schools in 2018-2019 to 175th out of 417 in 2023-2024. The school's performance is generally on par with or slightly lower than its neighboring school, Jonesville Middle, but lags behind the higher-performing Union Middle, which is part of the Wise County Public Schools district. Pennington Middle also has an exceptionally high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 99.01% to 100% over the past three school years.


Detail:

Public 5-7

 121 Bobcat Circle
       Pennington Gap, VA  24277

(276) 546-1453

District: Lee County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
175th of 417 Virginia Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,506 Help


Students who attend Pennington Middle usually attend:

High:    Lee High
    Thomas Walker High

Feeder schools for Pennington Middle:

Elementary:    Dryden Elementary
    Elk Knob Elementary
    Flatwoods Elementary
    Rose Hill Elementary
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  9.5 Help
Number of students:  274

Racial breakdown:

White:
96.4%
Two or more races:
2.2%
Hispanic:
0.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Pennington Middle ranks better than 58% of middle schools in Virginia. It also ranks last among 3 ranked middle schools in the Lee County Public Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 60.43. (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 Pennington Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Lee County Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Teachers
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pennington Middle is $8,506, which is the lowest among 3 middle schools in the Lee County Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pennington Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Pennington Middle 175th of 417 Virginia public middle schools. (See Pennington Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
White students:


Lee County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Lee County Public Schools 45th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Pennington Middle

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Rank History for all students at Pennington Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 37.69 259th 340 23.8%
2006 56.89 144th 383 62.4%
2007 48.25 209th 387 46.0%
2008 76.69 30th 391 92.3%
2009 56.02 142nd 390 63.6%
2010 46.65 233rd 408 42.9%
2011 44.56 249th 413 39.7%
2012 53.35 176th 413 57.4%
2013 39.55 259th 416 37.7%
2014 57.05 144th 416 65.4%
2015 39.39 266th 412 35.4%
2016 31.29 312th 409 23.7%
2017 33.45 306th 415 26.3%
2018 42.90 253rd 413 38.7%
2019 62.31 138th 424 67.5%
2021 57.96 144th 419 65.6%
2022 50.60 197th 415 52.5%
2023 49.31 220th 422 47.9%
2024 60.43 175th 417 58.0%
See the entire list of Virginia Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Pennington Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 75.74 62nd 402 84.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Pennington Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 45.28 244th 411 40.6%
2024 62.11 166th 407 59.2%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Pennington Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 77.93 45th 281 84.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Pennington Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 52.20 204th 409 50.1%
2024 58.75 171st 407 58.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Pennington Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 32.01 307th 402 23.6%
2024 42.65 247th 396 37.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle 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.

Pennington Middle 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 Pennington Middle

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Compare
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 766 766
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 633 633
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 621 621
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 637 637
1993 567 3 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 571
1994 507 5 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 512
1995 459 9 1 0 1 n/a n/a 0 470
1996 459 9 1 0 1 n/a n/a 0 470
1997 423 7 1 1 1 n/a n/a 0 433
1998 420 5 1 2 1 n/a n/a 0 429
1999 445 4 0 1 1 n/a n/a 0 451
2000 481 4 0 2 0 n/a n/a -4 483
2001 481 3 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 484
2002 423 4 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 428
2003 423 4 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 428
2004 428 9 0 1 2 n/a n/a 0 440
2005 402 7 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 410
2006 325 6 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 332
2007 301 6 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 307
2008 271 2 1 1 0 n/a n/a 1 276
2009 309 0 1 3 0 n/a n/a 1 314
2010 335 0 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 337
2011 323 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 327
2012 387 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 391
2013 374 2 3 1 0 0 1 0 381
2014 383 3 2 1 0 0 1 0 390
2015 361 1 2 3 0 0 1 0 368
2016 358 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 363
2017 344 2 1 6 0 0 1 0 354
2018 343 6 1 6 0 0 1 0 357
2019 311 3 2 9 0 0 2 0 327
2020 317 3 1 6 0 0 4 0 331
2021 299 1 1 4 0 0 3 0 308
2022 288 4 0 2 1 0 8 0 303
2023 264 1 0 2 1 0 6 0 274

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 Pennington Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 766 39.6 19.3 n/a
1990 633 39.4 16.0 n/a
1991 621 41.3 15.0 n/a
1992 637 42.1 15.1 n/a
1993 571 43.3 13.2 n/a
1994 512 35.9 n/a 53.1
1995 470 n/a 0.0 49.6
1996 470 n/a 0.0 49.6
1997 433 n/a 0.0 54.5
1998 429 n/a 0.0 55
1999 451 42.0 10.7 71.2
2000 483 n/a 0.0 67.1
2001 484 41.0 11.8 59.7
2002 428 50.5 8.5 62.4
2003 428 50.5 8.5 62.4
2004 440 43.5 10.1 67.5
2005 410 36.0 11.4 70.2
2006 332 39.0 8.5 71.1
2007 307 33.6 9.1 66.1
2008 276 18.8 14.7 67.6
2009 314 19.2 16.4 66.5
2010 337 18.0 18.6 64.1
2011 327 18.9 17.2 61.8
2012 391 29.8 13.1 62.9
2013 381 29.7 12.7 66.4
2014 390 29.0 13.4 67.7
2015 368 29.0 12.6 67.9
2016 363 25.0 14.5 66.4
2017 354 25.0 14.1 71.2
2018 357 28.2 12.6 91.6
2019 327 29.3 11.1 94.8
2020 331 28.4 11.6 94.6
2021 308 27.6 11.1 n/a
2022 303 28.1 10.7 99
2023 274 28.7 9.5 100

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 Pennington Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 766 39.6 19.3 n/a
1990 633 39.4 16.0 n/a
1991 621 41.3 15.0 n/a
1992 637 42.1 15.1 n/a
1993 571 43.3 13.2 n/a
1994 512 35.9 n/a 53.1
1995 470 n/a 0.0 49.6
1996 470 n/a 0.0 49.6
1997 433 n/a 0.0 54.5
1998 429 n/a 0.0 55
1999 451 42.0 10.7 71.2
2000 483 n/a 0.0 67.1
2001 484 41.0 11.8 59.7
2002 428 50.5 8.5 62.4
2003 428 50.5 8.5 62.4
2004 440 43.5 10.1 67.5
2005 410 36.0 11.4 70.2
2006 332 39.0 8.5 71.1
2007 307 33.6 9.1 66.1
2008 276 18.8 14.7 67.6
2009 314 19.2 16.4 66.5
2010 337 18.0 18.6 64.1
2011 327 18.9 17.2 61.8
2012 391 29.8 13.1 62.9
2013 381 29.7 12.7 66.4
2014 390 29.0 13.4 67.7
2015 368 29.0 12.6 67.9
2016 363 25.0 14.5 66.4
2017 354 25.0 14.1 71.2
2018 357 28.2 12.6 91.6
2019 327 29.3 11.1 94.8
2020 331 28.4 11.6 94.6
2021 308 27.6 11.1 n/a
2022 303 28.1 10.7 99
2023 274 28.7 9.5 100

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 Pennington Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,027 (14.3%) $6,174 (85.7%) $7,201
2020 $1,351 (17.3%) $6,469 (82.7%) $7,820
2021 $1,936 (22.8%) $6,571 (77.3%) $8,506

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Pennington Middle

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 138th of 424 Middle schoolsRanks 220th of 422 Middle schools
 19.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
5th Grade Mathematics (Pennington Middle)8480.9
 3.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Lee County Public Schools)8777.6
 9.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8167
 14%
5th Grade Science (Pennington Middle)7177.5
 6.5%
   5th Grade Science (Lee County Public Schools)7873.3
 4.7%
   5th Grade Science (Virginia)7966
 13%
5th Grade English Reading (Pennington Middle)7165.2
 5.8%
   5th Grade English Reading (Lee County Public Schools)7869.1
 8.9%
   5th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7871.4
 6.6%
6th Grade Mathematics (Pennington Middle)8670.3
 15.7%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Lee County Public Schools)8773.8
 13.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7857.8
 20.2%
6th Grade English Reading (Pennington Middle)7763.7
 13.3%
   6th Grade English Reading (Lee County Public Schools)8172
 9%
   6th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7770.4
 6.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Pennington Middle)9184.3
 6.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Lee County Public Schools)8982.6
 6.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7851.4
 26.6%
7th Grade English Reading (Pennington Middle)8767.4
 19.6%
   7th Grade English Reading (Lee County Public Schools)8673.3
 12.7%
   7th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7970.3
 8.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students327274
 16.2%
African American31
 66.7%
American Indian01
Asian20
 100%
Hispanic92
 77.8%
Pacific Islander00
White311264
 15.1%
Two or More Races26
 200%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients94.8%100%
 5.2%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Pennington Middle

Students at Pennington Middle are 96% White, 2% Two or more races.

Students who attend Pennington Middle usually go on to attend Lee High

Pennington Middle ranks 175th of 417 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 274 students attended Pennington Middle.


Rate Pennington Middle!



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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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