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Wasena Elementary

Summary:

Wasena Elementary is a public elementary school in Roanoke, Virginia, serving 233 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Roanoke City Public Schools district, which is ranked 119 out of 130 districts in Virginia and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Wasena Elementary stands out for its diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 51.07% White, 24.46% African American, 11.59% Hispanic, and 6.01% Asian. This diversity is higher than nearby schools, which tend to have a larger percentage of White students. Academically, Wasena's performance on SOL (Standards of Learning) tests is generally higher than the district average but lower than the state average. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Wasena's 3rd-grade math proficiency rate was 66.67%, compared to the district's 52.06% and the state's 70.11%. The school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, ranging from 321 out of 1099 Virginia elementary schools in 2016-2017 to 736 out of 1114 in 2022-2023.

Wasena Elementary faces several challenges, including a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with over 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. This is significantly higher than the nearby Crystal Spring Elementary and Grandin Court Elementary, which have free/reduced-price lunch rates ranging from 42.66% to 108.93%. Additionally, while Wasena's student-teacher ratio is relatively low, ranging from 12.5 to 15.2, the school's academic performance lags behind its higher-performing neighbors, such as Grandin Court Elementary, which had a 3rd-grade math proficiency rate of 81.16% in the 2023-2024 school year.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1125 Sherwood Ave SW
       Roanoke, VA  24015

(540) 853-2914

District: Roanoke City Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
692nd of 1,114 Virginia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,474 Help


Students who attend Wasena Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    James Madison Middle
High:    Patrick Henry High

Student/teacher ratio:  12.5 Help
Number of students:  233

Racial breakdown:

White:
51.1%
African American:
24.5%
Hispanic:
11.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Wasena Elementary ranks worse than 62.1% of elementary schools in Virginia. It also ranks 4th among 17 ranked elementary schools in the Roanoke City Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 43.08. (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
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Compare Details Wasena Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Roanoke City Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Teachers
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Wasena Elementary is $10,474, which is the 8th highest among 17 elementary schools in the Roanoke City Public Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Wasena Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Wasena Elementary 692nd of 1114 Virginia public elementary schools. (See Wasena Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Roanoke City Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Roanoke City Public Schools 119th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Wasena Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Wasena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 37.38 778th 1062 26.7%
2006 42.34 733rd 1071 31.6%
2007 38.95 768th 1083 29.1%
2008 37.95 783rd 1081 27.6%
2009 45.83 689th 1082 36.3%
2010 18.03 1050th 1113 5.7%
2011 32.50 911th 1117 18.4%
2012 61.42 418th 1117 62.6%
2013 72.64 259th 1120 76.9%
2014 67.78 325th 1110 70.7%
2015 59.68 476th 1100 56.7%
2016 62.99 412th 1096 62.4%
2017 69.12 321st 1099 70.8%
2018 62.40 442nd 1097 59.7%
2019 60.36 492nd 1105 55.5%
2021 57.34 505th 1103 54.2%
2022 44.24 676th 1109 39.0%
2023 38.80 736th 1114 33.9%
2024 43.08 692nd 1114 37.9%
See the entire list of Virginia Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Wasena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 41.37 655th 1036 36.8%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Wasena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 44.90 650th 1100 40.9%
2024 45.97 651st 1098 40.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Wasena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 36.38 755th 1093 30.9%
2024 43.24 688th 1101 37.5%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Wasena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 55.99 465th 984 52.7%
2024 53.94 508th 979 48.1%
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.

Wasena 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 Wasena Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1995 228 40 4 2 0 n/a n/a 0 274
1996 228 40 4 2 0 n/a n/a 0 274
1997 221 41 5 0 0 n/a n/a 0 267
1998 233 54 7 1 0 n/a n/a 0 295
1999 235 58 3 0 0 n/a n/a 0 296
2000 231 65 3 0 2 n/a n/a -4 297
2001 224 68 4 1 2 n/a n/a 0 299
2002 196 69 1 7 2 n/a n/a 0 275
2003 196 69 1 7 2 n/a n/a 0 275
2004 207 55 1 6 1 n/a n/a 0 270
2005 231 53 2 4 0 n/a n/a 0 290
2006 204 57 2 6 1 n/a n/a 0 270
2007 208 50 2 8 1 n/a n/a 0 269
2008 197 46 4 8 0 n/a n/a 0 255
2009 185 42 5 3 0 n/a n/a 0 235
2010 168 84 5 5 1 n/a n/a 0 263
2011 153 64 4 11 0 1 7 0 240
2012 149 53 4 9 0 1 11 0 227
2013 158 66 31 15 0 1 11 0 282
2014 153 60 29 10 0 1 9 0 262
2015 143 59 27 17 0 1 9 0 256
2016 135 64 19 15 0 1 11 0 245
2017 136 65 19 12 0 2 10 0 244
2018 119 59 10 23 0 1 12 0 224
2019 116 51 10 18 0 1 23 0 219
2020 118 59 10 20 0 1 30 0 238
2021 116 50 11 24 0 0 22 0 223
2022 120 43 7 28 0 0 17 0 215
2023 119 57 14 27 0 0 16 0 233

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 Wasena Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1995 274 n/a 0.0 34.3
1996 274 n/a 0.0 34.3
1997 267 n/a 0.0 30.3
1998 295 n/a 0.0 31.2
1999 296 18.8 15.7 40.2
2000 297 n/a 0.0 37.2
2001 299 20.2 14.8 37.1
2002 275 23.0 12.0 40
2003 275 23.0 12.0 40
2004 270 21.0 12.9 38.5
2005 290 20.0 14.5 36.9
2006 270 17.0 15.9 40.4
2007 269 22.0 12.2 35.7
2008 255 19.0 13.4 37.6
2009 235 18.0 13.1 36.6
2010 263 16.2 16.1 53.2
2011 240 15.5 15.4 55.4
2012 227 14.8 15.3 52
2013 282 19.0 14.8 66.3
2014 262 19.0 13.7 64.5
2015 256 18.0 14.2 63.7
2016 245 17.0 14.4 62.4
2017 244 16.7 14.5 55.3
2018 224 14.0 16.0 58.9
2019 219 14.0 15.6 98.6
2020 238 13.6 17.4 97.5
2021 223 14.6 15.2 n/a
2022 215 14.5 14.8 98.6
2023 233 18.5 12.5 100.9

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 Wasena Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1995 274 n/a 0.0 34.3
1996 274 n/a 0.0 34.3
1997 267 n/a 0.0 30.3
1998 295 n/a 0.0 31.2
1999 296 18.8 15.7 40.2
2000 297 n/a 0.0 37.2
2001 299 20.2 14.8 37.1
2002 275 23.0 12.0 40
2003 275 23.0 12.0 40
2004 270 21.0 12.9 38.5
2005 290 20.0 14.5 36.9
2006 270 17.0 15.9 40.4
2007 269 22.0 12.2 35.7
2008 255 19.0 13.4 37.6
2009 235 18.0 13.1 36.6
2010 263 16.2 16.1 53.2
2011 240 15.5 15.4 55.4
2012 227 14.8 15.3 52
2013 282 19.0 14.8 66.3
2014 262 19.0 13.7 64.5
2015 256 18.0 14.2 63.7
2016 245 17.0 14.4 62.4
2017 244 16.7 14.5 55.3
2018 224 14.0 16.0 58.9
2019 219 14.0 15.6 98.6
2020 238 13.6 17.4 97.5
2021 223 14.6 15.2 n/a
2022 215 14.5 14.8 98.6
2023 233 18.5 12.5 100.9

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 Wasena Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $996 (8.7%) $10,466 (91.3%) $11,462
2020 $912 (10.2%) $8,057 (89.8%) $8,970
2021 $1,074 (10.3%) $9,400 (89.7%) $10,474

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Wasena 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 492nd of 1105 Elementary schoolsRanks 736th of 1114 Elementary schools
 21.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Wasena Elementary)8265.8
 16.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Roanoke City Public Schools)7846.7
 31.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8269.1
 12.9%
3rd Grade English Reading (Wasena Elementary)7551.4
 23.7%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Roanoke City Public Schools)6340.7
 22.4%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Virginia)7166.1
 4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Wasena Elementary)8857.1
 30.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Roanoke City Public Schools)8254.9
 27.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8369.7
 13.3%
4th Grade English Reading (Wasena Elementary)6462.9
 1.1%
   4th Grade English Reading (Roanoke City Public Schools)6852.2
 15.8%
   4th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7572.7
 2.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Wasena Elementary)9283.3
 8.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Roanoke City Public Schools)8051.3
 28.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8167
 14%
5th Grade Science (Wasena Elementary)9266.7
 25.3%
   5th Grade Science (Roanoke City Public Schools)7245.2
 26.8%
   5th Grade Science (Virginia)7966
 13%
5th Grade English Reading (Wasena Elementary)8161.1
 19.9%
   5th Grade English Reading (Roanoke City Public Schools)7250.2
 21.8%
   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 Students219233
 6.4%
African American5157
 11.8%
American Indian00
Asian1014
 40%
Hispanic1827
 50%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White116119
 2.6%
Two or More Races2316
 30.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients98.6%100.9%
 2.2%

Schools Near Wasena Elementary








Frequently Asked Questions about Wasena Elementary

Wasena Elementary ranks 692nd of 1114 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Wasena Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : James Madison Middle
High : Patrick Henry High

In the 2022-23 school year, 233 students attended Wasena Elementary.

Students at Wasena Elementary are 51% White, 24% African American, 12% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 6% Asian.


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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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