Bessie Weller Elementary

Summary:

Bessie Weller Elementary is a public elementary school in Staunton, Virginia, serving 369 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Staunton City Public Schools district, which is ranked 31 out of 130 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Bessie Weller Elementary has a relatively diverse student population, with 47.97% White, 20.87% African American, 11.38% Hispanic, and 16.8% two or more races. This diversity is higher compared to the nearby Thomas C. McSwain Elementary (75.9% White) and Arthur R. Ware Elementary (63.23% White). However, the school's academic performance, as measured by SOL (Standards of Learning) test scores, has been mixed in recent years, with strengths in 5th-grade mathematics and science but struggles in 3rd and 4th-grade reading and mathematics.

Bessie Weller Elementary has shown strong performance for its African American and low socioeconomic status student subgroups, ranking in the top 25% and top 20% of Virginia elementary schools, respectively, in the 2023-2024 school year. However, its performance for White and disabled students has been relatively weaker, ranking in the bottom 30% and bottom 45% of Virginia elementary schools. The school's high free and reduced lunch rate, reaching nearly 99% in the 2022-2023 school year, suggests it may have access to additional resources and funding to support its diverse student population, but the overall academic performance still lags behind some nearby schools.


Detail:

Public K-5

 600 Greenville Ave
       Staunton, VA  24401-4873


(540) 332-3940

District: Staunton City Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
528th of 1,114 Virginia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,980 Help


Students who attend Bessie Weller Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Shelburne Middle
High:    Staunton High

Student/teacher ratio:  12.3 Help
Number of students:  369

Racial breakdown:

White:
48.0%
African American:
20.9%
Two or more races:
16.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  98.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Bessie Weller Elementary ranks better than 52.6% of elementary schools in Virginia. It also ranks last among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Staunton City Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.61. (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
Help
Compare Details Bessie Weller Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Staunton City Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bessie Weller Elementary is $8,980, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Staunton City Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Bessie Weller Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Bessie Weller Elementary 528th of 1114 Virginia public elementary schools. (See Bessie Weller Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Staunton City Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Staunton City Public Schools 31st of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Bessie Weller Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Bessie Weller Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 35.49 800th 1062 24.7%
2006 54.81 522nd 1071 51.3%
2007 59.01 441st 1083 59.3%
2008 53.51 552nd 1081 48.9%
2009 36.49 838th 1082 22.6%
2010 25.31 990th 1113 11.1%
2011 8.24 1095th 1117 2.0%
2012 6.64 1101st 1117 1.4%
2013 21.16 985th 1120 12.1%
2014 17.51 1031st 1110 7.1%
2015 3.78 1089th 1100 1.0%
2016 12.75 1030th 1096 6.0%
2017 15.52 1010th 1099 8.1%
2018 17.98 981st 1097 10.6%
2019 37.74 787th 1105 28.8%
2021 35.76 751st 1103 31.9%
2022 40.25 721st 1109 35.0%
2023 53.38 570th 1114 48.8%
2024 56.61 528th 1114 52.6%
See the entire list of Virginia Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bessie Weller Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 73.82 204th 1036 80.3%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Bessie Weller Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 49.99 596th 1100 45.8%
2024 51.10 595th 1098 45.8%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Bessie Weller Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 59.24 153rd 355 56.9%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Bessie Weller Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 52.18 561st 1093 48.7%
2024 58.96 483rd 1101 56.1%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Bessie Weller Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 82.54 62nd 579 89.3%
2024 82.55 63rd 588 89.3%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Bessie Weller Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 33.25 741st 984 24.7%
2024 39.17 686th 979 29.9%
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.

Bessie Weller Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Virginia Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Bessie Weller 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 379 379
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 387 387
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 412 412
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 422 422
1993 277 124 7 1 0 n/a n/a 0 409
1994 255 120 4 3 0 n/a n/a 0 382
1995 220 121 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 345
1996 220 121 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 345
1997 223 106 6 0 0 n/a n/a 0 335
1998 222 90 7 0 0 n/a n/a 0 319
1999 242 96 4 0 0 n/a n/a 0 342
2000 206 76 2 4 0 n/a n/a -4 284
2001 184 76 2 3 0 n/a n/a 0 265
2002 170 68 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 241
2003 170 68 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 241
2004 169 66 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 237
2005 172 72 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 245
2006 154 76 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 232
2007 166 69 0 0 0 n/a n/a 4 239
2008 199 83 4 3 0 n/a n/a 4 293
2009 200 76 9 3 1 n/a n/a 3 292
2010 194 74 9 12 1 n/a n/a 3 293
2011 246 97 4 24 2 0 45 0 418
2012 237 84 4 32 2 0 52 0 411
2013 229 86 3 41 1 0 54 0 414
2014 234 82 4 38 0 0 54 0 412
2015 245 88 6 36 0 0 60 0 435
2016 223 86 5 34 0 0 56 0 404
2017 213 80 7 33 0 0 56 0 389
2018 205 75 6 30 0 0 64 0 380
2019 195 81 6 28 0 0 62 0 372
2020 193 80 15 30 0 0 59 0 377
2021 170 81 9 32 2 0 53 0 347
2022 174 86 12 32 2 0 64 0 370
2023 177 77 11 42 0 0 62 0 369

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 Bessie Weller Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 379 27.1 13.9 n/a
1990 387 26.7 14.4 n/a
1991 412 28.1 14.6 n/a
1992 422 28.6 14.7 n/a
1993 409 31.1 13.2 n/a
1994 382 24.5 n/a 47.6
1995 345 n/a 0.0 48.4
1996 345 n/a 0.0 48.4
1997 335 n/a 0.0 57.6
1998 319 n/a 0.0 52
1999 342 29.9 11.4 63.5
2000 284 n/a 0.0 63.9
2001 265 26.0 10.2 68.3
2002 241 35.0 6.9 83.8
2003 241 35.0 6.9 83.8
2004 237 38.5 6.2 77.2
2005 245 34.0 7.2 81.2
2006 232 33.0 7.0 83.2
2007 239 19.4 12.3 76.6
2008 293 14.0 20.9 63.7
2009 292 14.5 20.1 67.8
2010 293 13.8 21.1 72.8
2011 418 15.3 27.2 72
2012 411 30.0 13.7 71
2013 414 31.1 13.2 73.9
2014 412 28.5 14.4 69.7
2015 435 31.0 14.0 74.5
2016 404 32.0 12.6 70.3
2017 389 31.4 12.3 67.1
2018 380 30.5 12.4 66.3
2019 372 30.0 12.4 79.3
2020 377 27.0 13.9 74.5
2021 347 26.5 13.0 n/a
2022 370 27.5 13.4 75.9
2023 369 30.0 12.3 98.9

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 Bessie Weller Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 379 27.1 13.9 n/a
1990 387 26.7 14.4 n/a
1991 412 28.1 14.6 n/a
1992 422 28.6 14.7 n/a
1993 409 31.1 13.2 n/a
1994 382 24.5 n/a 47.6
1995 345 n/a 0.0 48.4
1996 345 n/a 0.0 48.4
1997 335 n/a 0.0 57.6
1998 319 n/a 0.0 52
1999 342 29.9 11.4 63.5
2000 284 n/a 0.0 63.9
2001 265 26.0 10.2 68.3
2002 241 35.0 6.9 83.8
2003 241 35.0 6.9 83.8
2004 237 38.5 6.2 77.2
2005 245 34.0 7.2 81.2
2006 232 33.0 7.0 83.2
2007 239 19.4 12.3 76.6
2008 293 14.0 20.9 63.7
2009 292 14.5 20.1 67.8
2010 293 13.8 21.1 72.8
2011 418 15.3 27.2 72
2012 411 30.0 13.7 71
2013 414 31.1 13.2 73.9
2014 412 28.5 14.4 69.7
2015 435 31.0 14.0 74.5
2016 404 32.0 12.6 70.3
2017 389 31.4 12.3 67.1
2018 380 30.5 12.4 66.3
2019 372 30.0 12.4 79.3
2020 377 27.0 13.9 74.5
2021 347 26.5 13.0 n/a
2022 370 27.5 13.4 75.9
2023 369 30.0 12.3 98.9

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 Bessie Weller Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $425 (5.3%) $7,637 (94.7%) $8,062
2020 $278 (3.4%) $7,944 (96.6%) $8,222
2021 $1,573 (17.5%) $7,407 (82.5%) $8,980

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Bessie Weller 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 787th of 1105 Elementary schoolsRanks 570th of 1114 Elementary schools
 20.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Bessie Weller Elementary)7157.8
 13.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Staunton City Public Schools)8371.6
 11.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8269.1
 12.9%
3rd Grade English Reading (Bessie Weller Elementary)6764.1
 2.9%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Staunton City Public Schools)7569.4
 5.6%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Virginia)7166.1
 4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Bessie Weller Elementary)8780.9
 6.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Staunton City Public Schools)8981.6
 7.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8369.7
 13.3%
4th Grade English Reading (Bessie Weller Elementary)6869.6
 1.6%
   4th Grade English Reading (Staunton City Public Schools)7181.4
 10.4%
   4th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7572.7
 2.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Bessie Weller Elementary)8374.6
 8.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Staunton City Public Schools)8572.8
 12.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8167
 14%
5th Grade Science (Bessie Weller Elementary)7370.9
 2.1%
   5th Grade Science (Staunton City Public Schools)7770.6
 6.4%
   5th Grade Science (Virginia)7966
 13%
5th Grade English Reading (Bessie Weller Elementary)7174.1
 3.1%
   5th Grade English Reading (Staunton City Public Schools)7873.6
 4.4%
   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 Students372369
 0.8%
African American8177
 4.9%
American Indian00
Asian611
 83.3%
Hispanic2842
 50%
Pacific Islander00
White195177
 9.2%
Two or More Races6262
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients79.3%98.9%
 19.6%


Schools Near Bessie Weller Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Bessie Weller Elementary

In the 2022-23 school year, 369 students attended Bessie Weller Elementary.

Students at Bessie Weller Elementary are 48% White, 21% African American, 17% Two or more races, 11% Hispanic, 3% Asian.

Students who attend Bessie Weller Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Shelburne Middle
High : Staunton High

Bessie Weller Elementary ranks 528th of 1114 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 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.





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