Union Primary

Summary:

Union Primary is an exceptional elementary school located in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, serving 861 students in grades PK-4. As part of the highly-ranked Wise County Public Schools district, Union Primary consistently performs among the top elementary schools in the state, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Union Primary's students demonstrate exceptional academic achievement, with significantly higher proficiency rates in core subjects like Mathematics, English Reading, and VA Studies compared to state and district averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 90.21% of 3rd-grade students and 88.03% of 4th-grade students were proficient or better in Mathematics, far exceeding the statewide averages of 70.11% and 71.16%, respectively. The school also excels in supporting various student subgroups, ranking highly in the state for female students, male students, white students, low socioeconomic status students, and disabled students.

When compared to other nearby elementary schools in the Lee County Public Schools and Scott County Public Schools districts, Union Primary consistently outperforms its peers in academic achievement, particularly in Mathematics and English Reading proficiency. For instance, Union Primary's 3rd-grade Mathematics proficiency rate of 90.21% was significantly higher than the 87.5% at J.W. Adams Combined and the 75.38% at Coeburn Primary.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

 2945 Second Avenue East
       Big Stone Gap, VA  24219


(276) 523-4900

District: Wise County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
60th of 1,114 Virginia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,477 Help


Students who attend Union Primary usually attend:

Middle:    Coeburn Middle
    L.F. Addington Middle
    Union Middle
High:    Central High
    Eastside High
    Union High

Student/teacher ratio:  14.5 Help
Number of students:  861

Racial breakdown:

White:
90.2%
Two or more races:
4.2%
African American:
2.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  83.7% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Union Primary ranks better than 94.6% of elementary schools in Virginia. It also ranks 3rd among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Wise County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.65. (See more...)
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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 Union Primary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Wise County Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Union Primary is $6,477, which is the lowest among 5 elementary schools in the Wise County Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Union Primary:

SchoolDigger ranks Union Primary 60th of 1114 Virginia public elementary schools. (See Union Primary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Wise County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Wise County Public Schools 2nd of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Union Primary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Union Primary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 79.88 141st 1062 86.7%
2006 70.86 257th 1071 76.0%
2007 74.58 199th 1083 81.6%
2008 79.02 124th 1081 88.5%
2009 67.66 305th 1082 71.8%
2010 70.90 251st 1113 77.4%
2011 59.36 460th 1117 58.8%
2012 64.82 360th 1117 67.8%
2013 65.50 368th 1120 67.1%
2014 80.04 145th 1110 86.9%
2015 79.31 159th 1100 85.5%
2016 77.58 184th 1096 83.2%
2017 81.92 124th 1099 88.7%
2018 86.72 68th 1097 93.8%
2019 89.37 23rd 1105 97.9%
2021 81.11 190th 1103 82.8%
2022 82.44 176th 1109 84.1%
2023 87.53 77th 1114 93.1%
2024 88.65 60th 1114 94.6%
See the entire list of Virginia Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Union Primary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 93.84 14th 1036 98.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Union Primary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 86.16 89th 1100 91.9%
2024 86.60 83rd 1098 92.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Union Primary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 79.10 30th 324 90.7%
2024 90.11 8th 355 97.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Union Primary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 85.76 100th 1093 90.9%
2024 87.79 62nd 1101 94.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Union Primary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 77.98 142nd 984 85.6%
2024 80.29 117th 979 88.0%
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.

Union Primary 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 Union Primary

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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 859 859
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 823 823
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 773 773
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 792 792
1993 688 23 4 0 0 n/a n/a 0 715
1994 678 26 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 706
1995 658 11 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 670
1996 658 11 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 670
1997 660 27 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 691
1998 659 27 3 0 0 n/a n/a 0 689
1999 660 26 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 688
2000 661 23 2 0 0 n/a n/a -4 682
2001 673 30 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 705
2002 643 19 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 666
2003 643 19 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 666
2004 622 24 0 6 0 n/a n/a 0 652
2005 640 25 2 7 0 n/a n/a 3 677
2006 590 24 1 8 0 n/a n/a 2 625
2007 593 11 4 4 0 n/a n/a 1 613
2008 671 20 3 3 0 n/a n/a 10 707
2009 659 28 5 3 0 n/a n/a 13 708
2010 697 22 3 1 0 n/a n/a 10 733
2011 691 22 3 2 0 2 4 0 724
2012 640 17 2 6 0 4 6 0 675
2013 598 24 3 7 2 5 6 0 645
2014 626 20 2 8 1 3 9 0 669
2015 613 22 2 6 0 2 12 0 657
2016 576 22 2 3 0 2 16 0 621
2017 623 15 0 2 0 3 18 0 661
2018 740 20 0 8 2 2 14 0 786
2019 747 24 0 7 1 2 8 0 789
2020 753 23 0 9 1 3 12 0 801
2021 709 18 0 11 1 2 15 0 756
2022 763 25 7 12 3 0 29 0 839
2023 777 25 2 18 1 2 36 0 861

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 Union Primary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 859 43.5 19.7 n/a
1990 823 44.6 18.4 n/a
1991 773 43.8 17.6 n/a
1992 792 44.6 17.7 n/a
1993 715 39.6 18.1 n/a
1994 706 35.3 n/a n/a
1995 670 n/a 0.0 44.6
1996 670 n/a 0.0 44.6
1997 691 n/a 0.0 45.6
1998 689 n/a 0.0 43.7
1999 688 42.0 16.4 47.7
2000 682 n/a 0.0 48.1
2001 705 44.0 16.0 43.8
2002 666 49.0 13.6 48.9
2003 666 49.0 13.6 48.9
2004 652 43.9 14.9 50.6
2005 677 41.9 16.2 49.7
2006 625 42.0 14.9 62.1
2007 613 48.6 12.6 59.6
2008 707 37.0 19.1 55.4
2009 708 40.0 17.7 57.3
2010 733 41.0 17.8 57.1
2011 724 42.2 17.1 53.5
2012 675 48.0 14.0 56.3
2013 645 41.0 15.7 55.8
2014 669 40.0 16.7 60.5
2015 657 41.0 16.0 59.8
2016 621 40.0 15.5 58.9
2017 661 40.0 16.5 61.4
2018 786 46.1 17.0 85.5
2019 789 48.0 16.4 87.8
2020 801 49.2 16.2 87.6
2021 756 49.1 15.3 n/a
2022 839 53.9 15.5 83.7
2023 861 59.0 14.5 83.7

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 Union Primary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 859 43.5 19.7 n/a
1990 823 44.6 18.4 n/a
1991 773 43.8 17.6 n/a
1992 792 44.6 17.7 n/a
1993 715 39.6 18.1 n/a
1994 706 35.3 n/a n/a
1995 670 n/a 0.0 44.6
1996 670 n/a 0.0 44.6
1997 691 n/a 0.0 45.6
1998 689 n/a 0.0 43.7
1999 688 42.0 16.4 47.7
2000 682 n/a 0.0 48.1
2001 705 44.0 16.0 43.8
2002 666 49.0 13.6 48.9
2003 666 49.0 13.6 48.9
2004 652 43.9 14.9 50.6
2005 677 41.9 16.2 49.7
2006 625 42.0 14.9 62.1
2007 613 48.6 12.6 59.6
2008 707 37.0 19.1 55.4
2009 708 40.0 17.7 57.3
2010 733 41.0 17.8 57.1
2011 724 42.2 17.1 53.5
2012 675 48.0 14.0 56.3
2013 645 41.0 15.7 55.8
2014 669 40.0 16.7 60.5
2015 657 41.0 16.0 59.8
2016 621 40.0 15.5 58.9
2017 661 40.0 16.5 61.4
2018 786 46.1 17.0 85.5
2019 789 48.0 16.4 87.8
2020 801 49.2 16.2 87.6
2021 756 49.1 15.3 n/a
2022 839 53.9 15.5 83.7
2023 861 59.0 14.5 83.7

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 Union Primary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $366 (7.2%) $4,743 (92.8%) $5,109
2020 $708 (12.6%) $4,897 (87.4%) $5,605
2021 $1,137 (17.6%) $5,340 (82.4%) $6,477

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Union Primary

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 23rd of 1105 Elementary schoolsRanks 77th of 1114 Elementary schools
 4.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Union Primary)9789.6
 7.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wise County Public Schools)9486.2
 7.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8269.1
 12.9%
3rd Grade English Reading (Union Primary)9280.7
 11.3%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Wise County Public Schools)8783.3
 3.8%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Virginia)7166.1
 4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Union Primary)9794.9
 2.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wise County Public Schools)9492.2
 1.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8369.7
 13.3%
4th Grade English Reading (Union Primary)8989
 0%
   4th Grade English Reading (Wise County Public Schools)8788.7
 1.7%
   4th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7572.7
 2.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students789861
 9.1%
African American2425
 4.2%
American Indian11
Asian02
Hispanic718
 157.1%
Pacific Islander22
White747777
 4%
Two or More Races836
 350%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients87.8%83.7%
 4.1%


Schools Near Union Primary









Frequently Asked Questions about Union Primary

Students who attend Union Primary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Coeburn Middle
Middle : L.F. Addington Middle
Middle : Union Middle
High : Central High
High : Eastside High
High : Union High

Students at Union Primary are 90% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% African American, 2% Hispanic.

Yes. Union Primary ranks in the top 5.4% of Virginia elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 861 students attended Union Primary.


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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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