Penn Forest Elementary School

6328 Merriman Rd
Roanoke, VA 24018
(School attendance zone shown in map)
Rating
10/
10
Top 5%
Penn Forest Elementary School serves 436 students in grades Prekindergarten-5.
Penn Forest Elementary School placed in the top 5% of all schools in Virginia for overall test scores (math proficiency is top 5%, and reading proficiency is top 10%) for the 2020-21 school year.
The percentage of students achieving proficiency in math is 83% (which is higher than the Virginia state average of 54%) for the 2020-21 school year. The percentage of students achieving proficiency in reading/language arts is 88% (which is higher than the Virginia state average of 69%) for the 2020-21 school year.
The student:teacher ratio of 15:1 is higher than the Virginia state level of 14:1.
Minority enrollment is 26% of the student body (majority Asian), which is lower than the Virginia state average of 54% (majority Black).

Quick Stats (2023-24)

  • Grades: Prekindergarten-5
  • Enrollment: 436 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 26%
  • Overall Testing Rank
    : Top 5% in VA
  • Math Proficiency
    : 83% (Top 5%)
  • Reading Proficiency
    : 88% (Top 10%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), VA Dept. of Education

Top Rankings

Penn Forest Elementary School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Virginia for:

Category
Attribute

School Overview

Penn Forest Elementary School's student population of 436 students has declined by 7% over five school years.
The teacher population of 29 teachers has declined by 6% over five school years.
Grades Offered
Grades Prekindergarten-5
(offers virtual instruction)
Total Students
436 students
This chart display total students of Penn Forest Elementary School by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Gender %
This chart display gender of Penn Forest Elementary School
Total Classroom Teachers
29 teachers
This chart display the total teachers of Penn Forest Elementary School by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Students by Grade
This chart display the students of Penn Forest Elementary School by grade.

School Rankings

Penn Forest Elementary School is ranked within the top 5% of all 1,792 schools in Virginia (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2020-21 school year.
The diversity score of Penn Forest Elementary School is 0.44, which is less than the diversity score at state average of 0.71. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Definition of Terms 2021-2022 School Year Data
This School
State Level (VA)
Overall Testing Rank
#88 out of 1792 schools
(Top 5%)
This chart display the overall school rank of Penn Forest Elementary School, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
83%
54%
This chart display the percentage of students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Penn Forest Elementary School and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of public schools in Virginia by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
88%
69%
This chart display the percentage of students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Penn Forest Elementary School and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Virginia by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
15:1
14:1
This chart display the student teacher ratio of Penn Forest Elementary School and the public school average student teacher ratio of Virginia by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
American Indian
n/a
n/a
Asian
11%
7%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Penn Forest Elementary School and the percentage of Asian public school students in Virginia by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Hispanic
5%
18%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Penn Forest Elementary School and the percentage of Hispanic public school students in Virginia by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Black
5%
22%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Penn Forest Elementary School and the percentage of Black public school students in Virginia by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
White
74%
46%
This chart display the percentage of White students in Penn Forest Elementary School and the percentage of White public school students in Virginia by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
Two or more races
5%
7%
This chart display the percentage of students of two or more races in Penn Forest Elementary School and the percentage of public school students of two or more races in Virginia by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
All Ethnic Groups
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Penn Forest Elementary School.
This chart display the percentage breakdown of public school students of all ethnic groups in VA.
Diversity Score
0.44
This chart display the diversity score of Penn Forest Elementary School and the public school average diversity score of Virginia by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Eligible for Free Lunch
14%
41%
This chart display the percentage of students who is eligible for free lunch in Penn Forest Elementary School and the percentage of public school students who is eligible for free lunch in Virginia by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Eligible for Reduced Lunch
4%
5%
This chart display the percentage of students who is eligible for reduced lunch in Penn Forest Elementary School and the percentage of public school students who is eligible for reduced lunch in Virginia by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Source: 2021-2022 (latest school year available) National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), VA Dept. of Education

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Penn Forest Elementary School's ranking?
Penn Forest Elementary School is ranked #88 out of 1,792 schools, which ranks it among the top 5% of public schools in Virginia.
What percent of students have achieved state testing proficiency in math and reading?
83% of students have achieved math proficiency (compared to the 54% VA state average), while 88% of students have achieved reading proficiency (compared to the 69% VA state average).
How many students attend Penn Forest Elementary School?
436 students attend Penn Forest Elementary School.
What is the racial composition of the student body?
74% of Penn Forest Elementary School students are White, 11% of students are Asian, 5% of students are Hispanic, 5% of students are Black, and 5% of students are Two or more races.
What is the student:teacher ratio of Penn Forest Elementary School?
Penn Forest Elementary School has a student ration of 15:1, which is higher than the Virginia state average of 14:1.
What grades does Penn Forest Elementary School offer ?
Penn Forest Elementary School offers enrollment in grades Prekindergarten-5 (offers virtual instruction).
What school district is Penn Forest Elementary School part of?
Penn Forest Elementary School is part of Roanoke Co PBLC Schs School District.

School Reviews

Review Penn Forest Elementary School. Reviews should be a few sentences in length. Please include any comments on:

  • Quality of academic programs, teachers, and facilities
  • Availability of music, art, sports and other extracurricular activities
Rate this school:

Recent Articles

Spitting Rhymes for Flashy Grades: The Link Between Hip Hop Curriculum and Improved Learning
Spitting Rhymes for Flashy Grades: The Link Between Hip Hop Curriculum and Improved Learning
Can rap lyrics and hip hop beats help students learn more? Studies and some public schools say yes!
When Field Trips Turn Deadly: Who is Responsible?
When Field Trips Turn Deadly: Who is Responsible?
Recent deaths during field trips have parents and school officials questioning the safety of these excursions. Learn about these tragedies and what parameters should be in place to ensure a safe field trip.
D.C. Schools: Controversial Growth of Charter Schools
D.C. Schools: Controversial Growth of Charter Schools
Charter schools are growing in DC, and we analyze the response to recent numbers that show the student population in D.C. charter schools has outpaced the numbers for traditional public schools throughout the district.

Quick Stats (2023-24)

  • Grades: Prekindergarten-5
  • Enrollment: 436 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 26%
  • Overall Testing Rank
    : Top 5%
  • Math Proficiency
    : 83% (Top 5%)
  • Reading Proficiency
    : 88% (Top 10%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), VA Dept. of Education

Quick Links