Salem City School District

510 South College Ave
Salem, VA 24153-5054
(District boundaries shown in map)
9/
10
Top 20%

Top Rankings

Salem City School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Virginia for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 20%)
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 4 public preschools serving 1,528 students in Salem City School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public pre schools in Virginia.
Public Preschools in Salem City School District have an average math proficiency score of 80% (versus the Virginia public pre school average of 71%), and reading proficiency score of 70% (versus the 67% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 36% of the student body (majority Black and Hispanic), which is less than the Virginia public preschool average of 57% (majority Hispanic and Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (VA)
# Schools
8 Schools
1,069 Schools
# Students
3,984 Students
529,959 Students
# Teachers
363 Teachers
38,432 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
11:1
11:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Salem City School District, which is ranked within the top 20% of all 131 school districts in Virginia (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 91% has decreased from 93% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (VA)
#19 out of 132 school districts
(Top 20%)
79%
68%
(20-21)
74%
69%
(20-21)
65%
59%
91%
89%
(2022-23)
16.4%
19.1%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.56
0.72
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
3%
8%
% Hispanic
12%
21%
% Black
16%
20%
% White
63%
43%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
8%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $12,566 in this school district is less than the state median of $15,504. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $15,794 is higher than the state median of $15,258. The school district spending/student has grown by 19% over four school years.
This School District
This State (VA)
Total Revenue
$50 MM
$19,496 MM
Spending
$63 MM
$19,187 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,566
$15,504
Spending / Student
$15,794
$15,258

Best Salem City School District Public Preschools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
South Salem Elementary School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 75-79%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
1600 Carolyn Rd
Salem, VA 24153
(540) 387-2478
Gr: PK-5 | 371 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 24%
Rank: #22.
West Salem Elementary School
(Math: 76% | Reading: 75-79%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
520 N Bruffey St
Salem, VA 24153
(540) 387-2503
Gr: PK-5 | 375 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 21%
Rank: #33.
East Salem Elementary School
(Math: 80-84% | Reading: 65-69%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
1765 Boulevard
Salem, VA 24153
(540) 375-7001
Gr: PK-5 | 378 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 57%
Rank: #44.
G.w. Carver Elementary School
(Math: 76% | Reading: 61%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
6 Fourth St
Salem, VA 24153
(540) 387-2492
Gr: PK-5 | 404 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 42%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 8 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 3,984 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 11:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 37%
  • : 91% (Top 30% in VA)
  • : Top 20%
  • : 79% (Top 20%)
  • : 74% (Top 20%)
  • : 65% (Top 20%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), VA Dept. of Education

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