D.G. Cooley Elementary

D.G. Cooley Elementary operates as a reasonably sized elementary campus in Berryville, Virginia, overseen by Clarke County Public Schools. Current enrollment sits at 504 students spanning grades pre-K through 5.

Across the 4 schools in Clarke County Public Schools (1,883 students total), D.G. Cooley Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

In terms of who attends, D.G. Cooley Elementary lists that the largest single group is White, at 67% of enrollment; the rest reads as 19% Hispanic, 8% multiracial, 5% Black. The wider county runs roughly 84% White, putting the school's mix visibly less White than the area baseline.

On the income-and-resources front, D.G. Cooley Elementary lists 34 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 14.8:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.8:1, putting D.G. Cooley Elementary higher than the state norm the norm. About 31% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

After controlling for student poverty, D.G. Cooley Elementary sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 79.6%; this one delivers 67.8%.

In the surrounding community, Clarke County reports that median household income runs about $117,111, 40% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 4%. In all, Clarke County runs 4 public schools (combined enrollment of about 1,883 students), of which D.G. Cooley Elementary is one.

The closest other public school is Clarke County High, roughly 0.4 miles away. 2 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), D.G. Cooley Elementary ranks 4th on composite proficiency, above the local average of 67.3%.

The school occupies a countryside site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count contracted 8%: 546 students in 2018 compared to 504 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share edged down from 81% to 67%. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 16.0:1 in 2018 to 14.8:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, recent activity here tends to focus on classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.