Dudley Elementary

As a modestly sized elementary school in Wirtz, Virginia, Dudley Elementary instructs 317 students from grades pre-K through 5, operated by Franklin County Public Schools. Compared to the state average of about 499 students per school, that is 36% below typical.

Within Franklin County Public Schools, which oversees 14 schools and 6,540 students, Dudley Elementary is one campus in the system.

On the student-mix side, Dudley Elementary reports that nearly all students (82%) are White; the rest looks like 9% multiracial, 5% Hispanic, 3% Black.

On the resource side, Staff filings list 26 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 12.2:1 students per teacher. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 13.8:1 average. About 88% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

With demographic context factored in, Dudley Elementary sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 64.1%; this one delivers 74.5%.

Zooming out to the county, the surrounding county (Franklin County) reports that the typical household earns roughly $68,849 per year, about 25% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 9%. Across Franklin County's 14 public schools (combined enrollment of about 6,540 students), Dudley Elementary is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Burnt Chimney Elementary, roughly 4.0 miles away. Within ten miles, there are 8 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Dudley Elementary ranks 4th on composite proficiency, higher than the local average of 73.2%.

The campus sits in a low-density setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Dudley Elementary has climbed 13%, going from 281 students in 2018 to 317 in 2025. The White share of enrollment ticked down from 87% to 82% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 14.4:1 in 2018 to 12.2:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Dudley Elementary typically covers school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.