Gilbert Linkous Elementary

As a tight-knit elementary campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, Gilbert Linkous Elementary serves 292 students from grades pre-K through 5, operated by Montgomery County Public Schools. Compared to the state average of about 499 students per school, that is 41% smaller than typical.

Across the 19 schools in Montgomery County Public Schools (9,461 students total), Gilbert Linkous Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

In terms of who attends, Gilbert Linkous Elementary lists that 67% of the student body identifies as White. Other groups include 15% Asian, 7% multiracial, 5% Hispanic, 5% Black. The wider county runs roughly 82% White, putting the school's mix noticeably less White than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, Staff filings list 24 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 12.2:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.8:1, putting Gilbert Linkous Elementary tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 29% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is noticeably below Montgomery County's rate of about 45%.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Gilbert Linkous Elementary performs roughly as the BeatsExpectations model predicts for a school with this FRL share. The predicted value is around 80.3%, the actual is 82.8%, a residual of +2.5 points.

In the surrounding community, Montgomery County reports that median household income runs about $72,715, roughly 49% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 9%. In all, Montgomery County runs 23 public schools (combined enrollment of about 9,461 students), of which Gilbert Linkous Elementary is one.

Harding Avenue Elementary is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.8 miles from this campus. 6 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Gilbert Linkous Elementary ranks 5th on composite proficiency, above the local average of 80.3%.

Geographically, the school is in an urban area.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count contracted 21%: 370 students in 2018 compared to 292 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 14.5:1 in 2018 to 12.2:1 today.

On this page, members of the Gilbert Linkous Elementary community share and discuss pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.