Laurel Elementary

Laurel Elementary is one of the tiny primary schools in Austinville, Virginia, part of Carroll County Public Schools, with 199 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 5. That puts it 60% leaner than the typical public school in Virginia, which averages around 499 students.

Across the 9 schools in Carroll County Public Schools (3,437 students total), Laurel Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Looking at the student body, Laurel Elementary reports that nearly all students (93%) are White. Other groups include 3% Hispanic, 2% Black, 2% multiracial. That composition is broadly in line with Carroll County as a whole.

Looking at school resources, The school employs 17 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 11.6:1. The state averages around 13.8:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Roughly 91% of students at Laurel Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Laurel Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 63.2% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 72.6%.

In the broader community, community-level numbers for Carroll County indicate median household earnings sit near $54,484, roughly 17% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Carroll County runs 12 public schools (combined enrollment of about 3,437 students), of which Laurel Elementary is one.

Nearest neighbor: Jackson Memorial Elementary, around 4.6 miles off. Within ten miles, there are 7 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. On composite proficiency, Laurel Elementary comes 6th of 9 in the immediate cluster, behind the nearby-schools average of 73.3%.

Geographically, the school is in a countryside area.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count shrank 11%: 224 students in 2018 compared to 199 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 13.8:1 in 2018 to 11.6:1 today.

On allk12, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.