U.S. News ranks some area elementary, middle schools

Some Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia elementary and middle schools have ranked among the top-performing schools in their respective states, according to a national magazine. Case in point: One Southwest Virginia school in Wise County ranked second statewide in the middle school category. The U.S. News & World Report Tuesday released lists of the best public elementary and middle schools, using math and reading performance in the rankings. The complete rankings are available online at https://www.usnews.com/education/k12?src=usn_pr. METHODOLOGY The 2026 rankings are based on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education. "The 2026 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings highlight institutions that excel in fostering student achievement and providing exceptional learning environments for all," LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for Education at U.S News, said in a news release. "These rankings offer communities and families valuable insights into schools dedicated to preparing students for future success." The rankings methodology focuses on state assessments of students who were proficient or above proficient in mathematics and reading/language arts, while accounting for student background and achievement in core subjects. Student-teacher ratios are applied to break ties in the overall score. TENNESSEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS In Northeast Tennessee for 2026, Towne Acres Elementary in Johnson City Schools ranked 31st in the state, down 13 places from 2025 but No. 1 in its school district. Following were Lake Ridge Elementary in Johnson City with a rank of 50th, up 13, and West Side Elementary with a rank of 75th, up 13. Holston View Elementary in Bristol, Tennessee, was 73rd, no change from 2025, while Adams Elementary in Kingsport ranked 80th, down 12 from 2025. Both those two were the highest scoring elementary schools in their respective districts. South Side Elementary in Johnson was 92nd, up 32, with Johnson Elementary in Kingsport 132nd, down 14; Miller Perry Elementary in Sulilvan County was 113th, up 10, and Cherokee Elementary in Johnson City 138th, up 48. Valley Forge Elementary in Carter County ranked 145th, up 36, while Mount Carmel Elementary in Hawkins County was 151st, down three. Elsewhere in the rankings, University School in Johnson City, part of Washington County Schools but a demonstration schools of East Tennessee State University, was 158th, down 100, Kingsport's Washington Elementary was 160th, Bristol's Avoca 207th, Johnson City's North Side 232nd, Kingsport's Jefferson 235th, Happy Valley in Carter County 256th and Doe Elementary in Johnson County 258th. TENNESSEE MIDDLE SCHOOLS Among middle schools, University School ranked 11th, down two, with Ridgeview Elementary in Washington County at 57th, up five. Robinson Midde of Kingsport was 64th, down 15, while Gray Elementary was 65th, up one, Surgoinsville Middle ranked 146th, up 10, and Bristol Tennessee Middle was 145th, up 69, Sevier Middle in Kingsport 196, down 16, and Rogersville Elementary 211, up 60. The report nationwide includes about 47,000 public elementary schools and more than 23,000 middle schools that are ranked at the state and district levels, with state rankings specific to charter schools as a stand-alone category. Some elementaries are listed as middle schools and vice versa, and high schools with middle schools because of differing grade levels included at those schools. VIRGINIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS In Virginia, of 1,186 elementary schools J.W. Adams Combined School in Wise County ranked 30th and Union Primary there ranked 57th. Twin Springs and Weber City elementaries in Scott County, respectively ranked 60th and 63rd, while Coeburn Primary in Wise was 65th VIRGINIA MIDDLE SCHOOLS Among 457 middle schools in Virginia, Saint Paul Elementary in Wise County ranked 2nd statewide and first in its district, with J.S. Adams there ranking 8th, with Norton Elementary ranking 16th and J.I. Burton High in Norton 17th. Among other results, E.B. Stanley Middle in Washington County ranked 35th, Coeburn Middle in Wise 36th and Gate City Middle in Scott 50th. Union Middle in Wise was 96th and Rye Cover Intermediate in Scott 109th, with Rye Cove High in Scott County 153rd and Pennington Middle in Lee County 165th.