For the 2025 school year, there are 2 public elementary schools serving 858 students in Dayton, VA.
The top ranked public elementary schools in Dayton, VA are Wilbur S. Pence Middle School and Ottobine Elementary School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking.
Dayton, VA public elementary schools have an average math proficiency score of 45% (versus the Virginia public elementary school average of 53%), and reading proficiency score of 62% (versus the 67% statewide average). Elementary schools in Dayton have an average ranking of 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of Virginia public elementary schools.
Minority enrollment is 23% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Virginia public elementary school average of 56% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Best Public Elementary Schools in Dayton, VA (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Wilbur S. Pence Middle School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 64%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
375 Bowman Road
Dayton, VA 22821
(540) 879-2535
Dayton, VA 22821
(540) 879-2535
Grades: 6-8
| 669 students
Rank: #22.
Ottobine Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
8646 Waggys Creek Rd
Dayton, VA 22821
(540) 879-2091
Dayton, VA 22821
(540) 879-2091
Grades: PK-5
| 189 students
Dayton, Virginia Public Schools (Closed)
School
Location
Grades
Students
Dayton Learning Center (Closed 2004)
Alternative School
290 Mill St
Dayton, VA 22821
(540) 879-2033
Dayton, VA 22821
(540) 879-2033
Grades: n/a
| n/a students
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top ranked public elementary schools in Dayton, VA?
The top ranked public elementary schools in Dayton, VA include Wilbur S. Pence Middle School and Ottobine Elementary School.
How many public elementary schools are located in Dayton?
2 public elementary schools are located in Dayton.
What is the racial composition of students in Dayton?
Dayton public elementary schools minority enrollment is 23% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Virginia public elementary schools average of 56% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Recent Articles

Parents’ Guide to Special Education
Special education law is not easy to decipher, with several regulations that govern special education services for disabled students. In this article, learn about the core components of the laws, rights, and individual education plans that can help create the best public school environment for your child.

Surveillance Cameras: Violation of Rights or Improved Security?
A school district in Virginia has given the green light to schools that want to install surveillance cameras in common areas like cafeterias and hallways. We’ll look at whether this is a violation of student privacy or the best way to keep order in schools.

Teachers in 19 States Allowed to Physically Punish Students
As of 2014, nineteen states still allow corporal punishment – spanking and paddling the most common choices – in their public schools. However, some argue that not only are these punishments physically harmful, they also are disproportionately administered to students of color. As a result, House democrats have taken up the issue in a new bill that would ban all forms of corporal punishment nationwide.