Summary:
Pilgrims Knob, Virginia is served by a single public school, Twin Valley High, a small high school enrolling 179 students in grades 8 through 12 as part of Buchanan County Public Schools. The school serves a deeply rural, high-poverty community, with 97.21% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch and a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.5 to 1.
Twin Valley High posts a graduation rate of 93.1%, slightly above the state average of 92.3% — an impressive result given the poverty level. Academically, the school shows notable strengths: 8th graders exceeded state averages in English reading (84% vs. 73.51%) and science (72% vs. 64.72%) in 2025-2026, and 9th graders topped state averages in Algebra I and Geometry. However, serious weaknesses exist. Biology proficiency lagged the state by 26 to 39 points in recent years, 9th grade geography ran roughly 26 points below the state, and 11th grade reading fell 13 points short. Chronic absenteeism (22.9%) and dropout rate (6.9%) are also significant concerns.
The school's state ranking has declined from the 25th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 8th–10th percentile recently. One striking finding: in 2024-2025, 100% of 8th graders taking Algebra I passed, but only 9.09% of 8th graders in general mathematics passed, reflecting course placement patterns and the variability of very small cohorts. With only about 35 students per grade, proficiency rates can swing dramatically year to year. Still, the school demonstrates clear instructional strengths in early high school math, 8th grade reading, and World History, suggesting that targeted support in Biology, Geography, and upper-level reading could meaningfully improve its overall profile.
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