High Schools in Alleghany Highlands Public Schools

Alleghany Highlands Public Schools, located in the Covington, Virginia area, contains one high school — Alleghany High — serving grades 9 through 12 with 818 students. Because this is the district's only high school, the school’s metrics double as the district’s high school metrics, making it the sole standout and the focal point for parents.

Alleghany High has ranked in the bottom 13% of Virginia high schools for three straight years, though the district as a whole sits near the 49th percentile — a sign that the high school is the weak link. The most pressing issue is chronic absenteeism: 36.5% of students are chronically absent, more than double the state rate of 14.8%, and this likely drives the below-average graduation rate of 87.8% (state: 92.3%) and slightly elevated dropout rate. The school serves a high-poverty population, with 81.78% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and spending per student is $9,060 with a favorable 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio.

Academically, results are mixed. Strong bright spots include 12th-grade English Reading at 90.63% proficiency in 2024–25 (24 points above the state), and 9th-grade Earth Science at 85.14% in 2025–26 (10 points above the state). Geometry also slightly exceeded the state average in 2025–26. However, weaknesses are significant: Algebra I is consistently below state averages across all grades and years, and history/social studies is the weakest subject, with 9th-grade World History I at just 27.27% proficiency versus the state’s 72.24% — a nearly 45-point gap. Scores also swing wildly between cohorts, such as 12th-grade reading dropping 39 points from one year to the next. Overall, Alleghany High shows it can achieve excellence, but chronic absenteeism, math struggles, and inconsistent cohorts keep it far below state averages.