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Buchanan County Public Schools

At a glance

87^thof 131 Virginia districts▲ 1

Better than 33% of Virginia districts

Elementary 4 High 4Grades PK, KG-12

4447 Slate Creek Road Suite 10
Grundy, VA 24614·(276) 935-4551·All Virginia district rankings →

Statewide performance 2018–2026

2026: better than 33.6% of districts

Schools

2,316

Students

Top rankedHurley High123^rd of 331 Virginia high schools

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Biggest riser

Council Elementary/Middle up 5 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Council High 11.2 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

3★

2★

1★

0★

2 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

Compare Virginia districts →See the top-ranked Virginia schools →

Summary:

Buchanan County Public Schools is a rural Virginia district serving roughly 2,316 students in eight schools, with four elementary/middle schools (PK–7 or PK–8) and four high schools (8–12 or 9–12) across the county. Every school in the district serves a very high-poverty community, with free/reduced-price lunch eligibility above 96% at all schools and exceeding 100% at several, including Twin Valley Elementary/Middle and Council Elementary/Middle. Chronic absenteeism is a districtwide concern at 21.4%, well above the state's 14.8%, but the differences between schools are dramatic.

The clear academic leader is Hurley High, which ranks 123rd of 331 Virginia high schools and posts a 100% graduation rate, 0% dropout rate, and chronic absenteeism of just 12.0% — far better than the district and state averages. It also leads the district in 11th-grade reading (92.11% proficient) and Algebra I (89.66%), all while spending $8,555 per student, one of the lowest amounts in the area. Its feeder school, Hurley Elementary/Middle, also stands out with the district's lowest chronic absenteeism (11.9%) and strong early reading and math scores. By contrast, Twin Valley High has similar demographics but a 93.1% graduation rate, 6.9% dropout rate, and a rank of 299th, showing that poverty alone doesn't determine outcomes. Riverview Elementary/Middle is the largest school (719 students) and has perfect 8th-grade Algebra I scores, but also the highest chronic absenteeism at 29.3%.

Spending does not predict success: Council High spends the most ($11,620 per student) yet ranks near the bottom, while Hurley High spends far less and achieves more. Across the district, 5th grade appears to be a weak transition year, especially in reading, where all four elementary/middle schools fall below the state average. Meanwhile, graduation rates are strong at every high school except Twin Valley High, suggesting students are being retained and graduated despite academic challenges. For parents, the key takeaway is that attendance and early literacy are the biggest differentiators, and the Hurley schools show what's possible even amid high poverty.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				SOL Writing (2026)			SOL Geometry (2026)			SOL Algebra I (2026)					SOL Algebra II (2026)		SOL Mathematics (2026)						SOL Chemistry (2026)		SOL Biology (2026)				SOL Science (2026)		SOL Earth Science (2026)					SOL English Reading (2026)									SOL Geography (2026)			SOL VA and US History (2026)			SOL World History I (2026)		SOL World History II (2026)			SOL Civics and Economics (2026)		SOL VA Studies (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SOL Writing 10th Grade	SOL Writing 11th Grade	SOL Writing 12th Grade	SOL Geometry 9th Grade	SOL Geometry 10th Grade	SOL Geometry 11th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 9th Grade	SOL Algebra I 10th Grade	SOL Algebra I 11th Grade	SOL Algebra I 12th Grade	SOL Algebra II 10th Grade	SOL Algebra II 11th Grade	SOL Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Chemistry 10th Grade	SOL Chemistry 11th Grade	SOL Biology 9th Grade	SOL Biology 10th Grade	SOL Biology 11th Grade	SOL Biology 12th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL Science 8th Grade	SOL Earth Science 8th Grade	SOL Earth Science 9th Grade	SOL Earth Science 10th Grade	SOL Earth Science 11th Grade	SOL Earth Science 12th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL English Reading 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 10th Grade	SOL English Reading 11th Grade	SOL English Reading 12th Grade	SOL Geography 8th Grade	SOL Geography 9th Grade	SOL Geography 10th Grade	SOL VA and US History 10th Grade	SOL VA and US History 11th Grade	SOL VA and US History 12th Grade	SOL World History I 9th Grade	SOL World History I 10th Grade	SOL World History II 9th Grade	SOL World History II 10th Grade	SOL World History II 12th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 7th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 8th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	SOL VA Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Buchanan County Technology Career & Higher Learning Center	Public		1124 Almarine Drive	Grundy	24614	Buchanan County	Buchanan County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 935-4541	0	11	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Council High	Public	8-12	7608 Helen Henderson Hwy	Honaker	24260	Russell County	Buchanan County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 859-9329	115	10	11.2	98.3%	114 (99.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	29.3	285^th of 331 public high schools	13.9%		30.4	284^th of 328 public high schools	13.4%	1	< 50%	63.6		407.0	< 50%	< 50%	437.0	93.3	≥ 50%	≥ 50%									383.0				396.0				76.5			≥ 50%	< 50%	≥ 50%						58.8		68.2		386.0	375.0	< 50%		373.0					< 50%	< 50%					$11,620	$798	$10,821
Grundy High	Public	9-12	1300 Golden Wave Drive	Grundy	24614	Buchanan County	Buchanan County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 935-2106	352	24	14.8	98.3%	347 (98.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	27.9	293^rd of 331 public high schools	11.5%		32.6	277^th of 328 public high schools	15.5%	16		80.0	≥ 50%	79.2	< 50%	< 50%		66.7	75.0	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	≥ 50%							≥ 50%	≥ 50%	374.0	63.0	63.6	< 50%															74.0	< 50%		50.0	367.0		26.1	≥ 50%	< 50%	372.0								$8,289	$1,447	$6,842
Hurley High	Public	8-12	6911 Hurley Road	Hurley	24620	Buchanan County	Buchanan County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 566-8523	194	13	15.2	96.9%	192 (99.0%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	63.6	123^rd of 331 public high schools	62.8%		76.1	49^th of 328 public high schools	85.1%	74		85.4	≥ 50%	≥ 50%			≥ 50%	89.7	≥ 50%	< 50%			< 50%						47.9			61.9	76.9	≥ 50%	≥ 50%		76.5	< 50%										68.6		92.1	527.0	69.1	411.0	420.0	< 50%	≥ 50%				< 50%	≥ 50%						$8,555	$1,539	$7,016
Council Elementary/Middle	Public	PK, KG-7	7608 Helen Henderson Hwy	Honaker	24260	Russell County	Buchanan County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 859-9329	194	16	12.2	103.6%	189 (97.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	40.2	732^nd of 1111 public elementary schools	34.1%		38.1	737^th of 1110 public elementary schools	33.6%	5														62.5	69.0	55.0	77.8	52.2								75.0							62.5	72.4	50.0	55.6	69.6																56.5		75.9		$10,736	$3,923	$6,813
Riverview Elementary/Middle	Public	PK, KG-8	27382 Riverside Drive	Grundy	24614	Buchanan County	Buchanan County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 935-1613	719	50	14.4	101.1%	689 (95.8%)	4 (0.6%)	15 (2.1%)	6 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.6%)	45.9	663^rd of 1111 public elementary schools	40.3%		45.9	658^th of 1110 public elementary schools	40.7%	5							100.0							59.8	49.1	79.1	78.3	59.3	34.1							74.4	66.7						54.9	82.5	69.8	71.7	64.6	68.2				69.0											45.1	≥ 50%	69.1	< 50%	$8,517	$2,461	$6,056
Twin Valley Elementary/Middle	Public	PK, KG-7	9017 Riverside Drive	Oakwood	24631	Buchanan County	Buchanan County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 498-4537	240	21	11.2	104.2%	229 (95.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	46	661^st of 1111 public elementary schools	40.5%		50.4	592^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	46.7%	69														77.8	73.3	56.7	68.2	75.0								50.0							81.5	83.3	60.0	86.4	87.5																66.7		54.8		$10,649	$3,532	$7,117
Twin Valley High	Public	8-12	14449 Dismal River Road	Pilgrims Knob	24634	Buchanan County	Buchanan County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 259-7818	179	14	12.5	97.2%	173 (96.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	26.2	299^th of 331 public high schools	9.7%		25.1	302^nd of 328 public high schools	7.9%	3	≥ 50%	80.0		87.5		≥ 50%	432.0	85.7	423.0			< 50%							376.0	346.0		60.0	57.9	≥ 50%	≥ 50%		72.0		392.0		≥ 50%	≥ 50%						84.0	≥ 50%	75.0		64.0	45.8	< 50%	≥ 50%	382.0	≥ 50%	417.0	≥ 50%								$9,101	$1,498	$7,603
Hurley Elementary/Middle	Public	PK, KG-7	6911 Hurley Road	Hurley	24620	Buchanan County	Buchanan County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 566-8523	323	28	11.4	100.9%	310 (96.0%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.2%)	42	709^th of 1111 public elementary schools	36.2%		48.9	616^th of 1110 public elementary schools	44.5%	93														84.4	55.9	38.5	60.7	72.5								46.2							80.0	88.2	65.4	53.6	90.0																60.0		58.8		$10,730	$2,216	$8,514
New Buchanan High	Public		4447 Slate Creek Road Suite 1	Grundy	24614	Buchanan County	Buchanan County Public Schools	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(276) 935-4551																			(n/a)

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Virginia Department of Corrections	6.24 mi	62
Dickenson County Public Schools	15.02 mi	7	36^th
Russell County Public Schools	19.65 mi	10	80^th
Tazewell County Public Schools	20.3 mi	14	19^th
Project Bridge/Russell County	27.04 mi	1

See the top VA Virginia districts

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Virginia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.