Summary:
Parry McCluer High is the only high school in Buena Vista City Public Schools, serving grades 8 through 12 with 315 students in a small Virginia community where 92.1% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Because this is the district’s sole high school, all school-level results also reflect the district’s overall performance. The school stands out for strong mathematics and science achievement despite its high poverty rate. In 2025-26, 88.1% of 9th graders passed Algebra I, compared to 80.2% statewide, while 82.7% passed Biology versus 68.9% statewide. Eighth-grade mathematics also beat the state by 6.6 points. In the prior year, results were even more striking: 96.1% of 9th graders and 100% of 8th graders taking Algebra I were proficient. The biggest challenge is writing—only 69.5% of 11th graders were proficient in 2025-26 versus 79.9% statewide, though this gap narrowed from nearly 18 points the year before. Reading scores are close to state averages but slightly below, especially in 8th grade.
Attendance is a clear bright spot, with chronic absenteeism at 8.5% compared to 14.8% statewide. The school also offers a favorable 12.3:1 student-teacher ratio, which supports individualized attention. However, the graduation rate (90.0%) and dropout rate (5.7%) both trail state averages by a couple of points. After a dip to the 40th percentile in 2024-25, the school’s state ranking improved to the 51st percentile in 2025-26, earning a 3-star rating. With strong STEM outcomes, improving writing scores, and low chronic absenteeism, Parry McCluer High is showing positive momentum. Families should be encouraged by the school’s academic strengths and supportive environment, while keeping in mind that writing and on-time graduation are areas worth monitoring.
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