Craig County Public Schools

Craig County Public Schools is a small, high-poverty Virginia district with just two schools—Craig County High (grades 6–12, 278 students) and McCleary Elementary (PK–5, 229 students)—serving 507 students total. The district ranks 96th out of 131 Virginia districts with a 1-star rating, and both schools carry 2-star ratings, despite serving a population where 81% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch. Per-pupil spending is around $11,200–$11,500, and student-teacher ratios are low (10.2:1 and 11.4:1), meaning class sizes are relatively small.

The two schools have very different strengths. Craig County High shines in graduation outcomes—94.7% graduation rate versus the state’s 92.3%, and a dropout rate of 3.5% versus 5.0% statewide. It also excels at accelerated math: 8th grade Algebra I proficiency is near 94%, and Geometry hit 100% in 2024-2025. Writing is another bright spot, consistently beating the state by 6–10 points. Meanwhile, McCleary Elementary posts strong early-grade results: 3rd grade math is 82–83% proficient (state: 72–74%), and 4th grade reading is above state averages in both recent years. However, the two schools diverge on chronic absenteeism: McCleary is below the state average at 13.3%, while Craig County High is far above it at 21.1%.

The biggest challenges are concentrated in middle grades and specific subjects. With no standalone middle school, 6th–8th graders attend Craig County High—an unusual arrangement that may contribute to poor outcomes in grade-level math. While Algebra I acceleration succeeds, 7th grade math proficiency is just 40% and 8th grade math only 23.8% (state: 51.1% and 46.9%). World History I is a major outlier, with proficiency as low as 37% versus 79% statewide. At McCleary Elementary, 5th grade shows a sharp slump across math, reading, and science—all roughly 15 points below the state in 2025-2026. Overall, this district combines genuine bright spots—strong graduation rates, early elementary wins, and math acceleration—with persistent weaknesses in middle-grades general math, upper elementary performance, and chronic absenteeism at the 6–12 school.