Summary
Nottoway High is a small rural high school in Crewe, VA, serving 510 students in grades 9–12 as part of Nottoway County Public Schools. The school ranks in the lower quarter of Virginia high schools overall, currently placing 255th out of 331 schools, though it has climbed steadily from 309th place just a few years ago. Nearly all students (99.6%) qualify for free or reduced lunch, making it a very high-poverty school, and it serves a student body that is more economically disadvantaged than nearby Amelia County High (82.95%) or Central High (93.32%).
Despite being a lower-ranked school, Nottoway has several bright spots. Its graduation rate rose from 83.1% in 2021–22 to 92.9% in 2024–25, now slightly above the state average of 92.3% and above Central High's 91.6%. The dropout rate has also fallen sharply from 12.8% to 6.3% over the same period. In reading, 11th graders scored essentially at the state average, and the school outperformed the state in Virginia & U.S. History, Biology, and World History I. Nottoway also posts a strong 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio, nearly identical to Central High and better than Amelia's 14.6:1.
The biggest challenges are absenteeism, the 9th-grade transition, and spending. Chronic absenteeism sits at 27% — nearly double the state average of 14.8% and well above nearby schools. Nottoway also spends less per student ($8,354) than Amelia ($9,572) or Central ($10,584), despite serving the highest-need population. Ninth-grade math is the weakest academic area, with Geometry proficiency at 53.7% versus 85.88% statewide. Female students are also the lowest-performing subgroup, which is unusual and suggests a need for targeted support. Still, the school's upward trend, strong upper-grade results, and meaningful gains for Hispanic and African American students show the school is moving in the right direction.
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