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Union High

Q: Is Union High a good school?

Yes. Union High ranks in the top 7.3% of Virginia high schools.

Q: How many students attend Union High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 564 students attended Union High.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Union High?

Students at Union High are 91% White, 4% African American, 3% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

Q: What schools feed into Union High?

Union High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Coeburn Primary Elementary : J.W. Adams Combined Elementary : St. Paul Elementary Elementary : Union Primary Elementary : Wise Primary Middle : Coeburn Middle Middle : L.F. Addington Middle Middle : Union Middle

Public Grades 9-12

24^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 331 Virginia High Schools

Better than 93% of Virginia high schools

Summary

Union High is a public high school in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, serving 564 students in grades 9–12 as part of Wise County Public Schools, a 5-star district ranked 2nd out of 131 districts in Virginia. The school earned a 5-star rating and is currently ranked 24th out of 331 Virginia high schools (93rd percentile). What makes this especially noteworthy is that 90.6% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, yet the school posts a 98.0% graduation rate and a 1.3% dropout rate—both significantly better than state averages. Per-pupil spending is $9,170, with a student-teacher ratio of 15.1:1.

One of Union High's most impressive differentiators is how well it supports students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Its Low Socioeconomic Status subgroup ranks 11th in the state—even higher than its overall rank of 24th. Test proficiency is strong across the board: Writing proficiency is nearly 97%, about 17 points above the state average, and Biology is roughly 20 points above. Union also outperforms nearby high-poverty schools like J.I. Burton High (ranked 149th) and lower-poverty schools like Twin Springs High (134th) and Rye Cove High (291st). Among local peers, only Central High ranks higher at #4, while Eastside High comes in at #43 and Gate City High at #63.

The clearest area to watch is Algebra I, where Union's proficiency of 88.4% is above the state but below the district's 93.4%. Chronic absenteeism has improved to 14.4%, slightly below the state average, though a few nearby schools do better. On spending, Union gets strong results for its budget—it spends less per student than Twin Springs, Eastside, and J.I. Burton, all of which rank lower. Bottom line: Union High is a high-performing school on an upward trajectory, with notably strong outcomes for its students and a few specific areas worth monitoring.

564

Students ?

15.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$7,065

Per pupil spending ?

90.6%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

322 Powell Valley Road
Big Stone Gap, VA 24219

(276) 523-1290

District: Wise County Public Schools

Feeder schools for Union High:

Elementary:	Coeburn Primary
	J.W. Adams Combined
	St. Paul Elementary
	Union Primary
	More...
	Wise Primary
Middle:	Coeburn Middle
	L.F. Addington Middle
	Union Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.8%

African American:

4.3%

Two or more races:

2.8%

See top rated Virginia high schools

Compare Union High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 82nd percentile in 2016 → 93rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Virginia average (91% vs 80% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 7% of Virginia high schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 11 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school91%

District avg90%

Virginia avg80%

24^th of 331

Virginia public high schools ?

Top 7%▲ up 11 pts since 2016

From top 18% (2016) to top 7% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 3High Schools in the Wise County Public Schools

2^nd of 131Wise County Public Schools among Virginia districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	80.1	24 of 331	92.7%	★★★★★
2025	75.8	51 of 328	84.5%	★★★★☆
2024	74.8	55 of 329	83.3%	★★★★☆
2023	72.9	66 of 326	79.8%	★★★★☆
2022	73.6	28 of 325	91.4%	★★★★★
2021	43.7	173 of 327	47.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	62.4	83 of 327	74.6%	★★★★☆
2018	61.9	81 of 326	75.2%	★★★★☆
2017	72.9	27 of 324	91.7%	★★★★★
2016	67.4	57 of 321	82.2%	★★★★☆
2015	71.3	40 of 322	87.6%	★★★★☆
2014	57.4	99 of 322	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2013	67.0	61 of 321	81.0%	★★★★☆
2012	57.6	103 of 321	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2011	60.1	104 of 320	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2010	66.2	59 of 317	81.4%	★★★★☆
2009	53.8	126 of 313	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2008	56.1	117 of 316	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2007	45.2	181 of 313	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2006	58.6	87 of 314	72.3%	★★★★☆
2005	44.1	197 of 308	36.0%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	62.5	77 of 252	69.4%	★★★★☆
2024	79.4	32 of 253	87.4%	★★★★☆
2023	73.5	38 of 249	84.7%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	80.3	20 of 322	93.8%	★★★★★
2025	71.0	81 of 321	74.8%	★★★★☆
2024	63.3	127 of 322	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	63.9	117 of 320	63.4%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	84.1	11 of 321	96.6%	★★★★★
2025	80.7	23 of 324	92.9%	★★★★★
2024	81.0	27 of 320	91.6%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	78.6	37 of 325	88.6%	★★★★☆
2025	77.6	43 of 322	86.6%	★★★★☆
2024	85.3	8 of 322	97.5%	★★★★★
2023	79.9	26 of 321	91.9%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	70.9	61 of 312	80.4%	★★★★☆
2025	62.0	126 of 313	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	67.7	83 of 314	73.6%	★★★★☆
2023	61.0	124 of 315	60.6%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)97th percentile+4 vs school

Female (2026)94th percentile~ school

Male (2026)89th percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)80th percentile-12 vs school

Disabled (2026)69th percentile-23 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

Writing97%+17 vs state

Algebra II94%~ state avg

English Reading93%+6 vs state

Biology89%+12 vs state

Algebra I88%+9 vs state

World History I86%+16 vs state

★

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Schools Near Union High

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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 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)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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 Geometry 12th 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 9th Grade	SOL Algebra II 10th Grade	SOL Algebra II 11th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Biology 9th Grade	SOL Biology 10th Grade	SOL Biology 11th Grade	SOL Biology 12th 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 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 Geography 11th Grade	SOL Geography 12th 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 8th Grade	SOL World History I 9th Grade	SOL World History I 10th Grade	SOL World History I 11th Grade	SOL World History I 12th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Union High	Public	9-12	322 Powell Valley Road	Big Stone Gap	24219	Wise County	Wise County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 523-1290	564	37	15.1	90.6%	512 (90.8%)	24 (4.3%)	12 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.8%)	80.1	24^th of 331 public high schools	92.7%		75.8	51^st of 328 public high schools	84.5%	27		96.6		≥ 50%		< 50%			88.4	≥ 50%	432.0	≥ 50%	93.9	≥ 50%			≥ 50%	89.1	≥ 50%									≥ 50%	93.4				< 50%			≥ 50%	≥ 50%			86.4	454.0	≥ 50%	< 50%	$7,065	$05	$7,060
Wallen's Ridge Correctional Center	Public	11-12	272 Dogwood Dr.	Big Stone Gap	24219	Wise County	Virginia Department of Corrections	No	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(276) 523-3310				—															(n/a)
J.I. Burton High	Public	8-12	109 11th St	Norton	24273	Norton city	Norton City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 679-2554	328	24	13.6	—	283 (86.3%)	15 (4.6%)	9 (2.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (6.1%)	59.3	149^th of 331 public high schools	55.0%		61.2	138^th of 328 public high schools	57.9%	11		78.3	413.0	425.0				100.0	86.5	≥ 50%		≥ 50%	100.0			64.1	≥ 50%	88.9	< 50%	≥ 50%	70.2	≥ 50%	76.5	< 50%			78.7		86.4	426.0	63.8	423.0	45.5	< 50%	≥ 50%		365.0	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	66.7	< 50%	≥ 50%		$11,918	$00	$11,918
Central High	Public	9-12	5000 Warrior Drive	Norton	24273	Wise County	Wise County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 328-8015	676	41	16.5	90.7%	630 (93.2%)	9 (1.3%)	16 (2.4%)	7 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	13 (1.9%)	85.3	4^th of 331 public high schools	98.8%		83.4	7^th of 328 public high schools	97.9%	3	≥ 50%	88.4	≥ 50%	≥ 50%					98.1	432.0	405.0	≥ 50%	100.0				< 50%	91.6	416.0	≥ 50%								≥ 50%	94.1	438.0						< 50%	≥ 50%	≥ 50%		90.8	83.3	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	$6,378	$242	$6,136
Rye Cove High	Public	8-12	164 Eagles Nest Lane	Duffield	24244	Scott County	Scott County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 940-2701	292	25	11.7	78.4%	272 (93.2%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.4%)	28.2	291^st of 331 public high schools	12.1%		61.3	137^th of 328 public high schools	58.2%	154					≥ 50%			447.0	62.0	≥ 50%	≥ 50%					68.9		63.6	399.0		61.5		< 50%				79.2		82.5	456.0	≥ 50%	68.0	423.0	399.0			381.0				< 50%			$10,419	$390	$10,029
Wise Correctional Center Unit #18	Public	11-12	3602 Bear Lane	Coeburn	24230	Wise County	Virginia Department of Corrections	No	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(540) 395-2384				—															(n/a)
Eastside High	Public	9-12	314 School House Hill Dr	Coeburn	24230	Wise County	Wise County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 395-3389	418	26	15.8	88.3%	402 (96.2%)	3 (0.7%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.9%)	77	43^rd of 331 public high schools	87.0%		66.6	109^th of 328 public high schools	66.8%	66		95.6		100.0	≥ 50%	≥ 50%			92.3	425.0	≥ 50%	≥ 50%						85.7	≥ 50%	≥ 50%				389.0	396.0				90.0	464.0		370.0	54.6	< 50%	< 50%		53.9	< 50%		81.0	≥ 50%	< 50%		$8,487	$246	$8,242
Twin Springs High	Public	8-12	273 Titan Lane	Nickelsville	24271	Scott County	Scott County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 479-2185	242	24	9.9	78.5%	221 (91.3%)	2 (0.8%)	15 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.7%)	61.7	134^th of 331 public high schools	59.5%		71.6	79^th of 328 public high schools	75.9%	55				< 50%				≥ 50%	89.1	< 50%					≥ 50%	72.6		79.6	≥ 50%		67.9		100.0		< 50%	≥ 50%	72.2		86.5	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	63.6	418.0	≥ 50%	443.0		413.0							$12,852	$1,147	$11,706
Gate City High	Public	9-12	178 Harry Fry Dr.	Gate City	24251	Scott County	Scott County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 386-7522	592	40	14.9	80.4%	556 (93.9%)	8 (1.4%)	13 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.4%)	74.1	63^rd of 331 public high schools	81.0%		78.3	31^st of 328 public high schools	90.5%	32				≥ 50%	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	< 50%		87.1	88.5	431.0	≥ 50%	418.0				< 50%	82.8	414.0				< 50%	≥ 50%	64.3			≥ 50%	93.9	≥ 50%		76.9	75.0	60.0	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	407.0				412.0	≥ 50%		$8,442	$279	$8,163

Frequently Asked Questions about Union High

Is Union High a good school?

Yes. Union High ranks in the top 7.3% of Virginia high schools.

What schools feed into Union High?

Union High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Coeburn Primary
Elementary : J.W. Adams Combined
Elementary : St. Paul Elementary
Elementary : Union Primary
Elementary : Wise Primary
Middle : Coeburn Middle
Middle : L.F. Addington Middle
Middle : Union Middle

What is the racial makeup of Union High?

Students at Union High are 91% White, 4% African American, 3% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

What district is Union High in?

Wise County Public Schools

How many students attend Union High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 564 students attended Union High.

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Schools in Big Stone Gap, VA

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Latest Virginia data All new data »

2023–24 school spending data (updated)NewNov 2, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataOct 12, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesOct 12, 2026

2025–26 SOL test scoresAug 25, 2026

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.