Summary:
Zip code 22514 (Milford, VA) is served by a single high school: Caroline High, part of Caroline County Public Schools. This comprehensive high school serves grades 9–12 with an enrollment of 1,315 students. As the only high school in the area, it serves as the sole educational option for high school students in this community.
Caroline High is currently rated as a 1-star school, ranking 272 out of 331 Virginia high schools (18th percentile). While the ranking slipped from the 23rd percentile in 2024–2025, it is still an improvement over the 10th percentile in 2023–2024. The school posts a graduation rate of 92.6%, slightly above the state average of 92.3%, and its dropout rate of 3.6% compares favorably to the statewide rate of 5.0%. However, chronic absenteeism is a critical concern, with 47.1% of students chronically absent — more than triple the state average. The school serves a predominantly economically disadvantaged population, with 80.3% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, while per-student spending stands at $8,455.
Academically, Caroline High shows bright spots in several subjects. In 2025–2026, 10th-grade English Reading proficiency was 78.6% vs. 63.9% statewide, and 12th-grade reading reached 85.4% vs. 70.2% statewide. Biology and Algebra I results also beat state averages in certain grade levels. The most significant weaknesses appear in social studies: 9th-grade Geography proficiency was just 22.8% vs. 72.2% statewide, and 9th-grade World History I was 17.2% vs. 66.6%. Ninth-grade Algebra I (61.6%) and Geometry (67.5%) also trail state averages. Test scores fluctuate considerably year to year, suggesting results vary by cohort. Given the high absenteeism, modest per-student spending, and significant poverty levels, Caroline High faces real challenges, but its graduation rate and some subject-area results show that progress is possible.
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