Summary:
Zip code 24171 contains one high school: Patrick County High in Stuart, Virginia, serving grades 8 through 12 with 795 students in the Patrick County Public Schools district, a rural community where roughly 79% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite this high-poverty profile, Patrick County High is a standout performer, earning 5 stars and ranking 23rd out of 331 Virginia high schools for 2025–2026, placing it in the 93rd percentile statewide.
The school's key metrics are strong. The graduation rate for 2024–2025 was 96.2%, well above the state's 92.3%, while the dropout rate was just 1.8% compared to 5.0% statewide. Chronic absenteeism came in at 13.0%, slightly below the state's 14.8%, and the student–teacher ratio is a favorable 13:1. Test scores frequently exceed state averages: Earth Science hit 100% proficiency, Biology reached 87.25% (vs. 68.86% statewide), and Writing reached 84.62% (vs. 64.14%). Areas of concern include Geography, which fell below the state average at 64.52% in 2025–2026 and 50% the prior year, and 8th-grade Mathematics, which at 62.86% is above the state average but represents the school's lowest math score.
The school's rank history shows upward momentum, improving from 43rd in 2024–2025 to 23rd in 2025–2026 and reclaiming a 5-star rating. It achieved perfect Earth Science scores in consecutive years, and its graduation and dropout rates are among the strongest in the region. Geography remains the clearest relative weakness, falling below state averages in both tested years. The district itself ranks 10th out of 131 Virginia districts, placing it in the 92nd percentile, and Patrick County High is a major contributor to that success. For parents, the bottom line is that Patrick County High is a high-performing rural school that exceeds state averages in most subjects, posts strong completion rates, and continues to trend upward—despite serving a student body with significant economic need. Its main areas for improvement are Geography and, to a lesser extent, 8th-grade Mathematics.
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