Summary:
Zip code 24333 is home to 6 public schools—4 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school—serving 2,035 students across three Virginia districts: Galax City Public Schools, Carroll County Public Schools, and Grayson County Public Schools. This is a very high-poverty area, with roughly 95% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, yet the schools post several impressive results that defy that statistic.
Galax High is the undisputed academic standout, ranking in the 80th percentile statewide and climbing nearly 110 spots over three years. It boasts a 99% graduation rate, a 0.9% dropout rate, and dominant SOL scores in Biology, Geometry, and VA/US History—all while serving an 89% poverty population. Fairview Elementary is the top elementary school, with the lowest student-teacher ratio (10.5) and strongest fourth-grade math and reading scores in the zip. Galax Middle is exceptional in advanced math, with 8th grade Algebra I proficiency near 98%, though its 6th grade reading and math scores lag the state. Galax Elementary, the largest school at 667 students, showed strong year-over-year gains in 3rd and 5th grade math and reading despite serving a 99.7% poverty population.
Attendance is a notable strength across the entire zip: every school is below the state's 14.8% chronic absenteeism rate, led by Gladeville Elementary at just 1.7%. However, Gladeville struggles in 5th grade science (51.5% vs. 68.8% state), while Oakland Elementary excels in 5th grade science but saw 4th grade scores collapse in 2025-2026. Smaller schools like Fairview and Oakland are more volatile year to year due to small cohorts, while larger Galax Elementary is more stable. The biggest weaknesses across the area are elementary science and social studies, and the 6th grade transition dip at Galax Middle—though students clearly recover by 8th grade. Overall, this is a high-need community with meaningful success in attendance, graduation, and STEM proficiency.
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