Summary:
Zip code 24426 in Covington, Virginia is served by five public schools in the Alleghany Highlands Public Schools district — three elementary schools (Callaghan Elementary, Jeter-Watson Elementary, Mountain View Elementary), one middle school (Covington Middle), and one high school (Alleghany High) that together serve about 2,588 students, all in a high-poverty community where roughly 82–83% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
The clear standout is Callaghan Elementary, which ranks in the 78th percentile statewide with a 4-star rating and scored above the Virginia average in every SOL subject, despite having the highest poverty rate in the district. By contrast, Mountain View Elementary ranks in just the 28th percentile despite spending the most per student ($11,342) and having the smallest class sizes, showing that money alone does not drive results. Covington Middle has an unusual math story: its 8th-grade Algebra I students score near the top of the state at 97.78% proficiency, while general 8th-grade math students score just 14.86% — an 83-point gap. Alleghany High is the most challenged school, ranking in the 13th percentile with a 36.5% chronic absenteeism rate, an 87.8% graduation rate, and a 45-point proficiency gap in World History I.
The most telling pattern across these five schools is chronic absenteeism: Callaghan Elementary has just 6.6% chronic absenteeism and performs best, while Jeter-Watson Elementary (23.3%), Mountain View Elementary (24.1%), Covington Middle (31.6%), and Alleghany High (36.5%) all show rising absenteeism alongside falling performance. The state average is just 14.8%, making attendance the clearest opportunity for improvement across this district. Parents should know that Callaghan proves high-poverty students can excel, but the district as a whole — ranked 67th of 131 — has significant work ahead, particularly at the middle and high school levels.
Thank you for your feedback!