Summary:
Zip code 24465 covers Monterey, Virginia, in rural Highland County, and is served by two very small schools—Highland Elementary (PK–5) and Highland High (6–12)—both part of Highland County Public Schools, a district ranked 54th out of 131 in Virginia. With a combined enrollment of just 208 students, class sizes are tiny and student–teacher ratios are very low, especially at the high school (6.7 students per teacher). Both schools are high-spending per pupil (about $14,000–$18,000), reflecting the costs of running a full division for so few students.
Highland High stands out for a perfect 100% graduation rate and 0% dropout rate, and it earned a stunning #2 ranking in Virginia in 2024–2025 before dropping to #190 the next year—a swing driven by very small cohorts. Its real academic strength is middle school math: 6th grade math proficiency was 87.5% versus the state’s 63.2%, and 7th grade math hit 72.7% versus 51.1%. However, chronic absenteeism at the high school is a major concern at 28.6%, nearly double the state average of 14.8%, even though poverty levels are similar to the elementary school. This likely explains uneven reading and science results, which sometimes fall below state averages.
Highland Elementary performs near or above state averages in most subjects, with 3rd grade reading and math strong, but 4th grade math is a persistent weak spot (58.8% vs. 73.3% state in 2025–2026). Its chronic absenteeism is actually better than the state average at 12.6%, a sharp contrast to the high school. The biggest takeaway for parents: these are caring, well-staffed rural schools with excellent graduation outcomes and strong math instruction, but high school attendance needs attention, and year-to-year test scores can fluctuate dramatically because a single student can shift percentages by several points.
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