The qualify of schooling our children receive not only shapes their lives as individuals, but is a major determinant in attracting new residents to the County and retaining current ones.

Highland County Public Schools is the smallest school division in the Commonwealth with approximately 300 students in a one-campus K-12 school. The system has a full-time superintendent, two principals (elementary and middle/high school,) a professional staff of 36. (Highland’s low teacher/pupil ratio, resulting in a strong knowledge and familiarity of students by teachers, staff and administrators is the envy of larger wealthier public schools.

Highland County Schools provide special education programs for identified students with learning and developmental disabilities, emotional disturbances, and physical limitations. In addition, counseling services are available to all students to support educational, sociological, psychological and career needs.

Enrichment programs are offered to all classes and the Challenge Program serves identified gifted and talented students through programs including, but not limited to, mentoring, independent studies and special projects. Advanced placement courses are offered at the high school level through regular classroom coursework, as well as the school’s distance learning laboratory. Approximately 25% of the students take at least one A.P. course.

Expanded course offerings for high school students include dual enrollment courses with Southwest Community College, Dabney Lancaster Community College, and Blue Ridge Community College.

Vocational education courses are offered in business, work and family studies, agriculture and carpentry. Approximately 70% of high school students take at least one vocational course.

Highland County Schools offer courses in art, music and band, and co-curricular clubs in drama and 12 other student interest areas. Approximately 90% of the students participate in at least one co-curricular club. The athletic program consists of 11 sports.

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB,) federal legislation, requires that all public schools make Adequate Yearly Progess (AYP) for student performance in statewide tests in reading and math. Since its enactment, Highland County Public Schools have made AYP.

In 2005, the Commonwealth’s annual measurable objective for English, mathematics, history and science was 70% passing. Highland Public Schools’ (HPS) pass rate was 88% in English, 74% in mathematics, 84% in history and 88% in science. Attendance rates for schools was set at 94%, HPS had 96% attendance for the year. The final scorecard was graduation percentage. The Commonwealth’s level was 57% and HPS students achieved a 97% graduation rate.

In 2004 state legislation was passed that "links" Highland County’s ability to pay for its local share of education funding with Augusta County. When previously computed, Highland County’s index was .6274; beginning in 2005-2006 through the passage of S.B. 518, it will be .3434 (Augusta County’s.) S.B. 518 sets the Commonwealth’s basic aid computation for the next 15 years for schools whose enrollment does not exceed 350 students.

Many basic education costs have similar impact whether borne by a small, medium or large school division. Schools must teach required subjects, achieve predetermined results and operate auxiliary services such as student transportation and cafeteria services. Smaller school divisions have higher total per pupil expenditures than do medium and large school division.

According to the CSPDC, 72.8% of the County’s full-time residents have at least a high school diploma. In the class of 2005, 70% of graduates pursued post-secondary education programs.

While there is no institution of higher learning in Highland County, there are several colleges and universities within the vicinity. These include liberal arts schools such as Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, WV (61 miles from Monterey) and Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, VA (43 miles from Monterey.) Blue Ridge Community College, which offers both day and night classes, is in Weyers Cave, VA 59 miles from Monterey. Washington and lee University and Virginia Military Institute are located in Lexington, VA (80 miles from Monterey;) and James Madison University, Eastern Mennonite University and Bridgewater College are situated in the Harrisonburg, VA area (61 miles from Monterey.) In addition, the University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville (82 miles from Monterey.)