Amherst County High

Summary:

Amherst County High is a public high school in Amherst, Virginia, serving 1,260 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Amherst County Public Schools district, which is ranked 95 out of 130 districts in Virginia and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Amherst County High has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Virginia high schools, receiving a 1-star rating in recent years. The school's performance has declined over the years, dropping from a 2-star rating in 2018-2019. Amherst County High's student population is predominantly white (67.22%), with significant African American (17.06%) and growing Hispanic (4.84%) populations. The school's performance varies greatly across different student subgroups, with Hispanic and multi-racial students performing relatively better, while white and low socioeconomic status students perform poorly, ranking in the bottom 10% of Virginia high schools. Amherst County High's test scores are generally below the state averages, with the school struggling in subjects like Geography, VA and US History, and World History II.

Compared to nearby schools, Amherst County High's performance is significantly lower than Jefferson Forest High, which has maintained a 3-star rating during the same period. Additionally, Amherst County High has a much higher percentage of free and reduced-lunch recipients (74.76%) compared to Nelson County High (23.3%), suggesting that the low socioeconomic status of Amherst County High's student population is a significant factor in its poor performance. The school's per-student spending has remained relatively stable, but is lower than the nearby Nelson County High, which may contribute to the performance gap between the two schools.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 139 Lancer Lane
       Amherst, VA  24521


(434) 946-2898

District: Amherst County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
289th of 329 Virginia High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,757 Help


Feeder schools for Amherst County High:

Elementary:    Amelon Elementary
    Amherst Elementary
    Central Elementary
    Elon Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Amherst Middle
    Monelison Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  14.2 Help
Number of students:  1,260

Racial breakdown:

White:
67.2%
African American:
17.1%
Two or more races:
9.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  74.8% Help


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 Compare Amherst County High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Amherst County High ranks worse than 87.8% of high schools in Virginia. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.91. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Amherst County High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Amherst County High is $8,757.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Amherst County High:

SchoolDigger ranks Amherst County High 289th of 329 Virginia public high schools. (See Amherst County High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Amherst County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Amherst County Public Schools 95th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Amherst County High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Amherst County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 34.60 252nd 308 18.2%
2006 34.70 242nd 314 22.9%
2007 45.95 173rd 313 44.7%
2008 44.55 181st 316 42.7%
2009 45.35 178th 313 43.1%
2010 48.89 174th 317 45.1%
2011 41.44 209th 320 34.7%
2012 32.54 256th 321 20.2%
2013 23.94 277th 321 13.7%
2014 39.59 212th 322 34.2%
2015 33.53 247th 322 23.3%
2016 25.20 284th 321 11.5%
2017 27.37 275th 324 15.1%
2018 37.51 234th 326 28.2%
2019 39.43 223rd 327 31.8%
2021 33.41 230th 327 29.7%
2022 33.44 245th 325 24.6%
2023 33.58 264th 326 19.0%
2024 29.91 289th 329 12.2%
See the entire list of Virginia High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Amherst County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 8.37 189th 193 2.1%
2024 31.57 154th 198 22.2%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Amherst County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 31.30 262nd 320 18.1%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Amherst County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 39.47 240th 320 25.0%
2024 29.07 283rd 322 12.1%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Amherst County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 28.11 198th 249 20.5%
2024 35.40 178th 253 29.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Amherst County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 28.18 274th 321 14.6%
2024 25.82 287th 322 10.9%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Amherst County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 34.32 185th 240 22.9%
2024 31.54 206th 249 17.3%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Amherst County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 52.61 118th 232 49.1%
2024 47.27 136th 233 41.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Amherst County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 19.52 301st 315 4.4%
2024 12.19 309th 314 1.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Virginia Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Amherst County High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Virginia Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Amherst County High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1064 1064
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 993 993
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 1317 1317
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1321 1321
1993 1053 263 4 1 5 n/a n/a 0 1326
1994 1033 277 4 0 4 n/a n/a 0 1318
1995 1092 288 3 0 4 n/a n/a 0 1387
1996 1092 288 3 0 4 n/a n/a 0 1387
1997 1069 301 5 1 10 n/a n/a 0 1386
1998 1052 315 5 6 9 n/a n/a 0 1387
1999 1060 332 3 6 13 n/a n/a 0 1414
2000 1040 379 2 6 13 n/a n/a -30 1410
2001 1029 382 4 6 10 n/a n/a 0 1431
2002 979 393 4 8 7 n/a n/a 0 1391
2003 979 393 4 8 7 n/a n/a 0 1391
2004 998 368 7 11 14 n/a n/a 0 1398
2005 1021 398 6 10 20 n/a n/a 0 1455
2006 1038 426 12 11 21 n/a n/a 0 1508
2007 1029 431 13 14 15 n/a n/a 1 1503
2008 1049 421 9 17 13 n/a n/a 2 1511
2009 1035 413 10 17 9 n/a n/a 4 1488
2010 1020 403 11 20 13 n/a n/a 5 1472
2011 1035 377 9 28 16 0 38 0 1503
2012 986 340 5 34 17 0 58 0 1440
2013 956 317 7 42 14 2 54 0 1392
2014 918 309 7 35 11 2 64 0 1346
2015 911 295 7 35 10 2 57 0 1317
2016 881 301 9 44 11 0 63 0 1309
2017 851 281 7 40 11 0 72 0 1262
2018 777 278 9 42 8 0 69 0 1183
2019 758 254 10 36 4 1 94 0 1157
2020 783 225 10 39 3 0 119 0 1179
2021 805 217 5 37 5 0 126 0 1195
2022 828 198 2 47 10 1 131 0 1217
2023 847 215 1 61 11 1 124 0 1260

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Amherst County High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 1064 66.4 16.0 n/a
1990 993 65.3 15.2 n/a
1991 1317 78.2 16.8 n/a
1992 1321 79.6 16.5 n/a
1993 1326 76.5 17.3 n/a
1994 1318 127.8 n/a 8.1
1995 1387 n/a 0.0 10.8
1996 1387 n/a 0.0 10.8
1997 1386 n/a 0.0 11.5
1998 1387 n/a 0.0 12.7
1999 1414 92.0 15.4 14.6
2000 1410 n/a 0.0 16.4
2001 1431 96.9 14.8 18.4
2002 1391 112.2 12.4 20.1
2003 1391 112.2 12.4 20.1
2004 1398 93.7 14.9 26.3
2005 1455 98.7 14.7 31.1
2006 1508 101.0 14.9 29.7
2007 1503 117.0 12.8 31
2008 1511 90.0 16.8 36.7
2009 1488 83.9 17.8 32.1
2010 1472 85.3 17.2 36.6
2011 1503 94.6 15.8 37.9
2012 1440 102.6 14.0 39.5
2013 1392 99.2 14.0 39.6
2014 1346 87.0 15.4 39.5
2015 1317 94.0 14.0 39.7
2016 1309 95.0 13.7 41.1
2017 1262 99.8 12.6 38.7
2018 1183 94.2 12.5 42.6
2019 1157 86.9 13.3 45.4
2020 1179 83.7 14.0 40.1
2021 1195 65.7 18.1 n/a
2022 1217 81.6 14.9 38.9
2023 1260 88.5 14.2 74.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Amherst County High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 1064 66.4 16.0 n/a
1990 993 65.3 15.2 n/a
1991 1317 78.2 16.8 n/a
1992 1321 79.6 16.5 n/a
1993 1326 76.5 17.3 n/a
1994 1318 127.8 n/a 8.1
1995 1387 n/a 0.0 10.8
1996 1387 n/a 0.0 10.8
1997 1386 n/a 0.0 11.5
1998 1387 n/a 0.0 12.7
1999 1414 92.0 15.4 14.6
2000 1410 n/a 0.0 16.4
2001 1431 96.9 14.8 18.4
2002 1391 112.2 12.4 20.1
2003 1391 112.2 12.4 20.1
2004 1398 93.7 14.9 26.3
2005 1455 98.7 14.7 31.1
2006 1508 101.0 14.9 29.7
2007 1503 117.0 12.8 31
2008 1511 90.0 16.8 36.7
2009 1488 83.9 17.8 32.1
2010 1472 85.3 17.2 36.6
2011 1503 94.6 15.8 37.9
2012 1440 102.6 14.0 39.5
2013 1392 99.2 14.0 39.6
2014 1346 87.0 15.4 39.5
2015 1317 94.0 14.0 39.7
2016 1309 95.0 13.7 41.1
2017 1262 99.8 12.6 38.7
2018 1183 94.2 12.5 42.6
2019 1157 86.9 13.3 45.4
2020 1179 83.7 14.0 40.1
2021 1195 65.7 18.1 n/a
2022 1217 81.6 14.9 38.9
2023 1260 88.5 14.2 74.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Amherst County High

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $130 (1.5%) $8,695 (98.5%) $8,825
2020 $140 (1.6%) $8,450 (98.4%) $8,590
2021 $317 (3.6%) $8,439 (96.4%) $8,757

Data source: Virginia Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Amherst County High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 223rd of 327 High schoolsRanks 264th of 326 High schools
 12.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Writing (Amherst County High)7973
 6%
   End of Course Writing (Amherst County Public Schools)7873
 5%
   End of Course Writing (Virginia)8174
 7%
End of Course Geometry (Amherst County High)8167
 14%
   End of Course Geometry (Amherst County Public Schools)8067
 13%
   End of Course Geometry (Virginia)8380
 3%
End of Course Algebra I (Amherst County High)8565
 20%
   End of Course Algebra I (Amherst County Public Schools)9069
 21%
   End of Course Algebra I (Virginia)8680
 6%
End of Course Algebra II (Amherst County High)9480
 14%
   End of Course Algebra II (Virginia)9186
 5%
End of Course Biology (Amherst County High)8060
 20%
   End of Course Biology (Amherst County Public Schools)8060
 20%
   End of Course Biology (Virginia)8370
 13%
End of Course Earth Science (Amherst County High)6617
 49%
   End of Course Earth Science (Amherst County Public Schools)8657
 29%
   End of Course Earth Science (Virginia)8172
 9%
End of Course English Reading (Amherst County High)8386
 3%
   End of Course English Reading (Amherst County Public Schools)8286
 4%
   End of Course English Reading (Virginia)8685
 1%
End of Course VA and US History (Amherst County High)6557
 8%
   End of Course VA and US History (Amherst County Public Schools)6357
 6%
   End of Course VA and US History (Virginia)6838
 30%
End of Course World History I (Amherst County High)7021
 49%
   End of Course World History I (Amherst County Public Schools)8047
 33%
   End of Course World History I (Virginia)8066
 14%
End of Course World History II (Amherst County High)4440
 4%
   End of Course World History II (Amherst County Public Schools)4440
 4%
   End of Course World History II (Virginia)8148
 33%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students11571260
 8.9%
African American254215
 15.4%
American Indian411
 175%
Asian101
 90%
Hispanic3661
 69.4%
Pacific Islander11
White758847
 11.7%
Two or More Races94124
 31.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients45.4%74.8%
 29.4%


Schools Near Amherst County High









Frequently Asked Questions about Amherst County High

Students at Amherst County High are 67% White, 17% African American, 10% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,260 students attended Amherst County High.

Amherst County High ranks in the bottom 12.2% of Virginia high schools.

Amherst County High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Amelon Elementary
Elementary : Amherst Elementary
Elementary : Central Elementary
Elementary : Elon Elementary
Elementary : Madison Heights Elementary
Elementary : Temperance Elementary
Middle : Amherst Middle
Middle : Monelison Middle


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Virginia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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