Is Fort Chiswell High a good school?

Yes! Fort Chiswell High is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 11 th of 329 Virginia high schools.

How many students attend Fort Chiswell High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 430 students attended Fort Chiswell High.

What is the racial makeup of Fort Chiswell High?

Students at Fort Chiswell High are 97% White, 1% Hispanic.

What schools feed into Fort Chiswell High?

Fort Chiswell High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Jackson Memorial Elementary Elementary : Max Meadows Elementary Elementary : Sheffey Elementary Middle : Fort Chiswell Middle

Fort Chiswell High

Summary:

Fort Chiswell High is a public high school located in Max Meadows, Virginia, serving 435 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Wythe County Public Schools district, which is ranked 13th out of 130 districts in Virginia and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Fort Chiswell High has consistently performed well on state assessments, with several subject areas exceeding the state and district averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school had 100% proficiency in Geometry and 92.22% proficiency in English Reading for 11th grade, compared to the state averages of 85.92% and 86.45%, respectively. The school has also shown exceptional performance among specific student subgroups, ranking 11th out of 322 Virginia high schools for female students and 6th out of 253 for students with disabilities, both with 5-star ratings.

Despite having a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 72.64% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year, Fort Chiswell High has maintained strong academic performance, ranking 13th out of 320 Virginia high schools for this subgroup in 2023-2024. This is in contrast to nearby schools like George Wythe High, which has a more diverse student body, and Galax High, which spends more per student but has not achieved the same level of academic success as Fort Chiswell High.

Detail:

Public 9-12

#1 Pioneer Trail
Max Meadows, VA 24360

(276) 637-3437

District: Wythe County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
11^th of 329 Virginia High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,899

Feeder schools for Fort Chiswell High:

Elementary:	Jackson Memorial Elementary
	Max Meadows Elementary
	Sheffey Elementary
Middle:	Fort Chiswell Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 10.3

Number of students: 430

Racial breakdown:

White:

96.7%

Hispanic:

1.4%

African American:

0.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 77%

See top rated Virginia high schools

Compare Fort Chiswell High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Fort Chiswell High ranks better than 96.7% of high schools in Virginia. It also ranks 2^nd among 3 ranked high schools in the Wythe County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 82.87. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Fort Chiswell High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (96.7%), Hispanic (1.4%), African American (0.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 77% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Wythe County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Fort Chiswell High is 10.3, which is the lowest among 3 high schools in the Wythe County Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Fort Chiswell High employs 41.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Fort Chiswell High is $7,899. 1 high schools in the Wythe County Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Fort Chiswell High:

SchoolDigger ranks Fort Chiswell High 11^th of 329 Virginia public high schools. (See Fort Chiswell High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

White students:

Wythe County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Wythe County Public Schools 13^th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Fort Chiswell High.

What do you think?

Your rating for Fort Chiswell High?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Fort Chiswell High

Compare

Rank History for all students at Fort Chiswell High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	VA State Percentile
2005	16.70	301^st	308	2.3%
2006	24.10	287^th	314	8.6%
2007	39.97	217^th	313	30.7%
2008	46.92	169^th	316	46.5%
2009	47.91	164^th	313	47.6%
2010	36.85	238^th	317	24.9%
2011	31.88	255^th	320	20.3%
2012	26.93	275^th	321	14.3%
2013	26.87	269^th	321	16.2%
2014	37.03	228^th	322	29.2%
2015	33.33	248^th	322	23.0%
2016	60.51	87^th	321	72.9%
2017	63.19	74^th	324	77.2%
2018	65.53	62^nd	326	81.0%
2019	75.88	17^th	327	94.8%
2021	38.66	205^th	327	37.3%
2022	74.49	24^th	325	92.6%
2023	70.26	82^nd	326	74.8%
2024	82.87	11^th	329	96.7%

See the entire list of Virginia High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Fort Chiswell High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	87.26	13^th	320	95.9%

See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Fort Chiswell High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	65.17	108^th	320	66.3%
2024	82.95	11^th	322	96.6%

See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Fort Chiswell High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	92.50	6^th	253	97.6%

See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Fort Chiswell High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	74.98	57^th	321	82.2%
2024	79.17	40^th	322	87.6%

See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Fort Chiswell High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	54.01	167^th	315	47.0%
2024	73.74	35^th	314	88.9%

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.

Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Thursday, April 24, 2014

I give Fort Chiswell High School a very low rating. We moved here from Florida and are shocked at the lack of importance the educational system seems to hold. The math department is absolutely horrible. My children were homeschooled prior to our moving to the area and have learned almost nothing new since attending Fort Chiswell. Many of the students disrupt class, which prevents the other students from learning, and nothing is done to stop it. If you are looking for your child to gain a good education, I would pass on this school. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Fort Chiswell High

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	738	738
1990	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	708	708
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	688	688
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	694	694
1993	644	4	3	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	653
1994	641	2	4	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	648
1995	600	10	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	612
1996	600	10	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	612
1997	591	11	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	604
1998	616	10	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	628
1999	636	12	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	650
2000	633	13	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	-5	642
2001	617	8	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	626
2002	472	10	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	483
2003	472	10	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	483
2004	486	8	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	1	499
2005	446	10	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	460
2006	481	12	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	495
2007	497	14	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	1	515
2008	509	13	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	1	527
2009	519	12	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	534
2010	488	11	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	501
2011	490	13	0	4	0	0	0	0	507
2012	451	14	0	2	0	0	0	0	467
2013	443	14	0	1	0	0	0	0	458
2014	460	12	1	3	0	0	5	0	481
2015	465	10	1	4	0	0	7	0	487
2016	485	9	1	5	0	0	9	0	509
2017	483	8	1	7	1	0	9	0	509
2018	473	10	1	4	1	0	9	0	498
2019	464	11	1	3	1	0	11	0	491
2020	464	8	1	5	0	0	5	0	483
2021	454	4	1	6	0	0	5	0	470
2022	441	3	1	7	0	0	6	0	458
2023	419	2	0	9	0	1	4	0	435
2024	416	3	1	6	0	1	3	0	430

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 Fort Chiswell High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	738	43.1	17.1	n/a
1990	708	43.0	16.4	n/a
1991	688	41.7	16.4	n/a
1992	694	42.5	16.3	n/a
1993	653	43.3	15.1	n/a
1994	648	60.0	n/a	15.9
1995	612	n/a	0.0	13.9
1996	612	n/a	0.0	13.9
1997	604	n/a	0.0	14.6
1998	628	n/a	0.0	11.5
1999	650	41.0	15.9	18
2000	642	n/a	0.0	19.8
2001	626	32.5	19.3	21.2
2002	483	41.0	11.8	25.1
2003	483	41.0	11.8	25.1
2004	499	37.0	13.5	29.1
2005	460	36.0	12.8	32
2006	495	41.0	12.1	34.3
2007	515	29.8	17.3	33.5
2008	527	20.6	25.6	35.4
2009	534	21.8	24.5	34.8
2010	501	19.3	25.8	41.7
2011	507	19.2	26.4	44.4
2012	467	30.3	15.3	49.5
2013	458	28.1	16.2	46.9
2014	481	27.0	17.8	40.1
2015	487	31.0	15.7	43.3
2016	509	33.0	15.4	41.1
2017	509	34.1	14.9	40.7
2018	498	32.9	15.1	42.4
2019	491	33.7	14.5	43.6
2020	483	34.0	14.1	40.2
2021	470	32.4	14.4	n/a
2022	458	33.3	13.7	42.4
2023	435	31.7	13.7	72.6
2024	430	41.4	10.3	77

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 Fort Chiswell High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	738	43.1	17.1	n/a
1990	708	43.0	16.4	n/a
1991	688	41.7	16.4	n/a
1992	694	42.5	16.3	n/a
1993	653	43.3	15.1	n/a
1994	648	60.0	n/a	15.9
1995	612	n/a	0.0	13.9
1996	612	n/a	0.0	13.9
1997	604	n/a	0.0	14.6
1998	628	n/a	0.0	11.5
1999	650	41.0	15.9	18
2000	642	n/a	0.0	19.8
2001	626	32.5	19.3	21.2
2002	483	41.0	11.8	25.1
2003	483	41.0	11.8	25.1
2004	499	37.0	13.5	29.1
2005	460	36.0	12.8	32
2006	495	41.0	12.1	34.3
2007	515	29.8	17.3	33.5
2008	527	20.6	25.6	35.4
2009	534	21.8	24.5	34.8
2010	501	19.3	25.8	41.7
2011	507	19.2	26.4	44.4
2012	467	30.3	15.3	49.5
2013	458	28.1	16.2	46.9
2014	481	27.0	17.8	40.1
2015	487	31.0	15.7	43.3
2016	509	33.0	15.4	41.1
2017	509	34.1	14.9	40.7
2018	498	32.9	15.1	42.4
2019	491	33.7	14.5	43.6
2020	483	34.0	14.1	40.2
2021	470	32.4	14.4	n/a
2022	458	33.3	13.7	42.4
2023	435	31.7	13.7	72.6
2024	430	41.4	10.3	77

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 Fort Chiswell High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$178 (2.3%)	$7,556 (97.7%)	$7,735
2020	$75 (1.0%)	$7,775 (99.0%)	$7,850
2021	$02 (0.0%)	$7,897 (100.0%)	$7,899

Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Fort Chiswell 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 17^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 82^nd of 326 High schools	20%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Geometry (Fort Chiswell High)	95	92	3%
End of Course Geometry (Wythe County Public Schools)	95	96	1%
End of Course Geometry (Virginia)	83	80	3%
End of Course Algebra I (Fort Chiswell High)	96	96
End of Course Algebra I (Wythe County Public Schools)	96	92	4%
End of Course Algebra I (Virginia)	86	80	6%
End of Course Biology (Fort Chiswell High)	86	78	8%
End of Course Biology (Wythe County Public Schools)	89	83	6%
End of Course Biology (Virginia)	83	70	13%
End of Course English Reading (Fort Chiswell High)	91	98	7%
End of Course English Reading (Wythe County Public Schools)	90	92	2%
End of Course English Reading (Virginia)	86	85	1%
End of Course World History I (Fort Chiswell High)	90	71	19%
End of Course World History I (Wythe County Public Schools)	86	78	8%
End of Course World History I (Virginia)	80	66	14%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	491	435	11.4%
African American	11	2	81.8%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	3	9	200%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	464	419	9.7%
Two or More Races	11	4	63.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	43.6%	72.6%	29.1%

Schools Near Fort Chiswell High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SOL Writing (2024)		SOL Geometry (2024)	SOL Algebra I (2024)			SOL Algebra II (2024)	SOL Biology (2024)			SOL Earth Science (2024)		SOL English Reading (2024)		SOL VA and US History (2024)	SOL World History I (2024)		SOL World History II (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SOL Writing 10th Grade	SOL Writing 11th Grade	SOL Geometry 9th Grade	SOL Algebra I 9th Grade	SOL Algebra I 10th Grade	SOL Algebra I 11th Grade	SOL Algebra II 9th Grade	SOL Biology 9th Grade	SOL Biology 10th Grade	SOL Biology 11th Grade	SOL Earth Science 9th Grade	SOL Earth Science 11th Grade	SOL English Reading 11th Grade	SOL English Reading 12th Grade	SOL VA and US History 11th Grade	SOL World History I 9th Grade	SOL World History I 10th Grade	SOL World History II 9th Grade	SOL World History II 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Fort Chiswell High	Public	9-12	#1 Pioneer Trail	Max Meadows	24360	Wythe County	Wythe County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 637-3437	430	41	10.3	77.0%	416 (96.7%)	3 (0.7%)	6 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	82.9	11^th of 329 public high schools	96.7%		70.3	82^nd of 326 public high schools	74.8%	71			100.0	98.5	85.0				90.6				92.2			79.1	63.6		72.7	$7,899	$02	$7,897
George Wythe High	Public	9-12	1 Maroon Way	Wytheville	24382	Wythe County	Wythe County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 228-3157	449	34	13.4	76.6%	374 (83.3%)	38 (8.5%)	16 (3.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.2%)	65.7	111^th of 329 public high schools	66.3%		75.2	49^th of 326 public high schools	85.0%	62			100.0	82.3	75.0				92.9				88.8			62.8				$7,844	$126	$7,718
Carroll County High	Public	9-12	100 Cavs Lane	Hillsville	24343	Carroll County	Carroll County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 728-2125	1,057	88	12.0	86.8%	957 (90.5%)	7 (0.7%)	68 (6.4%)	6 (0.6%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (1.6%)	70.6	84^th of 329 public high schools	74.5%		56.4	162^nd of 326 public high schools	50.3%	78		96.9	92.1	94.3	96.8	90.0			81.9	60.0	79.7		85.3	76.5	13.0					$7,450	$221	$7,229
Pulaski County Senior High	Public	9-12	5414 Cougar Trail Rd	Dublin	24084	Pulaski County	Pulaski County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(540) 643-0747	1,191	93	12.8	91.1%	977 (82.0%)	53 (4.5%)	65 (5.5%)	6 (0.5%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	88 (7.4%)	45.1	227^th of 329 public high schools	31.0%		40.9	238^th of 326 public high schools	27.0%	11		97.4	89.1	75.9	70.4		100.0		68.5	60.0		42.4	83.0			25.0				$8,184	$79	$8,105
Rural Retreat High	Public	9-12	321 E Buck St	Rural Retreat	24368	Wythe County	Wythe County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 686-4143	310	23	13.3	76.1%	294 (94.8%)	5 (1.6%)	6 (1.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	92.4	1^st of 329 public high schools	99.7%		91.1	1^st of 326 public high schools	99.7%				100.0	100.0					98.6				97.1			96.3				$8,228	$98	$8,129
Galax High	Public	9-12	200 Maroon Tide Dr	Galax	24333	Galax city	Galax City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 236-2991	403	28	14.1	95.8%	227 (56.3%)	30 (7.4%)	133 (33.0%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.2%)	55	175^th of 329 public high schools	46.8%		68.9	94^th of 326 public high schools	71.2%	81	73.7		100.0	97.9				77.1	59.3			66.7	82.0					40.0		$12,284	$576	$11,708

Fort Chiswell High

Fort Chiswell High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Wythe County Public Schools:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Fort Chiswell High

Rank History for all students at Fort Chiswell High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Fort Chiswell High

Rank History for Female students at Fort Chiswell High

Rank History for Disabled students at Fort Chiswell High

Rank History for Male students at Fort Chiswell High

Rank History for White students at Fort Chiswell High

Review counts

Enrollment information for Fort Chiswell High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Fort Chiswell High

Student/Teacher Ratio Fort Chiswell High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Fort Chiswell High

Impact of COVID-19 on Fort Chiswell High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Fort Chiswell High