Communities - Education

A well-educated workforce is one of the primary reasons for you business to choose to locate in Dickenson County. The school system is the product of Virginia’s excellent system of primary, secondary and higher education.

The Dickenson County School System provides quality education for grades K-12. Programs for the gifted and talented are available for all ages, interests and ability levels. Special education programs are also provided. The school system operates three high schools, five elementary schools, and a vocational school. Dickenson County Career Center is centrally located at Clinchco and offers more than a dozen training specialties. Each high school has its own vocational curriculum as well.

Elementary Schools available are: Clintwood Elementary School, Longs Fork Elementary, Ervinton Elementary, Clinchco Elementary, and Sandlick Elementary School. Sandlick Elementary has the largest enrollment of students of the five schools.

The three high schools serving the county are: Haysi High School, Ervinton High School and Clintwood High School.

Both primary and secondary schools offer opportunities for sports and other outside activities for their students. The schools are involved in the Upward Bound Program through our two community colleges and the Governor’s School through University of Virginia's College at Wise.

Two community colleges serve Dickenson County: Southwest Virginia Community College in Richlands and Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap. Both colleges offer two-year programs in technical/occupational fields as well as transfer programs.

The Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in nearby Abingdon offers special academic programs in education, engineering, business, and other fields.

Four-year colleges and universities in the region include: The University of Virginia's College at Wise; Emory & Henry College in Emory; East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee; Radford University in Radford; Virginia Tech in Blacksburg; and Pikeville College in Pikeville, Kentucky.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership offers new and expanding industries in Dickenson County assistance in obtaining skilled employees through special customized training programs. Classroom and hands-on training is provided to qualified industries free of charge. These classes can be provided on-site or at nearby schools or community colleges. The program design and curriculum are flexible and tailored to meet the needs of the company.

With the assistance of the Virginia Employment Commission, recruiting and skill/attitude testing services are also provided. Dickenson County participates in the Virginia Department of Labor's Apprenticeship Program in which apprentices' wages are paid during on-the-job training.