Martinsville-Henry County is home to four colleges and a pair of public school districts. Here is a sampling of its excellent schools:

Patrick Henry Community College

Patrick Henry Community College is a two-year college founded in 1962 as a branch of the University of Virginia’s School of General Studies. It became an independent two-year college in 1964. The college moved to its present 137-acre location 3 miles north of Martinsville in 1969, and in 1971 became part of the Virginia Community College System. 

The college offers associate degree programs, certificate programs and career studies certificate programs. It also provides customized workforce development training. In 2007, the Center for Digital Education and the American Association for Community Colleges ranked PHCC No. 1 nationally in technology among small, rural community colleges.

Enrollment at PHCC is approximately 2,400 students; nearly 65 percent of full-time faculty members possess a master’s degree or higher. 

Old Dominion University

Students may pursue one of Old Dominion University's 31 bachelor's degrees, 28 Master's or five Ph.D. programs, as well as several certificate and licensure programs, through the university's TELETECHNET distance learning network, which has a site on the campus of Patrick Henry Community College.

New College Institute

Located in Uptown Martinsville, New College Institute gives local residents a convenient opportunity to complete their bachelor’s and master’s degree. NCI partners with colleges and universities throughout Virginia to offer the second two years of degree programs.

NCI began with a 100-student pilot program in 2006 and then expanded in 2007 to 250 students and 11 degree programs. By the 201-2011 academic year it had grown to more than 400 students and 15 degree and eight certificate programs.

NCI partners with eight four-year learning institutions to offer the programs in Martinsville.

National College

Founded in 1886 in Roanoke, Va., as National Business College, National College now operates 24 campus locations in Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, and Indiana.

The first Southside Virginia campus began serving Patrick and Henry Counties in 1978, and quickly built a reputation among students seeking new careers in the fields of management, computers, accounting, and health care.

In 2008, the campus began holding classes in a new campus facility at 905 North Memorial Boulevard in Martinsville. The $2.3 million renovation of this new facility has provided additional classroom space, new programs, and greater convenience to students.

Martinsville City Public Schools

Martinsville City Public Schools include Albert Harris Elementary, Patrick Henry Elementary, Martinsville Middle School and Martinsville High School, as well as the Clearview Early Childhood Center for children ages 2 through 5.

In addition, the system sends students to the Piedmont Governor’s School on the Patrick Henry Community College campus. The school offers a research-based curriculum to high-achieving 11th- and 12th- graders, allowing them to earn dual credit at the college. The school district has 2,400 students in grades pre-K through 12, and its mission is to provide a rigorous academic curriculum along with comprehensive arts, music and sports programs.

The system received high praise in 2009 from Gov. Tim Kaine. In a speech to school officials he called Martinsville the “poster system for excellence” in terms of helping students progress in their learning. Kaine added, “I do not believe there is another system in this commonwealth that has done as much as you have.”

Henry County Schools

The Henry County Public School System comprises 11 elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools – Bassett High, with 1,200 students, and Magna Vista High, with 1,000.

The system also takes part in the Piedmont Governor’s School and offers both community-learning programs and adult-education classes.

Henry County Schools’ student-to-computer ratio throughout the district is 2:1, compared to a 5:1 ratio throughout the rest of Virginia.

Carlisle School

Carlisle School provides instruction for pre-K through grade 12 levels. The private school was founded in 1968 and is known for strong academics and high personal standards. Today, Carlisle provides a first-class education to more than 400 students. Its high school is an International Baccalaureate World School, and recently ranked in the 97th percentile in average student scores on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills standardized testing program. Carlisle High is also recognized for achievements in performing arts and on the athletic fields.