Arlington County Public Schools

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Arlington, Virginia - 36 schools

An equity score of 62/100 ranks Arlington County Public Schools #39 of 131 districts in Virginia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $21,782 per pupil, Arlington County Public Schools ranks #5 of 131 Virginia districts by per-pupil spending (Virginia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

27,562
Total Enrollment
36
Schools
$21,782
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Arlington County Public Schools operates 36 public schools serving 27,562 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Virginia. The school portfolio breaks down into 26 combined, 6 middle, 4 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Arlington County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $21,782 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 14 of 131 Virginia districts by per-pupil spending. See how Virginia compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 79.4% local, 12.4% state, and 8.2% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 62/100, ranked #39 of 131 in Virginia against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 36 schools offering Advanced Placement (86 AP courses district-wide), a 294.8:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 8.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 40.5% White, 31.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Innovation Elementary, with a diversity index of 77.7/100.

Its largest campus is Washington-Liberty High, enrolling 3,044 students (11% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Integration Station, at 34 students, a 90x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Arlington County Public Schools school enrollment varies 90× across entities

Arlington County Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 34 students (lowest) to 3,044 students (highest), a spread of 3,010 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Arlington County Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 295:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Arlington County Public Schools is typically wider than the Arlington County Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Arlington County Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 8.8% — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

8.2%
Federal
12.4%
State
79.4%
Local

Funding Equity

62
Equity Score
39 / 131
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 36 schools in Arlington County Public Schools.

White 40.5%
Hispanic or Latino 31.3%
African American 10.9%
Asian 8.9%
Multiracial 8.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 62.4/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Arlington County Public Schools's schools, above the Virginia average of 53.7.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Innovation Elementary 77.7
  2. 2 Hoffman-Boston Elementary 77.4
  3. 3 Arlington Traditional 76.0
  4. 4 Montessori Public School of Arlington 75.6
  5. 5 Alice West Fleet Elementary 74.6

Programs & Resources

3 / 36
Schools with AP
86 AP courses total
294.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
8.8%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Arlington County Public Schools

School Enrollment
Washington-Liberty High
3,044
Wakefield High
2,646
Yorktown High
2,593
Jefferson Middle
1,120
Gunston Middle
1,072
Kenmore Middle
1,053
Swanson Middle
993
Dorothy Hamm Middle
989
Williamsburg Middle
856
Abingdon Elementary
768
Cardinal Elementary
682
Oakridge Elementary
636
Arlington Science Focus School
632
Alice West Fleet Elementary
629
Arlington Traditional
624
Claremont Immersion
595
Hoffman-Boston Elementary
592
Glebe Elementary
574
Escuela Key Elementary
572
Ashlawn Elementary
553
Carlin Springs Elementary
534
Taylor Elementary
530
Montessori Public School of Arlington
528
Barrett Elementary
500
Barcroft Elementary
495
Discovery Elementary
489
Innovation Elementary
483
Jamestown Elementary
456
Tuckahoe Elementary
448
Long Branch Elementary
442
Randolph Elementary
430
Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary
417
Campbell Elementary
403
Nottingham Elementary
382
Arlington Community High
156
Integration Station
34

How Arlington County Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Virginia districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Norfolk City Public Schools Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Newport News City Public Schools Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Spotsylvania County Public Schools Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Stafford County Public Schools Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Richmond City Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Arlington County Public Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Virginia

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare Arlington County Public Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Fairfax County Public Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Arlington County Public Schools?

Arlington County Public Schools has 36 schools, including 4 high, 6 middle, 26 combined. Total enrollment is 27,562 students.

How much does Arlington County Public Schools spend per student?

Arlington County Public Schools spends $21,782 per student. The district has an equity score of 62/100, ranking #39 in Virginia.

What is the demographic composition of Arlington County Public Schools?

Arlington County Public Schools students are 40.5% White, 31.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% African American, 8.9% Asian, averaged across 36 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Arlington County Public Schools?

Arlington County Public Schools has an equity score of 62/100, ranking #39 out of 131 districts in Virginia.