Bristol City 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.

Bristol, Virginia - 6 schools

An equity score of 81/100 ranks Bristol City Public Schools #2 of 131 districts in Virginia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $15,529 per pupil, Bristol City Public Schools ranks #28 of 131 Virginia districts by per-pupil spending (Virginia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,194
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$15,529
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Bristol City Public Schools operates 6 public schools serving 2,194 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Virginia. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 combined, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Bristol City.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,529 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 131 Virginia districts by per-pupil spending. See how Virginia compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 23.2% local, 49.5% state, and 27.3% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 81/100, ranked #2 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 1 of 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (5 AP courses district-wide), a 306.8:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 33.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 74.7% White, 8.0% African American, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Virginia High, enrolling 638 students (30% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Highland View Elementary, at 175 students, a 4x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Virginia High accounts for 29.1% of all Bristol City Public Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Bristol City Public Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

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

Bristol City Public Schools school enrollment varies 3.6× across entities

Bristol City Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 175 students (lowest) to 638 students (highest), a spread of 463 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

Bristol City Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 98.8% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is a supermajority of the population — well past the 75% concentration-grant threshold that unlocks extra funding on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Bristol City Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 307:1 — 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 Bristol City Public Schools is typically wider than the Bristol City Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Bristol City Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 33.0% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Where does the funding come from?

27.3%
Federal
49.5%
State
23.2%
Local

Funding Equity

81
Equity Score
2 / 131
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 6 schools in Bristol City Public Schools.

White 74.7%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
African American 8.0%
Asian 0.8%
Multiracial 10.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
5 AP courses total
306.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
33.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Bristol City Public Schools

School Enrollment
Virginia High
638
Virginia Middle
452
Joseph Van Pelt Elementary
417
Stonewall Jackson Elementary
254
Washington-Lee Elementary
224
Highland View Elementary
175

How Bristol City Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Virginia districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
King William County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Poquoson City Public Schools Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Greensville County Public Schools Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Appomattox County Public Schools Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Buckingham County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Bristol City 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.

Fairfax County Public Schools
179,858 students · 223 schools · $17,977/pupil
Compare vs Bristol City Public Schools →
Loudoun County Public Schools
81,678 students · 99 schools · $18,953/pupil
Compare vs Bristol City Public Schools →

Compare Bristol City 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 Bristol City Public Schools?

Bristol City Public Schools has 6 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 4 combined. Total enrollment is 2,194 students.

How much does Bristol City Public Schools spend per student?

Bristol City Public Schools spends $15,529 per student. The district has an equity score of 81/100, ranking #2 in Virginia.

What is the demographic composition of Bristol City Public Schools?

Bristol City Public Schools students are 74.7% White, 8.0% African American, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Bristol City Public Schools?

Bristol City Public Schools has an equity score of 81/100, ranking #2 out of 131 districts in Virginia.