Harrisonburg 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.

Harrisonburg, Virginia - 9 schools

An equity score of 58/100 ranks Harrisonburg City Public Schools #45 of 131 districts in Virginia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,710 per pupil, Harrisonburg City Public Schools ranks #47 of 131 Virginia districts by per-pupil spending (Virginia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

6,682
Total Enrollment
9
Schools
$14,710
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Harrisonburg City Public Schools operates 9 public schools serving 6,682 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Virginia. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 combined, 2 middle, 1 high, 1 elementary schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly 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 Harrisonburg City.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,710 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 66.5% local, 25.9% state, and 7.6% 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 58/100, ranked #45 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 9 schools offering Advanced Placement (35 AP courses district-wide), a 248.4:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 29.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 54.3% Hispanic or Latino, 28.4% White, 10.2% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Bluestone Elementary, with a diversity index of 65.7/100.

Its largest campus is Harrisonburg High, enrolling 998 students (18% of the district's total enrollment).

Harrisonburg City Public Schools school enrollment varies 2.1× across entities

Harrisonburg City Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 468 students (lowest) to 998 students (highest), a spread of 530 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

Harrisonburg City Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 78.6% 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). Areas above 75% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants 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

Harrisonburg City Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 248:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

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

Harrisonburg City Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 29.2% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Harrisonburg City Public Schools is typically wider than the Harrisonburg City Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

7.6%
Federal
25.9%
State
66.5%
Local

Funding Equity

58
Equity Score
45 / 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 9 schools in Harrisonburg City Public Schools.

White 28.4%
Hispanic or Latino 54.3%
African American 10.2%
Asian 2.3%
Multiracial 4.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 60.4/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Bluestone Elementary 65.7
  2. 2 Stone Spring Elementary 65.1
  3. 3 Keister Elementary 62.4
  4. 4 Thomas Harrison Middle 61.7
  5. 5 Harrisonburg High 61.1

Programs & Resources

1 / 9
Schools with AP
35 AP courses total
248.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
29.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Harrisonburg City Public Schools

School Enrollment
Harrisonburg High
998
Thomas Harrison Middle
771
Skyline Middle
738
Bluestone Elementary
566
Waterman Elementary
557
Stone Spring Elementary
554
Smithland Elementary
514
Keister Elementary
475
Spotswood Elementary
468

How Harrisonburg City Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Virginia districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Washington County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Henry County Public Schools Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Franklin County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Prince George County Public Schools Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Manassas City Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Harrisonburg 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.

Compare Harrisonburg 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 Harrisonburg City Public Schools?

Harrisonburg City Public Schools has 9 schools, including 1 high, 2 middle, 1 elementary, 5 combined. Total enrollment is 6,682 students.

How much does Harrisonburg City Public Schools spend per student?

Harrisonburg City Public Schools spends $14,710 per student. The district has an equity score of 58/100, ranking #45 in Virginia.

What is the demographic composition of Harrisonburg City Public Schools?

Harrisonburg City Public Schools students are 54.3% Hispanic or Latino, 28.4% White, 10.2% African American, 2.3% Asian, averaged across 9 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Harrisonburg City Public Schools?

Harrisonburg City Public Schools has an equity score of 58/100, ranking #45 out of 131 districts in Virginia.