Orange 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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Orange, Virginia - 9 schools

An equity score of 25/100 ranks Orange County Public Schools #117 of 131 districts in Virginia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,297 per pupil, Orange County Public Schools ranks #118 of 131 Virginia districts by per-pupil spending (Virginia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

5,035
Total Enrollment
9
Schools
$13,297
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Orange County Public Schools operates 9 public schools serving 5,035 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Virginia. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 combined, 2 middle, 2 elementary, 1 high 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 Orange County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,297 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 14 of 131 Virginia districts by per-pupil spending. See how Virginia compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 36.0% local, 48.4% state, and 15.6% 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 25/100, ranked #117 of 131 in Virginia against a state average of 50, notably less 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 (25 AP courses district-wide), a 296.3:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 32.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 59.0% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Orange Elementary, with a diversity index of 69.3/100.

Its largest campus is Orange County High, enrolling 1,477 students (29% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Lightfoot Elementary, at 224 students, a 7x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Orange County High accounts for 29.1% of all Orange County Public Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Orange County Public Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Orange County Public Schools school enrollment varies 6.6× across entities

Orange County Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 224 students (lowest) to 1,477 students (highest), a spread of 1,253 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

Orange County Public Schools reports 59.4% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share clears the 50% majority mark. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Orange County Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 296:1 — 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 Orange County Public Schools is typically wider than the Orange County Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Orange County Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 32.4% — 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

Where does the funding come from?

15.6%
Federal
48.4%
State
36.0%
Local

Funding Equity

25
Equity Score
117 / 131
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 9 schools in Orange County Public Schools.

White 59.0%
Hispanic or Latino 15.9%
African American 12.4%
Asian 0.6%
Multiracial 11.4%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 59.0/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Orange Elementary 69.3
  2. 2 Locust Grove Elementary 63.4
  3. 3 Locust Grove Primary 62.3
  4. 4 Prospect Heights Middle 59.6
  5. 5 Orange County High 59.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 9
Schools with AP
25 AP courses total
296.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
32.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Orange County Public Schools

School Enrollment
Orange County High
1,477
Locust Grove Middle
685
Orange Elementary
621
Locust Grove Elementary
519
Locust Grove Primary
500
Prospect Heights Middle
466
Gordon-Barbour Elementary
326
Unionville Elementary
256
Lightfoot Elementary
224

How Orange County Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Virginia districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Gloucester County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Warren County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Louisa County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Accomack County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Tazewell County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Orange 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.

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Orange 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 Orange County Public Schools?

Orange County Public Schools has 9 schools, including 1 high, 2 middle, 4 combined, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 5,035 students.

How much does Orange County Public Schools spend per student?

Orange County Public Schools spends $13,297 per student. The district has an equity score of 25/100, ranking #117 in Virginia.

What is the demographic composition of Orange County Public Schools?

Orange County Public Schools students are 59.0% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% African American, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 9 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Orange County Public Schools?

Orange County Public Schools has an equity score of 25/100, ranking #117 out of 131 districts in Virginia.