Richmond 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.

Richmond, Virginia - 47 schools

An equity score of 70/100 ranks Richmond City Public Schools #22 of 131 districts in Virginia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $21,583 per pupil, Richmond City Public Schools ranks #6 of 131 Virginia districts by per-pupil spending (Virginia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

21,130
Total Enrollment
47
Schools
$21,583
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Richmond City Public Schools operates 47 public schools serving 21,130 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Virginia. The school portfolio breaks down into 31 combined, 8 high, 7 middle, 1 elementary 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 Richmond City.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $21,583 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 40.0% local, 34.3% state, and 25.7% 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 70/100, ranked #22 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 7 of 47 schools offering Advanced Placement (93 AP courses district-wide), a 289.6:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 27.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 60.5% African American, 21.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Open High, with a diversity index of 67.1/100.

Its largest campus is Huguenot High, enrolling 1,469 students (7% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Amelia Street Special Education, at 24 students, a 61x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Richmond City Public Schools school enrollment varies 61× across entities

Richmond City Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 24 students (lowest) to 1,469 students (highest), a spread of 1,445 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

Richmond City Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 97.0% 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

Richmond City Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 290:1 — 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 Richmond City Public Schools is typically wider than the Richmond City Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Richmond City Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 27.2% — 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 Richmond City Public Schools is typically wider than the Richmond 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?

25.7%
Federal
34.3%
State
40.0%
Local

Funding Equity

70
Equity Score
22 / 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 47 schools in Richmond City Public Schools.

White 13.4%
Hispanic or Latino 21.1%
African American 60.5%
Asian 1.0%
Multiracial 3.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 44.9/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Open High 67.1
  2. 2 William Fox Elementary 65.8
  3. 3 Franklin Military Academy 65.0
  4. 4 John B. Cary Elementary 64.9
  5. 5 Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts 63.8

Programs & Resources

7 / 47
Schools with AP
93 AP courses total
289.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
27.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Richmond City Public Schools

School Enrollment
Huguenot High
1,469
River City Middle
1,150
George Wythe High
1,116
Cardinal Elementary
821
Thomas Jefferson High
749
Armstrong High
709
G.H. Reid Elementary
671
John Marshall High
645
Thomas C. Boushall Middle
621
Broad Rock Elementary
612
Lucille M. Brown Middle
605
Oak Grove/Bellemeade Elementary
551
J.L. Francis Elementary
526
Henry Marsh Iii Elementary
512
Albert Hill Middle
505
Miles Jones Elementary
505
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle
500
Mary Munford Elementary
476
Southampton Elementary
473
Linwood Holton Elementary
433
Henderson Middle
430
Blackwell Elementary
420
George W. Carver Elementary
404
Chimborazo Elementary
403
Westover Hills Elementary
375
Binford Middle
371
William Fox Elementary
367
Elizabeth D. Redd Elementary
355
Franklin Military Academy
335
Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts
Charter
310
Ginter Park Elementary
302
J.B. Fisher Elementary
285
Richmond Alternative
277
Barack Obama Elementary
274
John B. Cary Elementary
262
Overby-Sheppard Elementary
256
Fairfield Court Elementary
222
Woodville Elementary
217
Richmond Community High
211
Bellevue Elementary
206
Summer Hill Preschool Center
192
Martin Luther King Jr. Early Learning Center
185
Swansboro Elementary
172
Open High
171
Maymont Pre-K Center
143
Richmond Career Education and Employment Charter School
Charter
32
Amelia Street Special Education
24

How Richmond City Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Virginia districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Hampton City Public Schools Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Spotsylvania County Public Schools Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Hanover County Public Schools Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Alexandria City Public Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Newport News City Public Schools Larger Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Richmond 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 Richmond 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 Richmond City Public Schools?

Richmond City Public Schools has 47 schools, including 8 high, 7 middle, 31 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 21,130 students.

How much does Richmond City Public Schools spend per student?

Richmond City Public Schools spends $21,583 per student. The district has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #22 in Virginia.

What is the demographic composition of Richmond City Public Schools?

Richmond City Public Schools students are 60.5% African American, 21.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% White, 1.0% Asian, averaged across 47 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Richmond City Public Schools?

Richmond City Public Schools has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #22 out of 131 districts in Virginia.