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Roanoke, Virginia - 24 schools
An equity score of 70/100 ranks Roanoke City Public Schools #23 of 131 districts in Virginia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $15,299 per pupil, Roanoke City Public Schools ranks #32 of 131 Virginia districts by per-pupil spending (Virginia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
13,597
Total Enrollment
24
Schools
$15,299
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Roanoke City Public Schools operates 24 public schools serving 13,597 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Virginia. The school portfolio breaks down into 16 combined, 5 middle, 2 high, 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 Roanoke City.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,299 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 34.8% local, 43.6% state, and 21.7% 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 #23 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 2 of 24 schools offering Advanced Placement (32 AP courses district-wide), a 306.6:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 21.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 35.8% African American, 32.3% White, 21.0% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Monterey Elementary, with a diversity index of 72.4/100.
Its largest campus is Patrick Henry High, enrolling 2,030 students (15% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Virginia Heights Elementary, at 245 students, a 8x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Roanoke City Public Schools school enrollment varies 8.3× across entities
Roanoke City Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 245 students (lowest) to 2,030 students (highest), a spread of 1,785 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Roanoke City Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 98.0% 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.
Roanoke 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 Roanoke City Public Schools is typically wider than the Roanoke City Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Roanoke City Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 21.1% — 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 Roanoke City Public Schools is typically wider than the Roanoke City Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
How many schools are in Roanoke City Public Schools?
Roanoke City Public Schools has 24 schools, including 2 high, 5 middle, 16 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 13,597 students.
How much does Roanoke City Public Schools spend per student?
Roanoke City Public Schools spends $15,299 per student. The district has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #23 in Virginia.
What is the demographic composition of Roanoke City Public Schools?
Roanoke City Public Schools students are 35.8% African American, 32.3% White, 21.0% Hispanic or Latino, 3.0% Asian, averaged across 24 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Roanoke City Public Schools?
Roanoke City Public Schools has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #23 out of 131 districts in Virginia.