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Salem, Virginia - 6 schools
An equity score of 41/100 ranks Salem City Public Schools #86 of 131 districts in Virginia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $13,711 per pupil, Salem City Public Schools ranks #72 of 131 Virginia districts by per-pupil spending (Virginia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
3,750
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$13,711
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Salem City Public Schools operates 6 public schools serving 3,750 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Virginia. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 combined, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 elementary 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 Salem City.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,711 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 131 Virginia districts by per-pupil spending. See how Virginia compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 44.9% local, 41.4% state, and 13.7% 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 41/100, ranked #86 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 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (7 AP courses district-wide), a 300.4:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 18.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 64.3% White, 15.2% African American, 12.4% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is East Salem Elementary, with a diversity index of 70.3/100.
Its largest campus is Salem High, enrolling 1,202 students (34% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is South Salem Elementary, at 371 students, a 3x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Salem High accounts for 32.1% of all Salem City Public Schools student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Salem 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.
Salem City Public Schools school enrollment varies 3.2× across entities
Salem City Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 371 students (lowest) to 1,202 students (highest), a spread of 831 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.
Salem City Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 300:1 — 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 Salem City Public Schools is typically wider than the Salem City Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Salem City Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 18.1% — 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 Salem City Public Schools is typically wider than the Salem City Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
How many schools are in Salem City Public Schools?
Salem City Public Schools has 6 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 3,750 students.
How much does Salem City Public Schools spend per student?
Salem City Public Schools spends $13,711 per student. The district has an equity score of 41/100, ranking #86 in Virginia.
What is the demographic composition of Salem City Public Schools?
Salem City Public Schools students are 64.3% White, 15.2% African American, 12.4% Hispanic or Latino, 2.4% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Salem City Public Schools?
Salem City Public Schools has an equity score of 41/100, ranking #86 out of 131 districts in Virginia.