Staunton 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.

Staunton, Virginia - 6 schools

An equity score of 67/100 ranks Staunton City Public Schools #32 of 131 districts in Virginia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $15,219 per pupil, Staunton City Public Schools ranks #33 of 131 Virginia districts by per-pupil spending (Virginia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,692
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$15,219
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Staunton City Public Schools operates 6 public schools serving 2,692 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Virginia. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined 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 Staunton City.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,219 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, 46.7% state, and 18.4% 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 67/100, ranked #32 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 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (15 AP courses district-wide), a 316:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 29.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 59.7% White, 14.2% African American, 10.3% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Staunton City School Preschool Programs, with a diversity index of 64.8/100.

Its largest campus is Staunton High, enrolling 766 students (28% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Staunton City School Preschool Programs, at 149 students, a 5x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Staunton High accounts for 28.5% of all Staunton City Public Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Staunton 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.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Staunton City Public Schools school enrollment varies 5.1× across entities

Staunton City Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 149 students (lowest) to 766 students (highest), a spread of 617 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

Staunton City Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 99.0% 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

Staunton City Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 316:1 — 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 Staunton City Public Schools is typically wider than the Staunton City Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Staunton City Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 29.8% — 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 Staunton City Public Schools is typically wider than the Staunton 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?

18.4%
Federal
46.7%
State
34.8%
Local

Funding Equity

67
Equity Score
32 / 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 6 schools in Staunton City Public Schools.

White 59.7%
Hispanic or Latino 10.3%
African American 14.2%
Asian 1.3%
Multiracial 13.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 58.7/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Staunton City School Preschool Programs 64.8
  2. 2 Bessie Weller Elementary 64.1
  3. 3 Arthur R. Ware Elementary 60.9
  4. 4 Staunton High 58.8
  5. 5 Shelburne Middle 56.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
15 AP courses total
316:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
29.8%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Staunton City Public Schools

School Enrollment
Staunton High
766
Shelburne Middle
583
Thomas C. Mcswain Elementary
449
Bessie Weller Elementary
373
Arthur R. Ware Elementary
372
Staunton City School Preschool Programs
149

How Staunton City Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Virginia districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Goochland County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Southampton County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Rockbridge County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Greene County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Colonial Heights City Public Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Staunton 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 Staunton 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 Staunton City Public Schools?

Staunton City Public Schools has 6 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 2,692 students.

How much does Staunton City Public Schools spend per student?

Staunton City Public Schools spends $15,219 per student. The district has an equity score of 67/100, ranking #32 in Virginia.

What is the demographic composition of Staunton City Public Schools?

Staunton City Public Schools students are 59.7% White, 14.2% African American, 10.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.3% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Staunton City Public Schools?

Staunton City Public Schools has an equity score of 67/100, ranking #32 out of 131 districts in Virginia.