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Wise, Virginia - 11 schools
An equity score of 47/100 ranks Wise County Public Schools #75 of 131 districts in Virginia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $11,634 per pupil, Wise County Public Schools ranks #125 of 131 Virginia districts by per-pupil spending (Virginia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
5,913
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$11,634
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Wise County Public Schools operates 11 public schools serving 5,913 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Virginia. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 combined, 3 high, 3 elementary 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 Wise County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,634 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 23.2% local, 57.1% state, and 19.7% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 47/100, ranked #75 of 131 in Virginia against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 11 schools offering Advanced Placement (17 AP courses district-wide), a 322:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 16.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 91.4% White, 2.6% African American, 2.2% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Wise Primary, with a diversity index of 24.0/100.
Its largest campus is Union Primary, enrolling 809 students (14% of the district's total enrollment).
Wise County Public Schools school enrollment varies 2.7× across entities
Wise County Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 304 students (lowest) to 809 students (highest), a spread of 505 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.
Wise County Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 83.8% 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). Areas above 75% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants 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.
Wise County Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 322:1 — 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 Wise County Public Schools is typically wider than the Wise County Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Wise County Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 16.5% — 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 Wise County Public Schools is typically wider than the Wise County Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
How many schools are in Wise County Public Schools?
Wise County Public Schools has 11 schools, including 5 combined, 3 high, 3 elementary. Total enrollment is 5,913 students.
How much does Wise County Public Schools spend per student?
Wise County Public Schools spends $11,634 per student. The district has an equity score of 47/100, ranking #75 in Virginia.
What is the demographic composition of Wise County Public Schools?
Wise County Public Schools students are 91.4% White, 2.6% African American, 2.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Wise County Public Schools?
Wise County Public Schools has an equity score of 47/100, ranking #75 out of 131 districts in Virginia.