Wythe County 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.

Wytheville, Virginia - 12 schools

An equity score of 42/100 ranks Wythe County Public Schools #82 of 131 districts in Virginia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,353 per pupil, Wythe County Public Schools ranks #118 of 131 Virginia districts by per-pupil spending (Virginia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,878
Total Enrollment
12
Schools
$12,353
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Wythe County Public Schools operates 12 public schools serving 3,878 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Virginia. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 combined, 3 high, 3 middle 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 Wythe County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,353 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 34.2% local, 57.0% state, and 8.8% 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 42/100, ranked #82 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.

a 250.9:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 31.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 92.0% White, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 2.2% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Scott Memorial Middle, with a diversity index of 30.9/100.

Its largest campus is Spiller Elementary, enrolling 615 students (16% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Speedwell Elementary, at 123 students, a 5x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Spiller Elementary accounts for 15.9% of all Wythe County Public Schools student enrollment

That concentration means Wythe County Public Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Wythe County Public Schools school enrollment varies 5.0× across entities

Wythe County Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 123 students (lowest) to 615 students (highest), a spread of 492 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

Wythe County Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 73.8% 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). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. 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

Wythe County Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 251:1 — 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 Wythe County Public Schools is typically wider than the Wythe County Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Wythe County Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 31.6% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

8.8%
Federal
57.0%
State
34.2%
Local

Funding Equity

42
Equity Score
82 / 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 12 schools in Wythe County Public Schools.

White 92.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.6%
African American 2.2%
Multiracial 2.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 14.9/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Scott Memorial Middle 30.9
  2. 2 George Wythe High 28.8
  3. 3 Spiller Elementary 28.1
  4. 4 Max Meadows Elementary 13.3
  5. 5 Sheffey Elementary 12.8

Programs & Resources

250.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
31.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Wythe County Public Schools

School Enrollment
Spiller Elementary
615
George Wythe High
421
Fort Chiswell High
411
Rural Retreat Elementary
350
Fort Chiswell Middle
319
Scott Memorial Middle
305
Rural Retreat High
300
Rural Retreat Middle
236
Jackson Memorial Elementary
229
Sheffey Elementary
224
Max Meadows Elementary
201
Speedwell Elementary
123

How Wythe County Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Virginia districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Mecklenburg County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Smyth County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Hopewell City Public Schools Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Amherst County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Pulaski County Public Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Wythe County 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.

Fairfax County Public Schools
179,858 students · 223 schools · $17,977/pupil
Compare vs Wythe County Public Schools →
Loudoun County Public Schools
81,678 students · 99 schools · $18,953/pupil
Compare vs Wythe County Public Schools →

Compare Wythe County 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 Wythe County Public Schools?

Wythe County Public Schools has 12 schools, including 6 combined, 3 high, 3 middle. Total enrollment is 3,878 students.

How much does Wythe County Public Schools spend per student?

Wythe County Public Schools spends $12,353 per student. The district has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #82 in Virginia.

What is the demographic composition of Wythe County Public Schools?

Wythe County Public Schools students are 92.0% White, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 2.2% African American, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 12 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Wythe County Public Schools?

Wythe County Public Schools has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #82 out of 131 districts in Virginia.