Enrollment
272
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Chester, VA
Carver College and Career Academy
Federal NCES profile for Carver College and Career Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 510084001605
👥 S:T ratio 72
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 73
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Carver College and Career Academy earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of Virginia schools.
- #10 of 11
- public schools in Chester · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 7:1
- small classes for Virginia
- 81.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Carver College and Career Academy has class sizes smaller than 99% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Carver College and Career Academy ranks #10 of 11 public schools in Chester, VA.
School address
District: Chesterfield County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510084001605 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
7:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-50% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.9%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Carver College and Career Academy compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Carver College and Career Academy
Carver College and Career Academy is a high-poverty, small high school in Chester, Virginia, enrolling 272 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 7:1, Carver College and Career Academy is leaner than roughly 99% of Virginia schools and 50% under the state's 13.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 81.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 272 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Among 197 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #159, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (42%) and White (29%) (diversity index 69/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 136 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 108 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 272 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Chester's high schools, it stands alongside Thomas Dale High (2,582 students): Carver College and Career Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (7:1 vs 15.2:1).
Chesterfield County Public Schools also operates Thomas Dale High (2,582 students) and Cosby High (2,507 students) alongside Carver College and Career Academy.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Carver College and Career Academy compares
Carver College and Career Academy on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 7:1 | ▼ 50% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.9% | ▲ 42% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 272 | top 88% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7:1
Leaner classes than 97% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
272
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
7:1
students per teacher
- 50% below state mean
Top 1% in Virginia - lower ratio than 99% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
43.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,207
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 136 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
65
in-school suspensions + 43 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 23.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 39.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 41.5%
White 29.4%
Hispanic or Latino 21.0%
Two or More 6.6%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 41.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.3, Carver College and Career Academy is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chesterfield County Public Schools, which includes Carver College and Career Academy.
$12,207
Per student
-17%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.8%
State 47.1%
Federal 10.1%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Carver College and Career Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Dale High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cosby High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Manchester High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lloyd C. Bird High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Midlothian High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Carver College and Career Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,582
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,507
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 2,236
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,131
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,048
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar high schools in Chester
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~272 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Carver College and Career Academy's federal record.
- Compare Carver College and Career Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Chesterfield County Public Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Carver College and Career Academy
How many students attend Carver College and Career Academy?
Carver College and Career Academy has 272 students enrolled. It is a high school in Chester, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Carver College and Career Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Carver College and Career Academy is 7:1, which is 50% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 55% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Carver College and Career Academy?
81.9% of students at Carver College and Career Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Carver College and Career Academy?
The largest demographic group at Carver College and Career Academy is African American at 41.5% of enrollment, in Chester, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Carver College and Career Academy?
Carver College and Career Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Carver College and Career Academy rank among public schools in Chester?
By Resource Investment Index, Carver College and Career Academy ranks #10 of 11 public schools in Chester, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Chester on the city page.
Is Carver College and Career Academy a good school?
Carver College and Career Academy earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of Virginia schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Chesterfield County Public Schools?
Besides Carver College and Career Academy, Chesterfield County Public Schools also operates Thomas Dale High (2,582 students), Cosby High (2,507 students), and Manchester High (2,236 students). See the Chesterfield County Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.