Enrollment
2,507
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Midlothian, VA
Cosby High
Federal NCES profile for Cosby High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 510084002661
👥 S:T ratio 30
📚 AP courses 95
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 75
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cosby High earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Virginia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Virginia.
- #1 of 5
- high schools in Midlothian · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.5:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 13.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Cosby High has class sizes larger than 94% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cosby High ranks #1 of 5 high schools in Midlothian, VA.
School address
District: Chesterfield County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510084002661 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
143.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
13.0%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-77% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cosby High compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cosby High
Cosby High is a lower-poverty, large high school in Midlothian, Virginia, enrolling 2,507 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.5:1 is larger than about 94% of Virginia schools and 26% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 13.0% free-meal eligibility runs 77% below the Virginia average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Virginia, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,507 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Among 47 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #41, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and African American (16%) (diversity index 56/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 19 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 334 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Midlothian's high schools, it stands alongside Manchester High (2,236 students): Cosby High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.5:1 vs 14.2:1).
Chesterfield County Public Schools also operates Thomas Dale High (2,582 students) and Manchester High (2,236 students) alongside Cosby High.
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 Cosby High compares
Cosby High on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.5:1 | ▲ 26% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 13.0% | ▼ 77% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,507 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,507
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
13.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 77% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 94% in Virginia - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
9.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
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
Counselors7.5 FTE
Per 334 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
80
in-school suspensions + 72 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.1 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
White 63.3%
African American 16.2%
Hispanic or Latino 8.5%
Two or More 5.9%
Asian 5.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 63.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.9, Cosby High is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 19
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chesterfield County Public Schools, which includes Cosby High.
$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 Cosby High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Dale High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Manchester High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lloyd C. Bird High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Midlothian High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Meadowbrook High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cosby High'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
- 2,236
- 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
- Enrollment
- 1,953
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar high schools in Midlothian
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Manchester High
Standard public school
2,236 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Midlothian High
Standard public school
2,048 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
James River High
Standard public school
1,842 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Clover Hill High
Standard public school
1,742 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
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 (~2,507 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cosby High's federal record.
- Compare Cosby High 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 Cosby High
How many students attend Cosby High?
Cosby High has 2,507 students enrolled. It is a high school in Midlothian, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cosby High?
The student-teacher ratio at Cosby High is 17.5:1, which is 26% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cosby High?
13.0% of students at Cosby High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cosby High?
The largest demographic group at Cosby High is White at 63.3% of enrollment, in Midlothian, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cosby High?
Cosby High has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cosby High rank among high schools in Midlothian?
By Resource Investment Index, Cosby High ranks #1 of 5 high schools in Midlothian, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Midlothian on the city page.
Is Cosby High a good school?
Cosby High earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Virginia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Virginia. 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 Cosby High, Chesterfield County Public Schools also operates Thomas Dale High (2,582 students), Manchester High (2,236 students), and Lloyd C. Bird High (2,131 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.