Enrollment
1,025
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Dumfries, VA
Covington-Harper Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Covington-Harper Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510313003044
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 75
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Covington-Harper Elementary earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Virginia schools.
- #7 of 7
- schools in Dumfries · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.7:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 30.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Covington-Harper Elementary has class sizes larger than 95% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Covington-Harper Elementary ranks #7 of 7 schools in Dumfries, VA.
School address
District: Prince William County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510313003044 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
58.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.7:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.0%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Covington-Harper Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Covington-Harper Elementary
Covington-Harper Elementary is a large combined-grade school in Dumfries, Virginia, enrolling 1,025 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.7:1 is larger than about 95% of Virginia schools and 27% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,025 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Among 254 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #229, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (45%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 513 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
10.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Dumfries's public schools, it stands alongside John F. Pattie Sr. Elementary (906 students): Covington-Harper Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.7:1 vs 12.9:1).
Prince William County Public Schools also operates Charles J. Colgan Sr. High (2,956 students) and Woodbridge High (2,898 students) alongside Covington-Harper Elementary.
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 Covington-Harper Elementary compares
Covington-Harper Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.7:1 | ▲ 27% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.0% | ▼ 48% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,025 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.7:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,025
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.7:1
students per teacher
- 27% above state mean
Top 95% in Virginia - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
10.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,913
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 513 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 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
African American 45.1%
Hispanic or Latino 19.9%
White 15.7%
Two or More 9.9%
Asian 9.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 45.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.4, Covington-Harper Elementary is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Prince William County Public Schools, which includes Covington-Harper Elementary.
$13,913
Per student
-5%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.2%
State 44.1%
Federal 8.6%
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 Covington-Harper Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles J. Colgan Sr. High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Woodbridge High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Osbourn Park High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gainesville High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gar-Field High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Covington-Harper Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,956
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,898
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,661
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 2,648
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,524
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar other schools in Dumfries
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
John F. Pattie Sr. Elementary
Standard public school
906 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
A. Henderson Elementary
Standard public school
815 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Mary Williams Elementary
Standard public school
669 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Swans Creek Elementary
Standard public school
619 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Montclair Elementary
Standard public school
588 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Dumfries Elementary
Standard public school
441 students 13:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~1,025 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Covington-Harper Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Covington-Harper Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Prince William 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 Covington-Harper Elementary
How many students attend Covington-Harper Elementary?
Covington-Harper Elementary has 1,025 students enrolled. It is a public school in Dumfries, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Covington-Harper Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Covington-Harper Elementary is 17.7:1, which is 27% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Covington-Harper Elementary?
30.0% of students at Covington-Harper Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Covington-Harper Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Covington-Harper Elementary is African American at 45.1% of enrollment, in Dumfries, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Covington-Harper Elementary?
Covington-Harper Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Covington-Harper Elementary rank among schools in Dumfries?
By Resource Investment Index, Covington-Harper Elementary ranks #7 of 7 schools in Dumfries, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Dumfries on the city page.
Is Covington-Harper Elementary a good school?
Covington-Harper Elementary earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% 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 Prince William County Public Schools?
Besides Covington-Harper Elementary, Prince William County Public Schools also operates Charles J. Colgan Sr. High (2,956 students), Woodbridge High (2,898 students), and Osbourn Park High (2,661 students). See the Prince William 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.