Enrollment
2,166
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Ashburn, VA
Independence High
Federal NCES profile for Independence High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 510225003061
👥 S:T ratio 36
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 46
📋 Attendance 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence High earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Virginia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Virginia.
- #3 of 4
- high schools in Ashburn · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 8.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Independence High has class sizes larger than 82% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence High ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Ashburn, VA.
School address
District: Loudoun County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510225003061 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
135.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
8.7%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-85% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence High compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence High
Independence High is a lower-poverty, large high school in Ashburn, Virginia, enrolling 2,166 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 8.7% free-meal eligibility runs 85% below the Virginia average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Virginia, bigger than 98% of state schools at 2,166 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 51 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #35.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and Asian (38%) (diversity index 67/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 21 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 271 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
11.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Loudoun County Public Schools spends $18,953 per pupil, 29% above the Virginia average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Ashburn's high schools, it stands alongside Briar Woods High (1,862 students): Independence High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16:1 vs 14.8:1).
Loudoun County Public Schools also operates Lightridge High (2,030 students) and Freedom High (1,885 students) alongside Independence 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 Independence High compares
Independence 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 | 16:1 | ▲ 15% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 8.7% | ▼ 85% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,166 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
2,166
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
8.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 85% 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
16:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 82% in Virginia - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
11.4%
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
$18,953
per pupil, district-wide
- above Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors8.0 FTE
Per 271 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
67
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.5 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 42.3%
Asian 37.7%
Hispanic or Latino 7.7%
African American 5.8%
Two or More 5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 42.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.6, Independence High is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 21
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Loudoun County Public Schools, which includes Independence High.
$18,953
Per student
+29%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
+14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 67.9%
State 27.1%
Federal 5.0%
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 Independence High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightridge High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Freedom High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Briar Woods High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| John Champe High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Riverside High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Independence High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,030
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,885
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,862
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,851
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,710
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar high schools in Ashburn
3 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 (~2,166 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence High's federal record.
- Compare Independence High against another school. Compare schools
- Loudoun 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 Independence High
How many students attend Independence High?
Independence High has 2,166 students enrolled. It is a high school in Ashburn, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence High?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence High is 16:1, which is 15% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Independence High?
8.7% of students at Independence High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence High?
The largest demographic group at Independence High is White at 42.3% of enrollment, in Ashburn, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence High?
Independence High has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (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 Independence High rank among high schools in Ashburn?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence High ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Ashburn, 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 Ashburn on the city page.
Is Independence High a good school?
Independence High earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% 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 Loudoun County Public Schools?
Besides Independence High, Loudoun County Public Schools also operates Lightridge High (2,030 students), Freedom High (1,885 students), and Briar Woods High (1,862 students). See the Loudoun 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.