Enrollment
1,361
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Winchester, VA
John Handley High
Federal NCES profile for John Handley High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 510405001780
👥 S:T ratio 55
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John Handley High earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Virginia schools.
- #3 of 3
- high schools in Winchester · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.2:1
- small classes for Virginia
- 77.0%
- free-lunch eligible
John Handley High has class sizes smaller than 86% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John Handley High ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Winchester, VA.
School address
District: Winchester City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510405001780 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
122.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.2:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.0%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John Handley High compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at John Handley High
John Handley High is a high-poverty, large high school in Winchester, Virginia, enrolling 1,361 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.2:1, John Handley High is leaner than roughly 86% of Virginia schools and 19% 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 77.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Virginia, bigger than 92% of state schools at 1,361 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 1,868 Virginia schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 109 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #103, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (46%) and White (35%) (diversity index 66/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 24 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 454 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 322 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,361 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Winchester's high schools, it stands alongside Millbrook High (1,550 students): John Handley High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.2:1 vs 13.8:1).
Winchester City Public Schools also operates Daniel Morgan Middle (642 students) and John Kerr Elementary (583 students) alongside John Handley 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 John Handley High compares
John Handley 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 | 11.2:1 | ▼ 19% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.0% | ▲ 34% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,361 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.2:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
1,361
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
11.2:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 14% in Virginia - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
37.5%
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
$16,775
per pupil, district-wide
- above Virginia avg of $14,649
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 454 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
221
in-school suspensions + 101 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.7 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
Hispanic or Latino 45.5%
White 35.0%
African American 8.7%
Two or More 5.7%
Asian 4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.8, John Handley High is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 24
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Winchester City Public Schools, which includes John Handley High.
$16,775
Per student
+15%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.5%
State 40.7%
Federal 13.8%
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 John Handley High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Morgan Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| John Kerr Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Daniel Morgan Intermediate | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Virginia Avenue Charlotte Dehart Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Garland R. Quarles Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John Handley High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 642
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 583
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 575
- Students per teacher
- 10.6:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 415
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 410
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar high schools in Winchester
2 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 (~1,361 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John Handley High's federal record.
- Compare John Handley High against another school. Compare schools
- Winchester City 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 John Handley High
How many students attend John Handley High?
John Handley High has 1,361 students enrolled. It is a high school in Winchester, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John Handley High?
The student-teacher ratio at John Handley High is 11.2:1, which is 19% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 29% 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 John Handley High?
77.0% of students at John Handley High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John Handley High?
The largest demographic group at John Handley High is Hispanic or Latino at 45.5% of enrollment, in Winchester, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John Handley High?
John Handley High has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical 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 John Handley High rank among high schools in Winchester?
By Resource Investment Index, John Handley High ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Winchester, 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 Winchester on the city page.
Is John Handley High a good school?
John Handley High earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% 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 Winchester City Public Schools?
Besides John Handley High, Winchester City Public Schools also operates Daniel Morgan Middle (642 students), John Kerr Elementary (583 students), and Daniel Morgan Intermediate (575 students). See the Winchester City 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.