Enrollment
274
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Richmond, VA
Varina Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Varina Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 62/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 510189000834
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 73
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Varina Elementary earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Virginia schools.
- #5 of 95
- public schools in Richmond · Resource Index
- 62
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.2:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 89.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Varina Elementary has class sizes larger than 71% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Varina Elementary ranks #5 of 95 public schools in Richmond, VA.
School address
District: Henrico County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510189000834 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
89.7%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Varina Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Varina Elementary
Varina Elementary is a high-poverty, small elementary school in Richmond, Virginia, enrolling 274 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 89.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 274 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 1,868 Virginia schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 219 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #16, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (70%) and White (19%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 137 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
14.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Discipline events run high: 59 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 274 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Richmond's elementary schools, it stands alongside Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts (310 students): Varina Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.2:1 vs 13.5:1).
Henrico County Public Schools also operates John Randolph Tucker High (2,132 students) and Deep Run High (1,992 students) alongside Varina 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 Varina Elementary compares
Varina 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 | 15.2:1 | ▲ 9% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.7% | ▲ 56% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 274 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
274
Bigger than 29% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
89.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 71% in Virginia - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
14.2%
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
$12,658
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 137 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
34
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.5 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
African American 69.7%
White 19.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.2%
Two or More 3.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 69.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.2, Varina Elementary is less mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Henrico County Public Schools, which includes Varina Elementary.
$12,658
Per student
-14%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.5%
State 42.1%
Federal 7.4%
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 Varina Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Randolph Tucker High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Deep Run High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Glen Allen High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Highland Springs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Douglas S. Freeman High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Varina Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,132
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,992
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,939
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,928
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,881
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar elementary schools in Richmond
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~274 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Varina Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Varina Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Henrico 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 Varina Elementary
How many students attend Varina Elementary?
Varina Elementary has 274 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Richmond, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Varina Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Varina Elementary is 15.2:1, which is 9% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Varina Elementary?
89.7% of students at Varina Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Varina Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Varina Elementary is African American at 69.7% of enrollment, in Richmond, VA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Varina Elementary?
Varina Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 62/100 (higher 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 Varina Elementary rank among public schools in Richmond?
By Resource Investment Index, Varina Elementary ranks #5 of 95 public schools in Richmond, 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 Richmond on the city page.
Is Varina Elementary a good school?
Varina Elementary earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% 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 Henrico County Public Schools?
Besides Varina Elementary, Henrico County Public Schools also operates John Randolph Tucker High (2,132 students), Deep Run High (1,992 students), and Glen Allen High (1,939 students). See the Henrico 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.