Enrollment
1,420
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Richmond, VA
Varina High
Federal NCES profile for Varina High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 510189000835
👥 S:T ratio 43
📚 AP courses 15
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Varina High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #12 of 15
- high schools in Richmond · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 87.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Varina High has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Varina High ranks #12 of 15 high schools in Richmond, VA.
School address
District: Henrico County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510189000835 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
99.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
87.1%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Varina High compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Varina High
Varina High is a high-poverty, large high school in Richmond, Virginia, enrolling 1,420 students.
At 14.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Virginia median, within a few percentage points of the 13.9:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 87.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Virginia, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,420 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 88 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #53.
Its student body is led by African American (77%) and White (12%) (diversity index 39/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 3 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 284 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 474 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,420 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Richmond's high schools, it stands alongside John Randolph Tucker High (2,132 students): Varina High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.3:1 vs 19.7:1).
Henrico County Public Schools also operates John Randolph Tucker High (2,132 students) and Deep Run High (1,992 students) alongside Varina 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 Varina High compares
Varina 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 | 14.3:1 | ▲ 3% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 87.1% | ▲ 51% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,420 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,420
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
87.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% 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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 58% in Virginia - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
33.4%
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
$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
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 284 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
100
in-school suspensions + 374 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 33.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 77.0%
White 12.2%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
Two or More 4.2%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 77.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.7, Varina High is less mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Henrico County Public Schools, which includes Varina High.
$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 High 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 High'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 high schools in Richmond
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
John Randolph Tucker High
Standard public school
2,132 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Douglas S. Freeman High
Standard public school
1,881 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Hermitage High
Standard public school
1,719 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Mills E. Godwin High
Standard public school
1,702 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Monacan High
Standard public school
1,644 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Huguenot High
Standard public school
1,469 students 14.1:1 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 (~1,420 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Varina High's federal record.
- Compare Varina High 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 High
How many students attend Varina High?
Varina High has 1,420 students enrolled. It is a high school in Richmond, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Varina High?
The student-teacher ratio at Varina High is 14.3:1, which is 3% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 9% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Varina High?
87.1% of students at Varina High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Varina High?
The largest demographic group at Varina High is African American at 77.0% of enrollment, in Richmond, VA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Varina High?
Varina High has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Varina High rank among high schools in Richmond?
By Resource Investment Index, Varina High ranks #12 of 15 high 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 high schools in Richmond on the city page.
Is Varina High a good school?
Varina High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median. 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 High, 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.