Public schools in Virginia

The NCES directory lists 2,126 public schools operating in Virginia in 2024-25; 1,845 of them reported 1,248,074 students, averaging 13.8 students per teacher, the 28th highest of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts (the mean of its schools' ratios); Tennessee did not. Its largest district is Fairfax County Public Schools, with 179,323 students in 2024-25.

NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23 · method

Schools1,8451,137 elementary, 337 middle, 324 high, 47 other
Students1,248,0742.6% of U.S. public-school students
Students per teacher13.8U.S. 15.3

Virginia has fewer students per teacher than the U.S. average

Virginia ranks 28th of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts, counting from the most students per teacher; below, it is shown with the states ranked just above and below it. The full ranking of all 51 is on the states page.

  1. Georgia13.9
  2. Hawaii13.9
  3. South Carolina13.9
  4. Virginia13.8
  5. Arkansas13.5
  6. Illinois13.5
  7. Louisiana13.5

Eight in ten larger Virginia districts spent between $13,165 and $18,424 per student

Among the 116 Virginia districts with at least 1,000 students, one in ten spent less than $13,165 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 and one in ten spent more than $18,424; the median was $14,972. Each tick below is one district: the spread shows how far apart the state's districts are, which a statewide average hides.

Current spending per student, Virginia districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23116 values from $11,829 to $25,104; ; state median $14,972.$13,165$18,424the middle eight in ten← 1 below $10,000$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $14,972
Current spending per student, Virginia districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23116 values from $11,829 to $25,104; ; state median $14,972.$13,165$18,424the middle eight in ten← 1 below $10,000$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $14,972
Current spending per student, Virginia districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23116 values from $11,829 to $25,104; ; state median $14,972.$13,165$18,424the middle eight in ten← 1 below $10,000$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $14,972
Current spending per student, Virginia districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23116 values from $11,829 to $25,104; ; state median $14,972.$13,165$18,424the middle eight in ten← 1 below $10,000$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $14,972

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: mean of school ratios from 3 to 99, schools open that year; NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures over fall membership, districts with at least 1,000 students.

State test results, 2022-23

In 2022-23, 72.7% of the Virginia students tested met the state's reading standard and 67.5% its math standard. Virginia writes its own tests and sets its own standard, so these compare Virginia's districts and schools with each other, not with other states; each district and school page gives its own results beside these. Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 88.8% of 99,059 students.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2022-23 and four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students.

In the Virginia almanac

  1. 01Every school district

    Directory, 2024-25

  2. 02Largest schools

    Largest: Alexandria City High School, 4,655 students (By 2024-25 enrollment)

  3. 03Fewest students per teacher

    Fewest: Surry County High, 6.2 students per teacher (Schools, 2024-25)

  4. 04Highest-spending districts

    Highest: Surry County Public Schools, $25,743 per student (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  5. 05Teacher salary spending by district

    Highest: Falls Church City Public Schools, $96,912 of salary spending per teacher (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  6. 06Chronic absenteeism

    Lowest: Radford City Virtual, 0.3% chronically absent (EDFacts 2022-23)

  7. 07Schools by resource index

    Highest index: Luther P. Jackson Middle, 72 of 100 (CCD and CRDC)

  8. 08Districts by resource index

    Highest index: Surry County Public Schools, 65 of 100 on average (CCD and CRDC)

Largest districts in Virginia

  1. Fairfax County Public Schools179,323
  2. Prince William County Public Schools89,677
  3. Loudoun County Public Schools80,173
  4. Virginia Beach City Public Schools64,731
  5. Chesterfield County Public Schools64,194
  6. Henrico County Public Schools50,915
  7. Chesapeake City Public Schools40,607
  8. Stafford County Public Schools31,812

Every Virginia school district, with a find box →

Source: Largest districts: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25, students in the district's schools open that year.

Cities with the most public schools

  1. Richmond57,233 students95 schools
  2. Virginia Beach64,731 students82 schools
  3. Alexandria50,153 students55 schools
  4. Chesapeake40,607 students45 schools
  5. Norfolk26,807 students44 schools
  6. Roanoke22,846 students41 schools
  7. Woodbridge35,618 students40 schools
  8. Newport News25,452 students39 schools
  9. Arlington27,950 students36 schools
  10. Hampton19,472 students30 schools
  11. Manassas28,105 students29 schools
  12. Fredericksburg23,637 students27 schools

All cities →

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: a school counts under the city in its mailing address, so a large city's count takes in suburbs that share its postal name.

Questions about Virginia's public schools

  1. How many public schools are in Virginia?
    The NCES directory lists 2,126 operating in 2024-25; 1,845 of them reported students: 1,137 elementary, 337 middle, 324 high and 47 other, enrolling 1,248,074 students (NCES Common Core of Data).
  2. What is the average student-teacher ratio in Virginia?
    13.8 students per full-time teacher in 2024-25, against 15.3 for the U.S.; the mean of school ratios for schools open that year.
  3. What is the largest school district in Virginia?
    Fairfax County Public Schools, with 179,323 students in its schools in 2024-25 (NCES Common Core of Data).
  4. How much does Virginia spend per public-school student?
    $16,097 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, summed over its districts (NCES F-33).

Sources

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership and staff files · 2024-25

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District membership and spending · FY 2022-23

Compiled from official source data by .