Virginia is a captivating state with many traits that make it a superb state to visit and an incredible state to live in. Virginia ranks number eleven in education. Furthermore, this state's desire to improve education and their students' lives is evident when you look at the largest school districts in Virginia. These schools perform well academically, with higher-than-average proficiency ratings. Additionally, each school district has its own plan for further success and ways to implement the success plans every year. Each school district also aims to provide students with a safe place to learn and grow academically to reach their fullest potential. Let's take a look at the largest school districts in Virginia!
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Fairfax County Public School District
8115 Gatehouse Rd. Falls Church, VA 22042
Total Schools: 222
Students: 178,479
The largest school district in Virginia is Fairfax County Public Schools. With 222 schools and 178,479 students, this school district ranks number six in Virginia.
One unique perk that this school district offers is no-cost tutoring through tutor.com. In fact, this extra resource allows families to provide extra help for their children who may need it without worrying about the price or time.
Athletics also rank high in the Fairfax County Public School District, coming in at number five for best school districts for athletes in Virginia.
The student-to-teacher ratio falls lower than the national average, with 14 to one. Additionally, the proficiency ratings are 73% for reading and 61% for math.
Undoubtedly, the Fairfax County Public School District takes education seriously and provides students with excellent schools. However, the top-performing schools in this district are Poplar Tree Elementary School, Haycock Elementary School, and Wolftrap Elementary School. All three schools perform in the one percent overall Virginia testing rankings.
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Schools in the Fairfax County Public School District:
Elementary Schools: 148
Middle Schools: 25
High Schools: 30
Prince William County Public School District
14715 Bristow Road Manassas, VA 20112
Total Schools: 97
Students: 90,070
First, Prince William County Public Schools is also a top-ranking school district in Virginia, coming in at number 17. It has 97 schools and 90,070 students. Moreover, another accolade of this school district is ranking high, at third in fact, for most Diverse School Districts in Virginia. Niche.com gives it a diversity rating of A plus.
Secondly, the teacher-to-student ratio is 16 to one. Particularly, many reviews from parents and students praise that the teachers and staff put in a lot of effort and genuinely care about their student's educations.
Academically, the Prince William County Public School District falls above average, with a 72% proficiency rating in reading and a 54% proficiency rating in math.
Moreover, one of the best-performing schools in this district is Mary G. Porter Traditional. This school falls in the top five percent of schools in Virginia.
Prince Willian County Public Schools
Elementary Schools: 69
Middle Schools: 20
High Schools: 13
Loudoun County Public School District
21000 Education Court Ashburn, VA 20149
Total Schools: 98
Students: 81,131
Loudoun County Public School District is another high-ranking district in Virginia. It ranks as number five in the state and also has 98 schools and 81,131 students.
One important aspect of this school district is that Loudoun County Public Schools desire to create a space where all students can experience excellence. One of the ways they do this is by developing what they call a Strategic Plan for Excellence. Furthermore, within this plan, Loudoun County Schools has visions, values, and a mission, which include empowering students to reach their highest potential, focusing on personal resilience, and feeling safe.
Briar Woods High School is one of the top-performing high schools in this district. It ranks in the top 20% of the schools in Virginia. Also, one of the top-rated elementary schools is Madison's Trust Elementary School, which falls in the top one percent.
Schools in Loudoun County Public School District:
Elementary Schools: 65
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Middle Schools: 21
High Schools: 18
Virginia Beach City Public School District
2512 George Mason Dr. Virginia Beach, VA 23456
Total Schools: 87
Students: 65,450
Virginia Beach City Public Schools have quite a few high accolades to celebrate. For starters, this district ranks as number two in the Norfolk Area. Secondly, it ranks as number seven in the best school districts in Virginia. Virginia Beach City Public School District ranks high for athletes and diversity.
Academically, this school district also performs well above average. The reading proficiency is 78%, and the math proficiency is 69%. Also, the graduation rate in the Virginia Beach City Public School District is 91%. is school district strives to create a place where every student can achieve their goals. They do this by focusing on doing away with any possibility and achievement gaps that may exist.
North Landing Elementary School is among the top-performing schools in the Virginia Beach City Public School District. It comes in at five percent in Virginia, with a reading proficiency of 92% and a math proficiency of 87%.
Virginia Beach City Public Schools:
Elementary Schools: 56
Middle Schools: 15
High Schools: 12
Henrico County Public School District
3820 Nine Mile Rd. Henrico, VA 23223
Total Schools: 81
Students: 49,991
Henrico County Public School District ranks number four as the best school district in the Richmond Area. It also ranks high for athletes at number seven in Virginia.
In addition, academically, the graduation rate for Henrico County Public Schools District is 87%. Regarding proficiency, this school district has a 64% in reading and 49% in math.
The reviews from parents and students for this school district are primarily positive and range from praising the teachers' knowledge, encouragement to achieve their goals, and enthusiasm in the district to limitations set on the teachers and lack of consequences. Overall, the school district receives positive praise, and the efforts can be seen in the progress of its students.
Among the top-performing schools in this district is Gayton Elementary School. Furthermore, it has 546 students and ranks in the top one percent of schools in Virginia.
Henrico County Public Schools:
Elementary Schools: 46
Middle Schools: 12
High Schools: 9
Chesterfield County Public School District
99000 Krause Rd. Chesterfield, VA 23832
Total Schools: 70
Students: 62,445
Another top-performing district in Richmond is the Chesterfield County Public Schools. Moreover, it ranks number three. It has 70 schools and 62,445 students.
When it comes to academics, this district also performs above average. The graduation rate is 89%, and the proficiency ratings are 64% in reading and 52% in math.
The Chesterfield County Public Schools have many accolades to celebrate, including seven Title 1 Distinguished Schools, 17 Virginia Index of Performance awards, and seven National Blue Ribbon Schools.
In particular, the top-performing schools in this district include J B Watkins Elementary, which falls in the top 20%, and Bettie Weaver Elementary, which is in the top five percent.
Chesterfield County Public Schools:
- 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
- Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
- Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
Elementary Schools: 39
Middle Schools: 12
High Schools: 11
Richmond Public School District
301 North 9th St. Richmond, VA 23219
Total Schools: 54
Students: 21,177
Richmond Public Schools District has 54 schools and 21,177 students. Furthermore, the student-to-teacher ratio is below the national average at 14 to one.
Regarding academics, this district has a 47% reading proficiency and 32% math proficiency.
Furthermore, the Richmond Public School District also has preschool school centers, specialty schools, a charter school, and comprehensive high schools in their district.
One of the top-performing schools in this district is Greenfield Elementary School. In addition, this school has 492 students and falls in the top one percent of schools in Virginia.
Richmond Public School District:
Elementary Schools: 30
Middle Schools: 10
High Schools: 11
One Last Note
The largest school districts in Virginia, particularly, are full of excellent schools that allocate their resources, encourage their students to reach their top potential, and perform well academically. Of course, no one school or district is a one-size-fits-all-all. Every student also has their own way of learning and thriving. However, one thing these Virginia school districts have in common is the desire to help every student who walks through their doors achieve their goals, grow in every aspect, and thrive. Regardless of where you send your child, one thing is sure: These school districts put their hearts and souls into their students!
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