All rankings · Virginia
Best Virginia public schools
Eight rankings of Virginia's public schools from the latest NCES + state-assessment data. Unlike most school rankings, this list leads with BeatsExpectations: a demographics-adjusted score that asks how a school performs relative to what its student population would predict, not just in absolute terms.
Virginia schools outperforming demographics
Top schools by BeatsExpectations score. Demographically-adjusted; a +20 here means the school posts 20 more proficiency points than its FRL profile predicts.| # | School | City | Beats by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Open High | Richmond | +36.2pp |
| 2 | St. Paul Elementary | St Paul | +33.1pp |
| 3 | Belfast Elementary | Rosedale | +30.9pp |
| 4 | Saltville Elementary | Saltville | +30.6pp |
| 5 | Richmond Community High | Richmond | +30.1pp |
| 6 | Deer Park Elementary | Newport News | +29.9pp |
| 7 | Rural Retreat High | Rural Retreat | +29.7pp |
| 8 | Mary Munford Elementary | Richmond | +28.7pp |
| 9 | Mary W. Jackson Elementary | Hampton | +28.6pp |
| 10 | Union Hall Elementary | Chatham | +28.0pp |
| 11 | Academy for Discovery at Lakewood | Norfolk | +27.0pp |
| 12 | Churchland High | Portsmouth | +26.6pp |
| 13 | Francis W. Jones Magnet Middle | Hampton | +26.6pp |
| 14 | Callaway Elementary | Callaway | +26.5pp |
| 15 | Union Primary | Big Stone Gap | +26.3pp |
Virginia Title I schools beating the odds
High-poverty schools (60%+ FRL) ranking in the top quartile of their state's proficiency.| # | School | City | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Paul Elementary | St Paul | 97.6% |
| 2 | Open High | Richmond | 96.8% |
| 3 | Rural Retreat High | Rural Retreat | 96.1% |
| 4 | Belfast Elementary | Rosedale | 94.1% |
| 5 | Watauga Elementary | Abingdon | 93.1% |
| 6 | Union Hall Elementary | Chatham | 92.8% |
| 7 | Richmond Community High | Richmond | 91.1% |
| 8 | Saltville Elementary | Saltville | 91.0% |
| 9 | Sharon Elementary | Clifton Forge | 91.0% |
| 10 | Louisa County High | Mineral | 91.0% |
| 11 | J.W. Adams Combined | Pound | 90.9% |
| 12 | Mary W. Jackson Elementary | Hampton | 90.6% |
| 13 | Callaway Elementary | Callaway | 90.6% |
| 14 | Deer Park Elementary | Newport News | 90.5% |
| 15 | Union Primary | Big Stone Gap | 89.8% |
Virginia schools by raw proficiency
The traditional ranking: highest combined math + reading proficiency on the state assessment.| # | School | City | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thomas Jefferson High for Science and Technology | Alexandria | 100.0% |
| 2 | Old Donation School | Virginia Beach | 100.0% |
| 3 | Haycock Elementary | Falls Church | 98.0% |
| 4 | St. Paul Elementary | St Paul | 97.6% |
| 5 | Sangster Elementary | Springfield | 97.5% |
| 6 | Open High | Richmond | 96.8% |
| 7 | Wolftrap Elementary | Vienna | 96.3% |
| 8 | Rural Retreat High | Rural Retreat | 96.1% |
| 9 | Colvin Run Elementary | Vienna | 96.0% |
| 10 | Mary G. Porter Traditional | Woodbridge | 95.5% |
| 11 | Williamsburg Middle | Arlington | 95.5% |
| 12 | Tuckahoe Elementary | Arlington | 95.4% |
| 13 | Navy Elementary | Fairfax | 94.8% |
| 14 | Kent Gardens Elementary | McLean | 94.5% |
| 15 | Nottingham Elementary | Arlington | 94.3% |
Virginia schools with the lowest student-teacher ratios
Schools with 200+ students reporting the fewest students per teacher. Excludes virtual.| # | School | City | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles City County High | Charles City | 6.3:1 |
| 2 | Franklin Military Academy | Richmond | 6.4:1 |
| 3 | Carver College and Career Academy | Chester | 6.5:1 |
| 4 | Virginia Hills Early Childhood Resource Center | Alexandria | 6.6:1 |
| 5 | Huntington Middle | Newport News | 7.7:1 |
| 6 | Dunn Loring Early Childhood Resource Center | Dunn Loring | 8.1:1 |
| 7 | Buford Middle | Charlottesville | 8.1:1 |
| 8 | Richmond Community High | Richmond | 8.1:1 |
| 9 | Richmond Alternative School | Richmond | 8.3:1 |
| 10 | Rocky Mount Elementary | Rocky Mount | 8.4:1 |
| 11 | Luther P. Jackson Middle | Dendron | 8.4:1 |
| 12 | Chincoteague High | Chincoteague | 8.5:1 |
| 13 | North Star Early Childhood Education Center | Stafford | 8.5:1 |
| 14 | Armstrong High | Richmond | 8.6:1 |
| 15 | Little Run Elementary | Fairfax | 8.7:1 |
Fastest-growing Virginia public schools, 2017-2024
Schools open in both years with 200+ enrollment in 2017, ranked by % change.| # | School | City | Enrollment Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meadow View Elementary | Martinsville | +127% |
| 2 | St. Paul Elementary | St Paul | +122% |
| 3 | Covington-Harper Elementary | Dumfries | +83% |
| 4 | Benjamin Franklin Middle | Rocky Mount | +82% |
| 5 | Franklin High | Franklin | +74% |
| 6 | Central Elementary | Palmyra | +66% |
| 7 | Deep Creek Middle | Chesapeake | +62% |
| 8 | Crozet Elementary | Crozet | +62% |
| 9 | Matoaca Elementary | South Chesterfield | +61% |
| 10 | Patrick Henry K-8 School | Alexandria | +59% |
| 11 | West Point Middle/High | West Point | +59% |
| 12 | Florence Bowser Elementary | Suffolk | +55% |
| 13 | Hickory Elementary | Chesapeake | +51% |
| 14 | Woodbrook Elementary | Charlottesville | +50% |
| 15 | King George Middle | King George | +50% |
Most racially diverse Virginia public schools
Schools ranked by how balanced their student body is. The largest single racial group's share of enrollment, lowest first.| # | School | City | Max group |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Halley Elementary | Fairfax Station | 25.8% Black (157) |
| 2 | Hoffman-Boston Elementary | Arlington | 25.8% White (153) |
| 3 | R.C. Longan Elementary | Richmond | 27.3% White (134) |
| 4 | John F. Pattie Sr. Elementary | Dumfries | 27.7% White (251) |
| 5 | Walker-Grant Middle | Fredericksburg | 27.8% Black (221) |
| 6 | Rising Star Early Childhood Education Center at Melchers | Fredericksburg | 28.6% Black (80) |
| 7 | Lafayette Elementary | Fredericksburg | 28.6% Black (232) |
| 8 | Sonnie Penn Elementary | Woodbridge | 28.8% Black (214) |
| 9 | Edward E. Drew Jr. Middle | Falmouth | 28.8% White (180) |
| 10 | Pennington Traditional | Manassas | 28.9% White (188) |
| 11 | Samuel W. Tucker Elementary | Alexandria | 29.0% Black (213) |
| 12 | Salem Elementary | Virginia Beach | 29.0% White (157) |
| 13 | Forest Park High | Woodbridge | 29.1% Black (681) |
| 14 | Parkside Elementary | Fredericksburg | 29.2% White (276) |
| 15 | Gunston Elementary | Lorton | 29.6% White (157) |
Largest Virginia public schools
Brick-and-mortar schools ranked by total enrollment. Virtual schools excluded.| # | School | City | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexandria City High | Alexandria | 4,655 |
| 2 | Lake Braddock Secondary | Burke | 4,411 |
| 3 | Robinson Secondary | Fairfax | 3,710 |
| 4 | Hayfield Secondary | Alexandria | 3,256 |
| 5 | Washington-Liberty High | Arlington | 3,044 |
| 6 | Charles J. Colgan Sr. High | Manassas | 2,956 |
| 7 | Chantilly High | Chantilly | 2,937 |
| 8 | Woodbridge High | Woodbridge | 2,898 |
| 9 | West Springfield High | Springfield | 2,799 |
| 10 | Westfield High | Chantilly | 2,737 |
| 11 | West Potomac High | Alexandria | 2,710 |
| 12 | Osbourn Park High | Manassas | 2,661 |
| 13 | Gainesville High | Gainesville | 2,648 |
| 14 | Wakefield High | Arlington | 2,646 |
| 15 | Oakton High | Vienna | 2,621 |
Virginia schools underperforming demographics
Bottom 10% within state by BeatsExpectations. Not a verdict, a starting question. A school may be in leadership transition or recovering from a demographic shift.| # | School | City | Beats by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R.I.S.E Academy at the John M. Langston Campus | Danville | -57.7pp |
| 2 | George W. Carver Elementary | Richmond | -42.1pp |
| 3 | Pleasants Lane Elementary | Petersburg | -40.8pp |
| 4 | Lakemont Elementary | Petersburg | -38.5pp |
| 5 | Carlin Springs Elementary | Arlington | -37.6pp |
| 6 | Ruffner School | Norfolk | -35.4pp |
| 7 | Woodville Elementary | Richmond | -34.4pp |
| 8 | Edwin A. Gibson Elementary | Danville | -33.8pp |
| 9 | Douglass Park Elementary | Portsmouth | -33.1pp |
| 10 | Cool Spring Elementary | Petersburg | -32.6pp |
| 11 | Richmond High School for the Arts | Richmond | -30.0pp |
| 12 | John Rolfe Middle | Richmond | -30.0pp |
| 13 | Bellwood Elementary | North Chesterfield | -29.9pp |
| 14 | Highland Springs Elementary | Highland Springs | -29.1pp |
| 15 | River City Middle | Richmond | -28.8pp |
About these rankings
These tables use the most recent NCES Common Core of Data (2024-25) for enrollment, demographics, and staffing, and state-native assessment data (typically 2023-24 or 2024-25) for proficiency. BeatsExpectations is computed via per-state ordinary-least-squares regression of composite proficiency on free-and-reduced-lunch share. Full methodology.
License: CC-BY 4.0. Reproduce these rankings anywhere with attribution to allk12.com. Press contact: [email protected].
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