Public + private high schools, every state.
Browse by state: AKALARAZCACOCTDCDEFLGAGUHIIAIDILINKSKYLAMAMDMEMIMNMOMSMTNCNDNENHNJNMNVNYOHOKORPAPRRISCSDTNTXUTVAVIVTWAWIWVWY
621
high schools (public + private)
356
public (146 districts)
265
private (NCES PSS)
97,187
public grade‑12 students (seniors, latest year)

VA public HS enrollment trend

Across the 393,921 students enrolled in VA brick-and-mortar public high schools in 2021, the state grew +0.4% by 2024 (395,410 students, +1,489 net). That's the demographic tide every individual school is fighting or riding.

Charter share of public HS enrollment (latest year): 0.1% (582 of 395,410 students). Virtual / nonclassroom-based schools excluded.

State context · NAEP 2024

How does VA compare nationally?

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only test given the same way to students in every state — making it the benchmark for state-to-state academic comparison. Below, this state's 8th-grade averages and where it sits on the 50-state distribution.

8th-grade math
276
+3 vs national avg (273)
8th-grade reading
262
+2 vs national avg (260)
national avg VA Math → Reading → 260 290 245 275

Each dot is one state's 2024 NAEP 8th-grade averages. VA is highlighted in gold. Dashed lines mark national averages — being upper-right of both = above national in both subjects. Source: NAEP State Snapshot Reports. NAEP doesn't produce per-school scores — this is state-level context.

Where the students are

Top 10 cities by public-HS enrollment

Virginia Beach 12 HS 20,270
Richmond 16 HS 17,072
Alexandria 7 HS 16,083
Chesapeake 7 HS 13,163
Woodbridge 5 HS 11,866
Midlothian 5 HS 10,375
Manassas 4 HS 9,942
Fredericksburg 6 HS 9,634
Ashburn 5 HS 8,780
Stafford 4 HS 8,536

School-size distribution

Public, classroom-based · grades 9–12, latest year

Fastest-growing high schools
public, classroom-based · grade 9–12 · 2021→2024
Gainesville High
Prince William County Public Schools
1,371→2,630 +91.8%
Lightridge High
Loudoun County Public Schools
1,263→2,030 +60.7%
Alleghany High
Alleghany Highlands Public Schools
582→818 +40.5%
Carver College and Career Academy
Chesterfield County Public Schools
210→272 +29.5%
Washington-Liberty High
Arlington County Public Schools
2,549→3,044 +19.4%
John Marshall High
Richmond City Public Schools
542→645 +19.0%
Independence High
Loudoun County Public Schools
1,825→2,166 +18.7%
Charlottesville High
Charlottesville City Public Schools
1,212→1,438 +18.6%
Petersburg High
Petersburg City Public Schools
1,027→1,215 +18.3%
Lloyd C. Bird High
Chesterfield County Public Schools
1,820→2,131 +17.1%
Fastest-shrinking high schools
public, classroom-based · grade 9–12 · 2021→2024
Harrisonburg High
Harrisonburg City Public Schools
1,923→998 -48.1%
Radford High
Radford City Public Schools
829→506 -39.0%
Narrows High
Giles County Public Schools
303→243 -19.8%
Battlefield High
Prince William County Public Schools
2,555→2,063 -19.3%
Richlands High
Tazewell County Public Schools
680→557 -18.1%
Thomas Jefferson High
Richmond City Public Schools
908→749 -17.5%
Bland County High
Bland County Public Schools
264→218 -17.4%
Unity Reed High
Prince William County Public Schools
2,452→2,042 -16.7%
Norview High
Norfolk City Public Schools
1,889→1,585 -16.1%
Northwood High
Smyth County Public Schools
242→204 -15.7%

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