Virginia is the birthplace of eight Presidents, which is more than any other state in the country. Clearly, these school districts have the results to back up their hard work.

Fairfax County Public Schools earn top spot in Virginia. This district is the 10th largest by student body size in the entire country. Students have opportunities for advanced placement classes to challenge themselves and 89% of graduates end up seeking higher education.

In 2nd place is Prince William County Public Schools. Students in this district have unique access to specialized programs and academies including The Biotechnology Center, The Center for Fine and Performing Arts, The Center for Information Technology, and more.

Loudoun County Public Schools takes 3rd place. This is the fastest growing school district in Virginia and students have achieved impressive results in this district. ACT exam scores are 5 points higher than the national average and 2 points higher than the state average. 95% of Loudoun county students graduate on-time, and about 80% continue their education after high school.

In 4th place is Virginia Beach City Public Schools. This district offers students a wide array of programs and academies including a STEM and Technology Academy, a Health Sciences Academy, a Legal Studies Academy, and a Visual and Performing Arts Academy.

Rounding out the top 5 is Chesterfield County Public Schools. This district includes two Governor’s schools, a number of specialty programs to prepare students for college or work, and high performing test scores across the board.

Top School Districts in Virginia, 2019

Methodology

The following contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, teacher quality, school funding, student to teacher ratio, standardized test results (reading and math; the percentage of students scoring at or above state proficiency level). Data from a total of 10,728 school districts had sufficient values for the variables above.