Comprehensive guide to Virginia's education system serving 1.26 million K-12 students across 132 school divisions, 23 community colleges, and numerous universities. Virginia ranks first nationally for high school graduation rates (92.9%) and leads in educating military-connected students.
Virginia's public education system serves approximately 1,261,962 students across 2,015 schools organized into 132 school divisions. The Commonwealth is governed by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), which operates under the general supervision of the nine-member Board of Education appointed by the Governor.
Leadership Structure
Secretary of Education: Aimee Guidera (appointed by Governor)
Superintendent of Public Instruction: Lisa Coons
Board of Education: Nine members, four-year terms
Board Composition: At least two from business/industry, five from different superintendent regions
2024 Priority Areas
Early Literacy: Improving outcomes for young learners
School Safety: $12 million in security equipment grants for 433 schools
Military-Connected Students: Leading the nation in support services
Early Childhood: VQB5 Quality Profile system expansion
Enrollment Trends: Virginia's public school enrollment has declined by more than 45,000 students since 2020 due to COVID-19 impacts. Homeschool enrollment increased 40% (56,000+ students in 2024-25), while public enrollment continues below pre-pandemic levels.
🏛️ Major School Districts
Virginia's seven largest school districts serve over 630,000 students. Northern Virginia dominates with the state's largest systems, offering higher teacher salaries due to stronger tax bases.
Fairfax County Public Schools Largest
📍 Fairfax County
Enrollment: 179,858 students
Schools: 224 schools
National Rank: 9th largest in U.S.
Free/Reduced Meals: 36% eligible
Highlights: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology ranked 14th nationally
Finding Your School Division: Virginia organizes schools by superintendent regions. Use the VDOE Regional Directory to locate schools by geographic area.
📚 Standards of Learning (SOL) & Testing
Virginia's Standards of Learning establish minimum expectations for what students should know and be able to do at the end of each grade or course. SOL assessments are the main component of the Virginia Assessment Program.
Elementary & Middle School Testing (Grades 3-8)
Subjects Tested: Mathematics and Reading annually
Science Testing: Once in elementary, once in middle school
Format: Computer adaptive tests for grades 3-8 Math & Reading
Promotion: Failing SOL does not prevent grade advancement
TestNav: Secure online testing on various devices
High School Testing (Grades 9-12)
Verified Credits: Required for standard or advanced diploma
Requirements: Standard course credit + qualifying test score
Passing Score: 400-600 scale, 400+ qualifies for verified credit
Math & Reading: Annually in grades 3-8, once in high school
Science: Three times total (elementary, middle, high school)
Purpose: Ensure all students meet federal accountability standards
Special Populations: VAAP alternative assessment for eligible students with disabilities
Testing Location: All SOL tests must be taken in-person at approved school sites under secure testing conditions. Virginia Department of Education does not allow remote or at-home SOL testing.
🎓 Higher Education in Virginia
Virginia's higher education system includes 23 community colleges, prestigious public universities, and numerous private institutions serving over 235,000 community college students plus hundreds of thousands in four-year programs.
Virginia Community College System (VCCS)
Colleges: 23 individual colleges
Enrollment: 235,000+ students (2024-25)
Online Growth: 41% of students take all courses online (up from 17% in 2015-16)
Dual Enrollment: Growing number of high school students
Affordability: Most affordable pathway to bachelor's degree
Virginia employs thousands of teachers across 132 school divisions. The 2024-2025 budget includes a 3% salary increase for teachers and instructional positions, with an additional 3% increase scheduled for July 1, 2025.
💵 Teacher Salaries (2024)
Average Starting Salary: $46,250
Average Overall Salary: $63,103
2024-25 Budget Increase: 3% salary increase
2025 Increase: Additional 3% on July 1, 2025
Regional Variation: Northern Virginia districts offer higher salaries due to cost of living and tax base
Experience Impact: Higher pay for advanced degrees, National Board Certification, and years of service
📋 Certification Requirements
Bachelor's Degree: In major related to teaching subject
Teacher Preparation Program: VDOE-approved program with pedagogy coursework and student teaching
State Certification Exams:
Praxis subject assessments
Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA)
Professional License: Apply through VDOE, valid for five years and renewable
⚠️ Critical Teacher Shortage Areas (2024-25)
The Virginia Department of Education has identified 10 critical shortage teaching areas where demand exceeds supply:
Elementary Education (highest demand)
Special Education
Middle School Instruction
Health and Physical Education (new to top 10)
High School English and Science
Career and Technical Education (CTE)
Mathematics
High School History and Social Science
Foreign Languages
Other specialized areas
Note: Last summer, Virginia reduced teacher vacancy rate from 4.7% to 3.4%, but critical shortages persist in these areas.
Professional Development: Virginia offers various pathways to teaching including traditional university programs, alternative certification routes, and career switcher programs. The legislature has expanded CTE instructor pipelines and extended temporary teacher allowances.
💰 Education Funding & Budget
Virginia K-12 education is funded through a combination of federal, state, and local sources totaling $20.9 billion annually, or $16,590 per pupil. The Youngkin Administration has increased direct aid to K-12 public education by $7.3 billion since FY 2019-2020.
Per Pupil Funding Breakdown
Total Per Pupil: $16,590
Federal Funding: $2,021 per pupil ($2.55 billion total)
State Funding: $6,457 per pupil ($8.14 billion total)
Local Funding: $8,112 per pupil ($10.2 billion total)
National Comparison
National Rank - Spending: 26th nationally
National Rank - Funding: 25th nationally
State Per-Pupil Rank: 41st (between Mississippi and Missouri)
Gap vs. National Average: ~$1,900 less per student
Status: Below 50-state and regional averages
Recent Budget Increases
2024 Increase: Per-pupil spending increased from $7,881 to $8,338 (inflation-adjusted)
Teacher Salaries: 18% increase to bring to nationally competitive status
School Construction: Over $1.6 billion in grants and loans
Total Direct Aid: $22 billion over the biennium
Funding Formula Overhaul: Virginia is currently overhauling its education funding formula (Standards of Quality) to address disparities and ensure more equitable distribution of resources across school divisions.
🌟 Special Programs & Services
Special Education
Special Education Overview
Students Served: Approximately 164,000 K-12 students (13% of total enrollment)
IDEA Requirements: Annual reporting on student performance and progress
IEP/Services Plan: Every student with active plan reported in December 1 Child Count
Settings: Public schools, private placements, residential facilities, regional centers, hospitals
Data Collection: Part B Child Count by age group and disability category
Virginia public schools currently serve approximately 1,261,962 K-12 students across 2,015 schools in 132 school divisions. This represents a decline of more than 45,000 students since 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic impacts. The enrollment is projected to continue shrinking through the end of the decade at a faster rate than initially expected.
The Standards of Learning (SOL) is Virginia's standardized testing program that establishes minimum expectations for what students should know and be able to do at the end of each grade or course in core subjects. Students in grades 3-8 take annual Math and Reading tests, plus Science tests three times total (elementary, middle, high school). High school students must pass SOL tests to earn verified credits required for graduation. A score of 400-600 is considered passing, with 500+ indicating advanced proficiency.
Virginia achieved the highest high school graduation rate in the United States for the class of 2024 at 92.9%. The on-time graduation rate was nearly 90% in 2024 (with a slight dip to 88.8% in 2023). This significantly exceeds the national average of 86.4% across 46 states and Washington, D.C. Virginia uses two calculation methods: the Virginia On-Time Graduation Rate and the Federal Graduation Indicator for accountability purposes.
The average teacher salary in Virginia is $63,103 per year, with starting salaries averaging $46,250. The 2024-2025 budget includes a 3% salary increase for teachers and instructional positions, with an additional 3% increase scheduled for July 1, 2025. Since the Youngkin Administration began, Virginia has implemented an 18% increase in teacher salaries to bring them to nationally competitive status. Salaries vary significantly by region, with Northern Virginia districts offering higher pay due to cost of living and stronger tax bases.
Virginia spends $16,590 per pupil for K-12 education, totaling $20.9 billion annually. This breaks down to $2,021 per pupil from federal funding, $6,457 from state funding, and $8,112 from local funding. Virginia ranks 26th nationally in spending and 25th in funding overall, but ranks 41st for state per-pupil funding, placing it between Mississippi and Missouri. The state receives approximately $1,900 less per student than the national average.
The largest school districts in Virginia are: (1) Fairfax County Public Schools with 179,858 students and 224 schools, ranking 9th largest in the nation; (2) Prince William County Public Schools with 91,101 students and 97 schools; (3) Loudoun County Public Schools with 81,678 students and 100 schools; (4) Virginia Beach City Public Schools with 65,456 students and 87 schools; and (5) Chesterfield County Public Schools with 63,916 students and 73 schools. These five districts alone serve over 480,000 students.
Virginia has identified 10 critical shortage teaching areas for the 2024-25 school year: (1) Elementary Education (highest demand), (2) Special Education, (3) Middle School Instruction, (4) Health and Physical Education (new to top 10 this year), (5) High School English and Science, (6) Career and Technical Education (CTE), (7) Mathematics, (8) High School History and Social Science, (9) Foreign Languages, and (10) other specialized areas. While Virginia reduced its teacher vacancy rate from 4.7% to 3.4% last summer, critical shortages persist in these fields.
Just over 56,000 Virginia students were enrolled in homeschool for the 2024-25 school year, up from 53,680 in 2023-24. This represents a 40% increase from pre-pandemic levels and approximately 4% of Virginia's total student population. An additional 6,755 students received religious exemptions (a separate category from traditional homeschooling). Homeschool enrollment surged during COVID-19 when public schools closed, and thousands of families have chosen to continue homeschooling even after schools reopened.
The Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) is a state-funded program providing free quality preschool for at-risk three and four-year-olds not served by the federal Head Start program. VPI operates in 96% of eligible school divisions, with programs running a minimum of three hours per day (though 95% offer full-day programs). Eligibility varies by locality but generally includes families with income at or below federal poverty levels, children with IEPs, families experiencing homelessness, or children whose parents haven't completed high school. The 2022 state budget added $16 million for VPI with increased per-pupil rates.
Virginia has a very limited charter school sector with only seven public charter schools serving 1,278 students, making it one of the smallest charter school sectors in the nation. The Board of Education approved a revised charter school application process in July 2024 to potentially streamline approvals. Virginia's main school choice program is the Education Improvement Scholarships Tax Credits Program, established in 2012, which provides tax credits worth 65% of contributions to scholarship organizations. The program has a $25 million cap, serving approximately 8,500 students (less than 1% of Virginia's K-12 population). Eligibility requires family household income below 300% of federal poverty line (400% for special needs students).