School district or education agency · NCES 5103300

Roanoke City Public Schools

Roanoke, VA

District overview See comparisons

Students13,582

Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.

Schools26

operational schools · 2023–24

Students13,582

students in linked records

Latest attendance year2022–23

federal comparable series

Latest finance record$18,406

per student

District, state and country

How does this district compare?

State and national figures use the same measure and reporting period. They are weighted by students or staffing whenever the source provides a denominator.

MeasureDistrictVAUnited States

Academic standing2024

22nd percentile45th percentile44th percentile

This district is 23 percentile points lower than the state figure and 22 percentile points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students chronically absent2022–23

26.6%19.1%27.8%

This district is 7.5 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.2 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Revenue per studentFY 2023

$21,961$18,290$19,509

This district is $3,671 per student higher than the state figure and $2,452 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Spending per studentFY 2023

$18,406$16,097$15,859

This district is $2,309 per student higher than the state figure and $2,547 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Capital outlay per studentFY 2023

$2,193$1,541$1,964

This district is $652 per student higher than the state figure and $229 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Equipment spending per studentFY 2023

$398$422$336

This district is $24 per student lower than the state figure and $62 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Special-education spending per studentFY 2023

$2,917$2,392$1,793

This district is $525 per student higher than the state figure and $1,124 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Salaries per studentFY 2023

$9,632$9,765$8,742

This district is $133 per student lower than the state figure and $890 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Benefits per studentFY 2023

$4,340$3,940$3,769

This district is $400 per student higher than the state figure and $571 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023

$3,699$6,935$11,715

This district is $3,236 per student lower than the state figure and $8,016 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Debt retired per studentFY 2023

$691$596$869

This district is $95 per student higher than the state figure and $178 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Students per teacher2023–24

13:113:115:1

This district is about the same as the state figure and 2.0 students per teacher lower than the U.S. figure.

Students per counselor2023–24

254:1288:1376:1

This district is 34 students per counselor lower than the state figure and 122 students per counselor lower than the U.S. figure.

District staff per 1,000 students2023–24

178.2164.9138.9

This district is 13.3 staff per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 39.3 staff per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.

Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24

35.823.118.5

This district is 12.7 aides per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 17.3 aides per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.

School psychologists per 1,000 students2023–24

0.90.90.9

This district is about the same as the state figure and about the same as the U.S. figure.

Regular diplomas among completers2023–24

99.9%98.8%99.0%

This district is 1.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.9 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–122023–24

5.1%1.9%2.6%

This district is 3.2 percentage points higher than the state figure and 2.5 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Pre-K students as a share of enrollment2023–24

4.0%2.8%2.9%

This district is 1.2 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.1 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schools

11.4%11.2%12.0%

This district is 0.2 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.6 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schools

15.6%13.3%14.0%

This district is 2.3 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.6 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · reporting schools

2.0%3.2%3.9%

This district is 1.1 percentage points lower than the state figure and 1.9 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schools

92.5%93.1%95.8%

This district is 0.6 percentage points lower than the state figure and 3.3 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24

-0.8%+1.2%+0.5%

This district is 2.0 percentage points lower than the state figure and 1.3 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals2021–22 · valid district records

91.8%45.9%50.6%

This district is 45.9 percentage points higher than the state figure and 41.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students without disabilities2021–22 · matched enrollment

11.4%4.9%4.5%

This district is 6.5 percentage points higher than the state figure and 6.9 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · matched enrollment

16.3%10.6%9.0%

This district is 5.7 percentage points higher than the state figure and 7.3 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · matched enrollment

26.2%9.4%6.7%

This district is 16.8 percentage points higher than the state figure and 19.5 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students enrolled in district distance education2021–22 · matched enrollment

4.7%4.8%5.1%

This district is 0.1 percentage points lower than the state figure and 0.4 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimate

22.1%11.0%14.4%

This district is 11.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 7.7 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment · 2023–24

Who attends this district?

Pre-K548 students

4.0%

Kindergarten–grade 56,212 students

45.7%

Grades 6–82,897 students

21.3%

Grades 9–123,925 students

28.9%

See enrollment for every grade

Pre-Kindergarten548

Kindergarten1,011

Grade 1988

Grade 21,063

Grade 31,059

Grade 41,052

Grade 51,039

Grade 6987

Grade 7949

Grade 8961

Grade 91,167

Grade 101,091

Grade 11882

Grade 12785

Students by race and ethnicity

Black or African American5,339 (39.3%)

White4,033 (29.7%)

Hispanic/Latino2,811 (20.7%)

Two or more races882 (6.5%)

Asian464 (3.4%)

American Indian or Alaska Native37 (0.3%)

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander16 (0.1%)

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership file, 2023–24. Suppressed or missing cells are not estimated.

Early learning · 2023–24

How much public pre-K is reported?

548Students enrolled in pre-K

Pre-K students as a share of district enrollment

District4.0%

VA2.8%

United States2.9%

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2023–24. Enrollment shows children attending district-run public pre-K. It does not show open seats, waitlists, private providers, program hours, eligibility or the cost to families.

Current staffing · 2023–24

How many staff members support students?

2,420.8All district staff, full-time equivalent

1,065.9Teachers, full-time equivalent

53.4School counselors, full-time equivalent

12.7School psychologists, full-time equivalent

486.8Instructional aides, full-time equivalent

25Librarians and media specialists, full-time equivalent

69School administrators, full-time equivalent

See detailed staffing

Kindergarten teachers62.3 FTE

Elementary teachers490.7 FTE

Secondary teachers512.9 FTE

Elementary school counselors22.8 FTE

Secondary school counselors30.6 FTE

Instructional coordinators99.5 FTE

District administrators58.7 FTE

District administrative support36.5 FTE

School administrative support63.5 FTE

Library and media support11 FTE

Final NCES Common Core of Data staff file, 2023–24. These are full-time-equivalent positions, not employee headcounts, vacancies or caseloads.

High-school outcomes · 2023–24

How many students completed school or dropped out?

890Total completers

889Regular diplomas

1Other state-recognized credentials

200Reported dropouts, grades 9–12

Regular diplomas among completers

District99.9%

VA98.8%

United States99.0%

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–12

District5.1%

VA1.9%

United States2.6%

Final NCES Common Core of Data completer and dropout files, 2023–24. The dropout rate divides the reported annual grades 9–12 dropout count by complete grades 9–12 enrollment. It is not a cohort graduation rate. The diploma share describes credentials among completers and should not be read as a graduation rate.

Graduation · 2022–23

How many students graduated within four years?

Loading the district's official graduation record…

Learning support · 2021–22 federal snapshot

How many students may need specialized support?

Counts and shares use only schools with a usable value for that measure. The reporting-school denominator prevents missing schools from being counted as zero.

11.4%Students learning English1,495 students · 25 of 26 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District11.4%

VA11.2%

U.S.12.0%

15.6%Students receiving IDEA special-education services2,051 students · 26 of 26 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District15.6%

VA13.3%

U.S.14.0%

2.0%Students with Section 504 plans265 students · 26 of 26 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District2.0%

VA3.2%

U.S.3.9%

1.0%English learners also receiving IDEA services135 students · 26 of 26 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District1.0%

VA1.7%

U.S.1.7%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Public-use counts are privacy-protected. These figures describe the reporting year, not current enrollment, diagnoses, service quality or unmet need.

Teacher quality and early learning · 2021–22

What did the district report about teachers and preschool?

92.5%Teachers reported as certified

578Children ages 3–5 in district preschool

Teacher certification comparison

District92.5%

VA93.1%

United States95.8%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Certification status is district-reported and may not match current staffing. Preschool counts cover the federal reporting year and are not a measure of available seats.

Community context · 2024

How many school-age children live in poverty?

This Census estimate provides context about families in the district. It does not measure school quality or describe every student enrolled in the district.

15,596children ages 5 to 17

3,441estimated to live in families below the poverty line

22.1%about 1 in 5 school-age children

District22.1%

VA11.0%

United States14.4%

U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. The estimate covers related children ages 5 to 17 in families in poverty and uses 2024–25 district boundaries.

District geography · 2024–25

What area does this district cover?

NCES publishes a geographic boundary for traditional school districts. Charter agencies and some special-purpose agencies may not have one.

Loading the official district boundary…

Source: NCES EDGE School District Boundaries, school year 2024–25.

Comparable districts

Districts serving a similar student population

These peers are matched using enrollment and available student population measures. Districts in VA receive geographic preference, but a closer national match may appear when it is more comparable. Open any profile for a full comparison.

Portsmouth City Public SchoolsPortsmouth, VA13,161 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Albemarle County Public SchoolsCharlottesville, VA13,808 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Roanoke County Public SchoolsRoanoke, VA13,799 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Frederick County Public SchoolsWinchester, VA14,172 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Suffolk City Public SchoolsSuffolk, VA14,520 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →

District makeup

What kinds of schools are in the district?

5Middle schools

17Elementary schools

2Not applicable schools

2High schools

26City setting

2Alternative schools

School levels, settings and types use the NCES 2021–22 directory matched to the federal civil-rights collection.

District finances

How is the district funded, and how does it spend?

Sources of funds

Where the money comes from

Share of district revenue supplied by each level of government.

22%Federal

44.5%State

33.5%Local

Uses of funds

Where the money goes

Annual spending for each enrolled student.

$18,406Total current spending per student

$10,704Instruction per student

$6,874Support services per student

Revenue by source: percentages and dollars

$65.7MFederal revenue22% of total revenue

$132.8MState revenue44.5% of total revenue

$100.1MLocal revenue33.5% of total revenue

How operating money was used

$10,704Instructionper student

$6,874Student and instructional supportper student

$2,917Special educationper student

$2,035Building operations and maintenanceper student

$942Student transportationper student

$827Food servicesper student

$886Technologyper student

People costs

$131MSalaries$9,632 per student

$59MEmployee benefits$4,340 per student

Equipment, buildings and debt

$5.4MEquipmentFY 2023

$29.8MCapital outlay$2,193 per student

$24.4MConstructionincluded in capital outlay

$50.3MDebt outstanding at year end$3,699 per student

$0New debt issuedFY 2023

$9.4MDebt principal retiredFY 2023

$3.3MInterest paid on debtFY 2023

Selected federal program revenue

$8.5MTitle I$629 per student

$5MIDEA special education$366 per student

$415KCareer and technical education$31 per student

$11.1MChild nutrition$814 per student

What changed since FY 2022

Operating spending per student

FY 2022$15,299

FY 2023$18,406

Capital spending per student

FY 2022$2,111

FY 2023$2,193

Debt outstanding per student

FY 2022$4,362

FY 2023$3,699

Revenue shares and spending categories answer different questions and should not be added together. Source: NCES F-33 district finance, FY 2023.

Attendance

How has chronic absence changed?

2020–2128.4%

3,749 of 13,217 students

2021–2226.8%

3,521 of 13,144 students

2022–2326.6%

3,463 of 13,033 students

Specialized support and security · 2021–22

What specialized roles were reported?

11.6Sworn law-enforcement officer FTE26 reporting schools

16.6Security staff FTE26 reporting schools

Staffing is reported as full-time equivalents in the 2021–22 CRDC collection.

Learning opportunities

What do district schools offer?

Algebra I4 reporting schools

Calculus4 reporting schools

Biology4 reporting schools

Chemistry4 reporting schools

Physics4 reporting schools

Computer science4 reporting schools

Advanced Placement4 reporting schools

Dual enrollment4 reporting schools

Gifted programs26 reporting schools

International Baccalaureate4 reporting schools

Athletics4 reporting schools

Shares use only schools for which the program was applicable and reported. A districtwide percentage does not guarantee availability at every grade or campus. Source: 2021–22 CRDC.

Safety and discipline

What was reported across district schools?

1,575Out-of-school suspensions26 reporting schoolsSee schools →995In-school suspensions26 reporting schoolsSee schools →85Law-enforcement referrals26 reporting schoolsSee schools →0School-related arrests26 reporting schoolsSee schools →

Counts are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Open a measure to see the schools behind the district total.

Technology and safety · 2021–22

What access and incident data is available?

100%Schools reporting Wi-Fi26 reporting schools

100%Schools reporting fiber26 reporting schools

0Student devices reported26 reporting schools

Technology and incident figures are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Device counts describe the reporting year, not current inventory.

Six questions parents ask

What the available data says

Each answer shows its reporting year and opens a deeper comparison. Missing and suppressed results are never shown as zero.

Are students making academic progress?4 years of resultsLatest research estimate: 2024Explore and compare →Are students missing too much school?26.6% chronically absent2022–23 · 13,033 students measuredExplore and compare →Is the district improving?Declined overallCompare the earliest and latest available yearsExplore and compare →Where are student-group gaps largest?No comparable group resultSuppressed or unavailableExplore and compare →How much does the district spend?$18,406current spending per studentExplore and compare →Does the district have enough support staff?254:1 counselor ratioStudents per counselor in the 2023–24 federal staffing fileExplore and compare →

Data status

8 of 8 national data layers are matched to this NCES district ID. Identity and school counts use NCES records. Academic estimates use SEDA, attendance uses EDFacts, finance uses NCES F-33, staffing and enrollment use 2023–24 NCES CCD where available, teacher certification, preschool and policy fields use the 2021–22 CRDC, and community poverty context uses Census SAIPE. Four-year graduation rates use 2022–23 EDFacts. Every detailed view preserves its reporting year.

See all sources →