Public schools in Gainesville, VA
7 open public schools with an address in Gainesville, operated by 1 education agency. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
7
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
6,959
6 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
17.3:1
Virginia median 13.7:1
Charter schools
0
3 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Gainesville public schools
The federal directory lists 7 public schools in Gainesville, VA: 3 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high, 1 combined or other. The 6 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 6,959 students, an average of 1,160 per school. The largest campus is Gainesville High (2,648 students), and the largest elementary school is Buckland Mills Elementary (735).
Every listed school belongs to Prince William County Public Schools. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 17.3:1, higher than the statewide school median of 13.7:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 3 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
About 32% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Gainesville
Elementary schools in Gainesville
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckland Mills Elementary Prince William County Public Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 735 | 17.8:1 | |
| George G. Tyler Elementary Prince William County Public Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 490 | 18.6:1 | |
| Glenkirk Elementary Prince William County Public Schools | PK–05 | 554 | 17.7:1 |
Middle schools in Gainesville
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bull Run Middle Prince William County Public Schools | 06–08 | 1,129 | 15.5:1 | |
| Gainesville Middle Prince William County Public Schools | 06–08 | 1,403 | 15.9:1 |
High schools in Gainesville
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville High Prince William County Public Schools · Magnet | 09–12 | 2,648 | 16.8:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Gainesville
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pace West Prince William County Public Schools · Special Education School | Not reported | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White41.9%
- Hispanic18.1%
- Black12.4%
- Asian19.5%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial7.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 6 Gainesville schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (6,959 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Gainesville
How many public schools are in Gainesville, VA?
The current NCES directory lists 7 open public schools with a location address in Gainesville: 3 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 6,959 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Gainesville?
All listed public schools with an address in Gainesville belong to Prince William County Public Schools. Mailing cities do not always match district boundaries, so confirm the district for a specific home address.
What is the largest public high school in Gainesville?
Gainesville High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Gainesville, with 2,648 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Gainesville?
No school with an address in Gainesville is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Virginia.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Gainesville schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Gainesville public schools is 17.3:1, higher than the Virginia school median of 13.7:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Gainesville guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Virginia cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Virginia cities