Public schools in Petersburg, VA
11 open public schools with an address in Petersburg, operated by 5 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
11
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
4,582
7 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
14.6:1
Virginia median 13.7:1
Charter schools
0
1 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Petersburg public schools
The federal directory lists 11 public schools in Petersburg, VA: 4 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high, 5 combined or other. The 7 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 4,582 students, an average of 655 per school. The largest campus is Petersburg High (1,215 students), and the largest elementary school is Walnut Hill Elementary (574).
Petersburg City Public Schools operates the most schools here (7), plus 4 charter, service, or other agencies. 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 14.6:1, 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 1 magnet school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 2 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 2 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 92% 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 Petersburg
Petersburg City Public Schools
Public school district
7 schools in Petersburg
Appomattox Regional Governor's School
Specialized public school district
1 school in Petersburg
Central State Hospital
State operated agency
1 school in Petersburg
Petersburg Regional Alternative
Specialized public school district
1 school in Petersburg
Southside Virginia Training Center
State operated agency
1 school in Petersburg
Elementary schools in Petersburg
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cool Spring Elementary Petersburg City Public Schools | KG–05 | 540 | 14.6:1 | |
| Lakemont Elementary Petersburg City Public Schools | KG–05 | 393 | 11.9:1 | |
| Pleasants Lane Elementary Petersburg City Public Schools | KG–05 | 493 | 12.6:1 | |
| Walnut Hill Elementary Petersburg City Public Schools | KG–05 | 574 | 14.4:1 |
Middle schools in Petersburg
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon Johns Middle Petersburg City Public Schools | 06–08 | 949 | 15.6:1 |
High schools in Petersburg
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petersburg High Petersburg City Public Schools | 09–12 | 1,215 | 16:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Petersburg
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appomattox Regional Governor's School Appomattox Regional Governor's School · Magnet | Not reported | — | — | |
| Central St. Hosp. Ed. Pr. Central State Hospital · Special Education School | PK–12 | — | — | |
| Petersburg Regional Alternative Petersburg Regional Alternative · Alternative School | Not reported | — | — | |
| Southside Va Training Ctr Southside Virginia Training Center · Special Education School | PK–12 | — | — | |
| Westview Early Childhood Education Center Petersburg City Public Schools | PK–PK | 418 | 14.9:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White4.1%
- Hispanic12.3%
- Black81.7%
- Asian0.5%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial1%
Enrollment-weighted across 7 Petersburg schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (4,582 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Petersburg
How many public schools are in Petersburg, VA?
The current NCES directory lists 11 open public schools with a location address in Petersburg: 4 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high, 5 combined or other. Together they reported 4,582 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Petersburg?
Schools with an address in Petersburg belong to 5 education agencies, led by Petersburg City Public Schools (7 schools), Appomattox Regional Governor's School (1 school), Central State Hospital (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Petersburg?
Petersburg High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Petersburg, with 1,215 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Petersburg?
No school with an address in Petersburg 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 Petersburg schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Petersburg public schools is 14.6:1, 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 Petersburg 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