A group of diverse school children interact with gadgets in an elementary robotics class.

K-12 Education

Creating Space for Exploration

Public and private schools in Fairfax NOVA consistently rank as top K-12 institutions in the country. Students here join diverse student bodies and small class sizes to learn how to be leaders in their communities and around the world.

Experiential learning programs, internships, top-ranked athletics, fine arts programs and Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs are all available for students to find and pursue their passions. Graduates of Northern Virginia schools go on to prestigious colleges and universities, many receiving scholarships thanks to their performance in rigorous program offerings.

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Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)

Shaping young minds isn’t just a day-job at FCPS — it’s a steadfast commitment. With 199 schools, FCPS is one of the largest school divisions in the country and one of the largest employers in Virginia.

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Fast Facts

#1

State for Public Schools in the Nation (Virginia)

CNBC
#1

High School in Virginia (Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology)

U.S. News & World Report, 2023
#3

Best Elementary School in Virginia (Poplar Tree Elementary)

U.S. News & World Report, 2024

Public Education in Northern Virginia

A young schoolboy uses his laptop while sharing a table with his classmates in a classroom.

In 2022, U.S. News & World Report found that eight out of the top ten public high schools in Virginia are in Fairfax NOVA, including Fairfax County Public Schools  — the 12th largest district in the nation. The school district’s Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, established through a partnership between Fairfax County Public Schools and private industry STEM leaders, is ranked #1 in Virginia and 14th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

Championing diversity, Alexandria City Public Schools enrolls 15,000 K-12 students hailing from 120 countries and speaking more than 120 languages. It ranks as the nation’s twelfth most diverse school district according to Niche.  Arlington Public Schools’  student population of 28,000 is also one of the nation’s most diverse, with over 150 countries and 110 languages represented across the district.

Other public districts in Northern Virginia also rank highly in academics and athletics, including Falls Church City Public Schools, Loudoun County Public Schools, Manassas Park City Public Schools, and Prince William County Public Schools.

Private Education in Northern Virginia

A group of young schoolkids collaborate at a classroom table with their teachers in the background.

Fairfax NOVA is home to some of the best elementary schools in Northern Virginia, not to mention the state. Niche’s 2024 ranking of the best private schools in Virginia found the top four to all be in the Fairfax NOVA region. Students discover and define their futures in Fairfax NOVA. Teacher engagement and student success are central at the No. 4-ranked Episcopal High School in Alexandria — where the average class size is 11 and each teacher has three seated meals with students every week. Every senior works, conducts research, or pursues a creative project during an on-site externship and alumni have gone on to be Rhodes Scholars, Pulitzer Prize winners and governors.

The Potomac School’s graduates from the 2018-2023 classes can be found at every single Ivy League institution.

Madeira, an all-girls private boarding and day school in Fairfax County, and Basis Independent McLean, a co-ed school in Fairfax County where 44 percent of teachers hold advanced degrees, round out Niche’s top 4.