schoolsbycounty

Caroline County Schools & Education

School Score

33/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

88.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

88.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 89.0%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,580

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,941

School Score

33/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 54/100

State Score Position

#121

of 127 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Caroline County

Measured School Summary

Caroline County faces educational challenges with a school score of 33/100 and a graduation rate of 88.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,580 per pupil, Caroline County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 38% below the Virginia average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 17% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Caroline County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

5 public schools and 1 district are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

33/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #121 of 127 Virginia counties with school score data.

Completion

88.0%

1.0 pts below the state average

Funding context

$6,580

$1,361 below the state average

School coverage

5

1 district represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Caroline County has 5 public schools across 1 district, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Caroline County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Small-system county

Caroline County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.

State position

#121

of 127 Virginia counties with school score data. The county score is 21 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Caroline County Public Schools

Elementary to high school visible

4,337 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 1Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Caroline County Public Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 5 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Caroline County?

Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Caroline County, Virginia

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Efficient Education Across Caroline County

Caroline County operates five public schools that serve a total student body of 4,337. The infrastructure includes three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school, all managed by a single district. This concentrated setup allows for large, centralized campuses that serve the entire county population.

A Single District Serving All Students

Caroline County Public Schools manages the entire local education landscape with no charter school competition. The district serves 4,337 students, focusing heavily on a traditional K-12 pathway. Caroline High School stands as the largest single institution, housing over 1,200 students on its campus.

Rural Roots with Large Campus Sizes

While four of the five schools are in rural settings, they maintain a high average enrollment of 867 students per school. Caroline High leads the county with 1,251 students, while Madison Elementary provides a more mid-sized experience with 466 students. This structure combines the feel of a rural community with the resources of a large-scale school environment.

School Overview

Total Schools

5

in Caroline County

Reported Enrollment

4,337

5 schools reporting

School Districts

1

district

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary3
Middle1
High1
Other0

1 School District in Caroline County

Caroline County Public Schools

Guide
5 schools
4,337 students enrolled
Open district guide

5 Public Schools in Caroline County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 2 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 5 of 5 matching schools

CAROLINE HIGH

Caroline County Public Schools

Milford, 22514 / Rural: Distant

Profile9–12High1,251 students

CAROLINE MIDDLE

Caroline County Public Schools

Milford, 22514 / Rural: Distant

Profile6–8Middle973 students

Lewis and Clark Elementary

Caroline County Public Schools

Ruther Glen, 22546 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary890 students

Bowling Green Elementary

Caroline County Public Schools

Milford, 22514 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary757 students

Madison Elementary

Caroline County Public Schools

Ruther Glen, 22546 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary466 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,580

State avg $7,941

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Caroline County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which Virginia counties have the highest graduation rates?
Alleghany County (97.0%), Clarke County (97.0%), and Falls Church city (97.0%) currently lead Virginia among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Virginia?
Across Virginia counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,941. The highest current county values are Surry County ($12,490), Highland County ($12,429), and Arlington County ($11,425). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Caroline County?
Caroline County has a school score of 33/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Caroline County?
The high school graduation rate in Caroline County is 88.0%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Caroline County spend per student?
Caroline County spends $6,580 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Caroline County, Virginia — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Caroline County, Virginia?

Caroline County operates five public schools that serve a total student body of 4,337. The infrastructure includes three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school, all managed by a single district. This concentrated setup allows for large, centralized campuses that serve the entire county population.

What are the major school districts in Caroline County, Virginia?

Caroline County Public Schools manages the entire local education landscape with no charter school competition. The district serves 4,337 students, focusing heavily on a traditional K-12 pathway. Caroline High School stands as the largest single institution, housing over 1,200 students on its campus.

What is the school experience like in Caroline County?

While four of the five schools are in rural settings, they maintain a high average enrollment of 867 students per school. Caroline High leads the county with 1,251 students, while Madison Elementary provides a more mid-sized experience with 466 students. This structure combines the feel of a rural community with the resources of a large-scale school environment.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.