Henrico County Public Schools expresses a divisionwide commitment to every student by communicating a vision of inclusiveness: “The right to achieve. The support to succeed.” The school division also embraces four critical cornerstones: Student Safety and Wellness, Academic Growth, Equity and Opportunity, and Relationships.

The school division has a long history of academic excellence and opportunity, and is recognized regularly as an educational leader in the Richmond area. The school system serves the families of Henrico County, Va., a diverse community of more than 320,000 which wraps west, north and east of the independent city and state capital of Richmond. Henrico is Virginia’s fifth-most populous county.

HCPS is the sixth largest public school division in Virginia, and is comprised of 72 schools and program centers. The division’s schools reflect the geographic diversity of Henrico County, and lie in bustling near-urban and suburban settings; small towns; and quiet rural areas. Click here to view a map of the school division.

Information from the Virginia Department of Education before the pandemic showed Henrico schools achieving and maintaining recent gains. All nine high schools attained Virginia’s “Level 1” status in English, math and science, meaning they met or exceeded state accreditation standards, or made significant progress. All 12 middle schools attained “Level 1” status in math, as well as in addressing absenteeism. In the period since 2014-15, the school division has cut from 28 to eight the number of schools designated as not accredited or conditionally accredited. 

The division has robust programs and support services for families of students with special needs; gifted students; homebound and homeschooled students; and students learning English as a second language.

Each of the division’s high schools is state-accredited and hosts an academic specialty center. The specialty centers allow students with clear interests the chance to focus on a preferred area, such as engineering, the arts or world languages. The 2022-23 school year will add two more compelling options for students: the Center for Environmental Studies and Sustainability at Varina High School, and the Center for Allied Health and Human Services at Hermitage High School.