Nelson County schools enrolled 1,441 students in the 2025-26 school year, 3.5% fewer than the previous year, according to the Virginia Department of Education.
In terms of gender distribution, the student body in Nelson County was 51.1% boys and 48.9% girls.
Data showed that white students made up 69.3% of the student body, the largest share in Nelson County schools, followed by Hispanic students at 15.1%, Black or African American students at 10.8% and Asian students at 0.3%.
Nelson County High School had the highest enrollment among the county’s four schools in the 2025-26 school year, with 478 students.
Virginia public schools have an average student-to-teacher ratio of 14:1, compared with the national average of 15:1, according to Public School Review. Minority students, primarily Hispanic and Black, make up 56% of the enrollment, while white students account for 44%.
| School name | Total enrollment in 2024-25 | Total enrollment in 2025-26 | % change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson County High School | 486 | 478 | -1.6% |
| Nelson Middle School | 329 | 322 | -2.1% |
| Rockfish River Elementary School | 318 | 305 | -4.1% |
| Tye River Elementary School | 360 | 336 | -6.7% |
