These Are The Best School Districts In Virginia, New Ranking Says

VIRGINIA — Falls Church City Public Schools has again been ranked as the best in Virginia in Niche’s 2025 Best Schools and Districts rankings released Monday.

The Virginia district was among first among Virginia school districts that earned a mention in Niche’s ranking of more than 11,000 school districts nationwide.

Niche says its rankings are intended to help families become familiar with schools and neighborhoods. The platform used user reviews from students, alumni and parents as well as data from the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate teachers, resources, facilities and more.

Niche gave the top-ranked FCCPS a letter grade of A+. Grades in specific categories were:

• Academics: A+
• Teachers: A
• Clubs and activities: A-
• Diversity: B-
• College prep: A+
• Administration: B-
• Sports: A-
• Resources and facilities: A-
• Food: C+

The school district, which has over 2,400 students in five schools, received high marks from students, parents and teachers.

"The teachers are dedicated to creating a supportive learning environment, ensuring that students thrive academically," a former high school senior wrote in a review. "Given that Falls Church City is small, the strong sense of community is a highlight as a resident since elementary school. There are highly engaged parents and diverse extracurricular activities.

On the other hand, the student said there was a need for better communication and more transparent decision-making.

"Overall I've had a great experience at Meridian, the administration and teachers care for the students and have their best interests at heart," another former senior shared. "Many classes are challenging but you will be supported and it will set you up for college. Sometimes there are problems with communication between students and admin but it is generally figured out after a couple weeks."

For more information, read the full report on Falls Church City Public Schools.

The top 25 school districts in Virginia and the letter grades assigned by Niche include:

1. Falls Church City Public Schools: A+

2. Arlington Public Schools: A+

3. York County School Division: A+

4. Loudoun County Public Schools: A

5. Virginia Beach City Public Schools: A

6. Fairfax County Public Schools: A

7. Louisa County Public Schools: A

8. Albemarle County Public Schools: A

9. Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools: A

10. Norton City Public Schools: A

11. Roanoke County Public Schools: A

12. Goochland County Public Schools: A-

13. Chesapeake Public Schools: A-

14. Prince William County Public Schools: A-

15. Pittsylvania County Public Schools: A-

16. Wise County Public Schools: A-

17. Hanover County Public Schools: A-

18. Montgomery County Public Schools: A-

19. Salem City Schools: A-

20. Charlotte County Public Schools: A-

21. Patrick County Public Schools: A-

22. Powhatan County Public Schools: A-

23. West Point Public Schools: A-

24. Colonial Heights City Public Schools: A-

25. Botetourt County Public Schools: A-

The top five school districts nationwide are concentrated in two states, Illinois and New York. They are:

1. Adlai E. Stevenson High School District 125 (Illinois)
2. Glenbrook High School District 225 (Illinois)
3. Evanston Township High School District 202 (Illinois)
4. East Williston Union Free School District (New York)
5. Syosset Central School District (New York)

The rankings differ from others that rely almost exclusively on test scores and academic performance in that it also includes input from students, alumni and parents, as well as quantitative data from sources such as the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate teachers, resources and facilities.