Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 63 schools in district

CARVER COLLEGE AND CAREER ACADEMY

12400 Branders Bridge Road, Chester, VA 23831Chesterfield County Public Schools →
Federal DataAlternative Education SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
249
Students
Total enrolled
42%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 51% vs nat'l
$13,693
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
6.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 59% vs nat'l
44/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 11% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 249 students in grades 09–12 in Chester, Virginia.
Near-average funding
District spends $13,693 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 44th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

CARVER COLLEGE AND CAREER ACADEMY is a mid-sized high in Chester, Virginia, serving grades 09–12 with 249 students. The district invests $13,693 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 6.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 82% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. The 42% graduation rate is below the national average of 87%, a data point worth exploring further during a school visit.

Student Body & Demographics at CARVER COLLEGE AND CAREER ACADEMY

249
Total Students
6.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
82%
Free Lunch
39
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution142 male · 107 female
57%
43%
Male 57%Female 43%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility82%
National avg 52% · 204 students
Student Composition
30%
19%
44%
White30%
Hispanic / Latino19%
Black44%
Multiracial7%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 510084001605

Academic Outcomes at CARVER COLLEGE AND CAREER ACADEMY

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
40-44
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
42%
State avg
87%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
44
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 44th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 54th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 23831

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,693Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,693
State avg
$16,302
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,025
Student Support$2,602
Administration$1,643
Operations$2,054
Other$1,369
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,693 spent per student, an estimated $6,066 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
47%
43%
State government
47.1%
Local (property tax)
42.8%
Federal programs
10.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 6.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 42% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
  • 82% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Old Hundred ElementaryBeulah ElementarySpring Run ElementaryJ.A. Chalkley Elementary
+4 more
↓
Middle
TOMAHAWK CREEK MIDDLEBAILEY BRIDGE MIDDLEFALLING CREEK MIDDLEMIDLOTHIAN MIDDLE
+8 more
↓
High School
THOMAS DALE HIGHCOSBY HIGHMANCHESTER HIGHMIDLOTHIAN HIGH
+6 more
School Profile
TypeAlternative Education School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyChesterfield County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictChesterfield County Public Schools →
Phone: (804)768-6156
NCES ID: 510084001605
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Chester seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Chesterfield County Public Schools
High
THOMAS DALE HIGH
2,556 students · 09–12
● 44 opp41% FRL
High
COSBY HIGH
2,385 students · 09–12
14% FRL
High
MANCHESTER HIGH
2,188 students · 09–12
37% FRL
High
MIDLOTHIAN HIGH
2,041 students · 09–12
● 49 opp14% FRL
High
MEADOWBROOK HIGH
2,033 students · 09–12
● 28 opp79% FRL
High
Lloyd C. Bird High
2,031 students · 09–12
● 44 opp79% FRL
High
JAMES RIVER HIGH
1,926 students · 09–12
● 44 opp32% FRL
High
CLOVER HILL HIGH
1,775 students · 09–12
31% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
12400 Branders Bridge Road, Chester, VA 23831
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.