Education

Expect Results


The York County School Division consists of ten elementary schools, four middle schools, four high schools and one charter school. Enrollment has increased steadily since the 1990s. While the lower County, historically, was responsible for most of the growth in enrollment, recent and projected developments in the upper County will create the most enrollment increases in future years.

By almost every measure of academic achievement - such as promotion rates, graduation rates, and standardized test scores - York County's school students rank among the best in the state. As a result, York County is among the leading localities in the percentage of high school graduates planning to continue their education (95%).

York is one of three public school systems in Hampton Roads to receive Expansion Management Magazine's Blue Ribbon rating. In 2005, Money Magazine named York County schools one of the top 100 education buys in the country. Additionally, in 2012, Newsweek ranked two York County high schools among the best in the Country.

William and Mary Classroom
Photo Credit: Stephen Salpukas

Higher Learning


The region has the highest concentration of colleges and universities in the entire State of Virginia. Three major colleges and universities have their main campuses on the Virginia Peninsula - Christopher Newport University, the College of William and Mary, and Hampton University - in addition to 5 others throughout the region - Old Dominion University, Virginia Wesleyan College, Norfolk State University, Eastern Virginia Medical School, and Regent University.

Thomas Nelson Community College (TNCC)  supports a significant presence, Peninsula-wide, providing a wide range of opportunities in continuing education. TNCC maintains a very close relationship with the region's business community, providing specialized curriculum development to meet some of the region's specialized workforce development needs.