Best High Schools in Zip Code 23227

Zip code 23227 in the Richmond, VA area contains 3 high schools serving grades 9–12, with a combined enrollment of about 1,977 students across two very different districts: Henrico County Public Schools and Richmond City Public Schools. The three schools are Henrico High (1,300 students), John Marshall High (645 students), and Richmond Career Education and Employment Charter School (just 32 students). Overall, these schools rank in the bottom 13% of Virginia high schools, serving a high-need population, but the data reveals important strengths that simple rankings overlook.

John Marshall High stands out for its remarkable student outcome metrics: a 100% graduation rate, a 0% dropout rate, and chronic absenteeism (12.8%) that is better than the state average (14.8%) and far better than its district average (20.5%). However, its state ranking has been declining (7th percentile in 2025–2026), likely because standardized test scores weigh heavily in Virginia’s accountability system. Henrico High is the largest school and the only one showing meaningful improvement, moving from the 5th percentile (2023–2024) to the 13th percentile (2025–2026). Still, Henrico struggles with a 26.2% chronic absenteeism rate and a 9.0% dropout rate. The tiny Richmond Career Education and Employment Charter School spends the most per student ($24,696) and has a 3.0 student-teacher ratio, but current academic accountability data is limited, making comparisons difficult.

Test scores further highlight the inconsistencies between schools. Henrico High shows relative strengths in 10th-grade English Reading (84.62% proficient) and Algebra I (77.61%), both above state averages, but serious gaps in Geometry (40.26%) and Algebra II (66.67%). John Marshall High also exceeds the state in Algebra I (84.62%) and posted a stunning World History II proficiency rate (76.92%) versus the state average (27.54%), though small class sizes can make percentages volatile. The key takeaway for parents: school rankings do not tell the whole story. John Marshall demonstrates that strong graduation and attendance outcomes can coexist with low test-based rankings, while Henrico is improving but still faces significant challenges. This area’s schools are working against high poverty and systemic barriers, but individual schools show real pockets of success.