About RPS
Welcome to Richmond Public Schools!
Richmond Public Schools (RPS) proudly serves approximately 22,000 amazing students in preschool through grade 12. Our division is comprised of 25 elementary schools, including one charter school, seven middle schools, five comprehensive high schools, three specialty schools and five preschool centers.
Grounded by our three core values - equity, engagement and excellence - and guided by our strategic plan, Dreams4RPS, we are committed to creating schools that are engines of opportunities for ALL of our children and building a school division that actively fights against systemic injustices and institutionalized racism.
Did You Know?
1. National Teacher of the Year
RPS is home to the 2005 National Teacher of the Year, Superintendent Jason Kamras, and the 2019 National Teacher of the Year, Rodney Robinson. This makes RPS the only school division that currently has two National Teacher of the Year award recipients. This exclusive title is granted to educators who inspire children from all backgrounds, earn the respect of their peers, and are active members in the community.
3. STEM Academies
The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Academies at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School and Henderson Middle School are a part of our Passion4Learning initiative. In alignment with Priority 1 of Dreams4RPS, Passion4Learning is a multi-year effort to nurture our students' natural curiosity by creating theme-based middle and high schools that tap into their interests and passions.
5. VUU Scholarships
Virginia Union University (VUU) has provided 50 full academic scholarships to students upon their graduation from an RPS high school. 45 rising 11th grade students from across every RPS high school received full academic scholarships when they were in 8th grade and remain eligible for scholarships. VUU has also provided additional full academic scholarships for 5 current 5th grade students from Oak Grove-Bellemeade ES.
7. REAL Richmond
REAL Richmond is a groundbreaking high-school history course that provides an unvarnished look at the history of Richmond, VA. The class allows students to take a deep dive into the good, bad and ugly of the history that surrounds them each and every day. Course developers brought the city of Richmond into the classroom by collaborating with partners from higher education, the faith community, and the non-profit sector to provide our students with the opportunity to explore themes such as physical and human geography, family lineage, religion and spirituality, fine arts, law, and politics.
9. Community Hubs
The Community Hub Model was launched in 2020 and is a unique way to bring the school to families. Each hub is staffed with several Family Liaisons who serve as neighborhood experts that bridge the gap between schools and RPS families. They work together with families to help improve attendance, share important information, and provide engagement opportunities that promote student success.
2. Dreams4RPS
Dreams4RPS, the division’s five-year strategic plan was created after engaging over 3,000 students, families, teachers, administrators, support staff and community members during 170 meetings. The plan was adopted by the School Board in September 2018 and is grounded in five strategic priorities:
-
Exciting and Rigorous Teaching and Learning
-
Skilled and Supported Staff
-
Safe and Loving School Cultures
-
Deep Partnership with Families and Community
-
Modern Systems and Infrastructure
4. Richmond Teacher Residency
In partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), RPS offers the state’s first teacher residency program, Richmond Teacher Residency (RTR). Through this program, residents spend a year co-teaching, guided by both VCU faculty and RPS master teachers trained to mentor them. RTR is a part of a national effort, the Urban Teacher Residency United Network, and a grantee of the United States Department of Education’s Teacher Quality Partnerships (TQP), a grant program in support of model teacher preparation programs.
6. RPS en Español
RPS en Español, is an initiative to inform, empower, and share information and resources with our growing Spanish-speaking community. RPS has hired additional English learner staff to help support our Latin American students. We have also created a Latin American Identity Task Force composed of internal staff, parents and community members/partners focused on developing spaces to have meaningful engagements around identity and engaging with our community.
8. Lit Limo
Lit Limo is a mobile library designed to help implement RPS’ literacy and reading strategies as well as create excitement for books for all school age children. Every child who visits the Lit Limo receives a book of their own, participates in a read aloud, and signs up for a Richmond Public Library card. The converted school bus aims to generate enthusiasm among kids, like ice cream trucks, by letting students pick their books when it arrives in their neighborhood.
10. RVA Men Teach
RVA Men Teach is a program dedicated to improving students’ academic, social, and professional outcomes by recruiting, retaining, and professionally developing male educators of color. A committee of veteran Richmond Public Schools Male Educators of Color provide mentorship and direction for the initiative. RVA Men Teach includes licensure and certification support, expansive partnerships, and regular celebrations for the recognition of excellence.
