Our residents demand quality education, and Loudoun goes the extra mile to ensure it. Loudoun County is home to 36 community-oriented elementary schools (K-5), seven middle schools (6-8), six high schools (9-12), two technology centers, and eight colleges. An alternative school program is available for middle and high school students, and programs for gifted students and children with disabilities are available in every public school. Loudoun’s many exceptional private schools serve children in grades K through 12, offering families alternatives to public school.

As Northern Virginia’s third largest school system, Loudoun County’s more than 35,000 students receive exceptional educational opportunities, mainly because the county works to provide the resources necessary to achieve excellence. More than 80 percent of the system’s resources are dedicated to instruction, and almost 95 percent of Loudoun County Public School employees are school-based.

Loudoun schools consistently rank in the top 10 in Virginia on Standards of Learning assessments, and students’ SAT scores average well above state and national averages. Nearly 90 percent of Loudoun’s students continue their formal education after high school, with more than 80 percent going directly to college.

Loudoun’s public school classrooms are on the cutting edge technologically. All schools have state-of-the-art computers in every classroom and computer stations in the libraries, as well as controlled access to the Internet. In addition, many elementary schools and all high schools have networked computer laboratories. Teachers receive ongoing training to ensure that they will be able to use and teach with these tools effectively.

Eight exceptional colleges and universities have established campuses in Loudoun County as well, and attract students from around the region and beyond. Each campus offers a variety of programs, with most programs geared to meeting professionals’ busy schedules and individual needs.

Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is Virginia’s largest higher learning institution and offers more than 40 programs of study in college transfer curricula and occupational and technical training. The Loudoun campus (Sterling) offers credit and non-credit courses in business, computers, fine arts, liberal arts, and the sciences and is home to NOVA’s Horticultural, Veterinary Technology, and Historic Preservation programs.

The George Washington University’s Virginia campus (Ashburn) offers graduate degrees and certificate programs in business administration, information systems, human resources, engineering, and education.

Shenandoah University’s Northern Virginia campus (Leesburg) offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate business programs, as well as graduate-level education programs for teachers and school administrators and for professionals who want to become certified to teach. The campus also offers specially tailored bachelor’s programs in business and arts and sciences for those who have associate’s degrees or who have a combination of college credit and work experience.

Old Dominion University (Sterling) has brought its fine business, engineering and technology programs to the Northern Virginia region. ODU’s Northern Virginia Center offers primarily graduate, certificate, and professional development programs for busy professionals, and is home to TELETECHNET, the largest televised interactive distance learning network in the nation.

Strayer University (Ashburn) offers business and computer degree programs. Students can work toward associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degrees in business or can participate in a short-term degree program in computer information systems.

Marymount University Loudoun Academic Center (Sterling) provides working professionals with higher education choices closer to home. Marymount’s Loudoun Center offers undergraduate and graduate liberal arts programs in business, humanities and social sciences. Also catering to busy professionals, Marymount offers many evening and Saturday classes.

Patrick Henry College, Loudoun’s newest higher learning institution, is a private residential college that currently offers undergraduate programs in government and classical liberal arts.

The Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences offers master’s degree programs in Islamic Studies and Religious Practice, among other offerings, and its faculty members are highly sought after for collaborative and special training programs.

In addition to the formal campus programs available, George Mason University has training facilities at the Center for Innovative Technology that are used by the university’s executive MBA degree program, the Center of Professional Development-Executive programs, and the Professional Center.

In addition to these, a number of other colleges, universities and advanced learning programs are available around the metro area.

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