Goochland County was created in 1727 from Henrico Shire, which was one of the eight shires into which the Virginia Colony had been divided in 1634. At the time of its founding, Goochland County stretched from Tuckahoe Creek on both sides of the James River and west including the land that later became the counties of Powhatan, Cumberland, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Albemarle, Amherst, and Nelson.

In the earliest days of Goochland County, the education of children was solely the responsibility of parents. Tutors, plantation schoolhouses, old field schools, and private schooling were available to families who could afford to employ others to educate their children. Families who could not afford formal education taught their children what they knew, sought apprenticeships for their sons, and looked to the Bible as the only available textbook.

The Goochland County Public Schools were opened in 1870. They have been in operation continuously since that time. The budget has grown from $6,275.50 in 1886 to over $29M in 2017. Goochland County was the first school division in Virginia to offer transportation to its students: a horse-drawn wagon. In 1890, there were seven schools; through the 1950s there were as many as 61 schools.

Historically, the Goochland County Public Schools have been a reflection of the communities they serve. Today, ethnic, economic and racial diversity, increasing population, residents’ higher expectations, and high profile accountability are forces that create conditions for continuous change in our community and our schools.

Today there are three elementary schools (Byrd Elementary, Goochland Elementary, Randolph Elementary), one middle school (Goochland Middle School), and one high school (Goochland High School). Goochland Tech, adjacent to Goochland Elementary, currently serves an alternative education, CTE, and preschool and is jointly managed between GES and GHS.

Goochland County Public Schools

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