Education-and-Training

K-12 Education

Stafford County citizens enjoy exceptional educational opportunities through Stafford County Public Schools, which continue to rank among the top in Virginia. In 2003 & 2004 Expansion Magazine ranked Stafford a Gold Medal School District, placing the district among the top 16% in the nation.

All public education students receive instruction in state accredited classrooms, housed in permanent structures. Despite continued growth, the locality's longstanding commitment to education is evidenced by its investment in the public K - 12 educational facilities and their professional staff.

There are several area private schools with campuses available in Stafford.

Fredericksburg Christian Schools (K-6)
Holy Cross Academy (K-8)
St. William of York Catholic Schools (K-8)

Higher Education - Undergraduate & Graduate

The University of Mary Washington (UMW) is a nationally known liberal arts institution located on 176 acres in historic Fredericksburg, Virginia, roughly 50 miles south of Washington, D.C., and 50 miles north of Richmond, the Virginia state capital. With approximately 4,000 degree-seeking undergraduate students and more than 200 full-time faculty members, UMW offers over 40 undergraduate majors and programs of study and confers more than 900 undergraduate degrees each year.

In its 2007 edition of “America’s Best Colleges,” U.S. News and World Report ranked UMW 6th among master’s degree-granting institutions in the South and second among public schools in the same category. UMW also was recognized for having the second highest graduation rate in the South. In addition, Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges’ 2007 edition placed Mary Washington in its “highly competitive” category, designating the university as one of the 171 top colleges and universities in the nation in terms of academic selectivity. UMW also has seen its academic reputation gain national recognition in several selective guidebooks, such as Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine, The Fiske Guide to Colleges, The Princeton Review, and Peterson’s Competitive Colleges.

Both the University of Mary Washington and Germanna Community College offer customized technical training and incentive programs to meet the specific needs of local businesses.

Employee Training & Workforce Development

GCC Center for Workforce and Business Education: Conducts some state-sponsored industrial training and local secondary schools. In addition, Germanna's Center for Workforce and Business Education conducts on the job training and specialized seminars on business issues at its nearby campus. Germanna is also affiliated with the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology. The CIT focuses on innovative technology for high tech industries and offers a wide range of assistance to businesses.
Rappahannock Region Small Business Development Center: Opened in 1992 and offers one-on-one counseling to small businesses on practical business matters such as bookkeeping, accounting, auditing, quality control and business plans. This center is located at the UMW College of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Stafford Public Schools Career and Technology Programs. Career and technology education is provided at both the high school and middle school levels with over 48 different course offerings, including business education, consumer education, plus special program education for the handicapped. These programs provide the necessary training for certification so that students are prepared to enter the job market upon completion of high school.
UMW College of Graduate and Professional Studies: Offers a variety of undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs designed especially for adults who desire to complete a degree while managing work and a family.
Virginia Department of Business Assistance: Creates and coordinates free training programs tailored to the specific needs of growing industries.

Education & Training