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Needs Improvement

#1647 of 1,851 schools in VA

Forestdale Elementary

Elementary School · Fairfax County Public Schools · Springfield, VA

A Fairfax County Public Schools elementary school where students score 24 points below what's typical for similar communities.

6530 Elder Ave, Springfield, VA 22150

  • Math 56% vs VA 70% (2025)
  • Reading 45% vs VA 72% (2025)
  • 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.7Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.03 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics2.1Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency51% (2025 SOL)
Reading/ELA Proficiency45% (2025 SOL)
Math vs. State Avg-22.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-30.7 pts
Overall Proficiency48% (2025 SOL, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)72% (model expectation from 2025 SOL)
vs. Expected-24.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile5th
Resources & Environment8.9Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.6:1
District spending per student$18,975
Chronic Absenteeism26.3%

Students at Forestdale Elementary score 48% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 72%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 SOL proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. VA average.

Math Proficiency56%(2025 SOL)
School
State
70%(2025 SOL)
ELA Proficiency45%(2025 SOL)
School
State
72%(2025 SOL)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 21 points since 2019, to 50% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
90%
2010
Math
80%
ELA
85%
2011
Math
44%
ELA
85%
2012
Math
55%
ELA
61%
2013
Math
64%
ELA
60%
2014
Math
67%
ELA
71%
2015
Math
69%
ELA
74%
2016
Math
66%
ELA
73%
2017
ELA
60%
2018
Math
79%
ELA
63%
2019
Math
79%
ELA
63%
2020*
Math
22%
ELA
37%
2021*
Math
22%
ELA
37%
2025
Math
56%
ELA
45%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 59% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 60% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 36 test records from VA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

66.5%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Forestdale Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Washington DC map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 59Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 44Some Transit
  • Bike 46Somewhat Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$120,406

Median home value

$617,600

Median rent

$2,631/mo

College educated

44.8%

Homeownership

63.9%

Poverty rate

8.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 22150; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Al-qalam AcademyPrivate · tuition8.4privatePK–120.4 mi94Compare →
Al-qalam AcademyPrivate · tuition8.3privatePK–100.4 mi91Compare →
Key CenterEnrollment path unverified5.8PK–120.5 mi46Compare →
Springfield Estates ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.4PK–60.6 mi595Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Fairfax County Public Schools

Schools in district
223
Rank in district
#178 of 199
District spending per student
$18,975NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
6.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Forestdale Elementary is listed in Fairfax County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Forestdale Elementary

Forestdale Elementary is a public elementary school in Springfield, VA, part of Fairfax County Public Schools, serving approximately 532 students in grades Pre-K-6th with a 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.8 out of 10 and ranks #1,647 of 1,851 schools in VA. State assessment records show 59% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 60% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Forestdale Elementary

What grades does Forestdale Elementary serve?

Forestdale Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 6th.

How many students attend Forestdale Elementary?

Forestdale Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 532 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Forestdale Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Forestdale Elementary is 11.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Forestdale Elementary rank in VA?

Forestdale Elementary ranks #1,647 of 1,851 schools in VA.

What is Forestdale Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Forestdale Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.8 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Forestdale Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Forestdale Elementary has 59% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 60% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Forestdale Elementary a charter school?

No, Forestdale Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Forestdale Elementary a Title I school?

No, Forestdale Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Forestdale Elementary?

66.5% of students at Forestdale Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 6th
Enrollment
532
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
46
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Fairfax County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
26.3%
Area population (ZIP 22150)
27,770
Area average commute
29.4 min
Area median age
40.9
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 SOL · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 SOL. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 SOL · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 SOL. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 22150; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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