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Below Average

#1534 of 1,851 schools in VA

Holmes Middle

Middle School · Fairfax County Public Schools · Alexandria, VA

A Fairfax County Public Schools middle school where students score 12 points below what's typical for similar communities.

6525 Montrose St, Alexandria, VA 22312

  • Math 51% vs VA 66% (2025)
  • Reading 59% vs VA 74% (2025)
  • 12.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress1.9Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.44 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics3.6Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency59% (2025 SOL)
Reading/ELA Proficiency59% (2025 SOL)
Math vs. State Avg-16.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-16.7 pts
Overall Proficiency59% (2025 SOL, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)71% (model expectation from 2025 SOL)
vs. Expected-11.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile17th
Resources & Environment9.2Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.4:1
District spending per student$18,975
Chronic Absenteeism21.2%

Students at Holmes Middle score 59% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 71%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 SOL proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. VA average.

Math Proficiency51%(2025 SOL)
School
State
66%(2025 SOL)
ELA Proficiency59%(2025 SOL)
School
State
74%(2025 SOL)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 17 points since 2019, to 55% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
80%
ELA
90%
2010
Math
91%
ELA
92%
2011
Math
81%
ELA
93%
2012
Math
81%
ELA
76%
2013
Math
81%
ELA
74%
2014
Math
84%
ELA
73%
2015
Math
79%
ELA
75%
2016
Math
60%
ELA
72%
2017
ELA
72%
2018
Math
73%
ELA
70%
2019
Math
73%
ELA
70%
2020*
Math
33%
ELA
58%
2021*
Math
33%
ELA
58%
2025
Math
51%
ELA
59%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 66% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 71% (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 33 test records from VA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

71.3%

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 Holmes Middle 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 31Car-Dependent
  • Transit 33Some Transit
  • Bike 39Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,862/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Alexandria), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

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

Median income

$105,044

Median home value

$593,600

Median rent

$2,009/mo

College educated

53.5%

Homeownership

51.8%

Poverty rate

10.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 22312; 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
Immanuel Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition4.7privateK–121.2 mi539Compare →
Word of Life Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition7.1privatePK–121.2 mi152Compare →
Poe MiddleEnrollment path unverified3.76–81.3 mi895Compare →
Phillips School-annandalePrivate · tuition7.4private1–121.4 mi166Compare →

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
#170 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

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

About Holmes Middle

Holmes Middle is a public middle school in Alexandria, VA, part of Fairfax County Public Schools, serving approximately 892 students in grades 6th-8th with a 12.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 out of 10 and ranks #1,534 of 1,851 schools in VA. State assessment records show 66% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 71% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Holmes Middle

What grades does Holmes Middle serve?

Holmes Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Holmes Middle?

Holmes Middle has an enrollment of approximately 892 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Holmes Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Holmes Middle is 12.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Holmes Middle rank in VA?

Holmes Middle ranks #1,534 of 1,851 schools in VA.

What is Holmes Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Holmes Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 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 Holmes Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Holmes Middle has 66% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 71% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Holmes Middle a charter school?

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

Is Holmes Middle a Title I school?

No, Holmes Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Holmes Middle?

71.3% of students at Holmes Middle 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
892
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
72
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Fairfax County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
21.2%
Area population (ZIP 22312)
26,366
Area average commute
28.9 min
Area median age
37.8
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 22312; 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

Related reading

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