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Needs Improvement

#1706 of 1,851 schools in VA

Salem Elementary

Elementary School · Spotsylvania County Public Schools · Fredericksburg, VA

A Spotsylvania County Public Schools elementary school where students score 17 points below what's typical for similar communities.

4501 Jackson Rd, Fredericksburg, VA 22407

  • Math 56% vs VA 74% (2025)
  • Reading 55% vs VA 72% (2025)
  • 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.3Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.7 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics2.9Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency55% (2025 SOL)
Reading/ELA Proficiency55% (2025 SOL)
Math vs. State Avg-18.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-20.7 pts
Overall Proficiency55% (2025 SOL, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)72% (model expectation from 2025 SOL)
vs. Expected-16.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile11th
Resources & Environment4.7Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.9:1
District spending per student$13,858
Chronic Absenteeism24.4%

Students at Salem Elementary score 55% 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
74%(2025 SOL)
ELA Proficiency55%(2025 SOL)
School
State
72%(2025 SOL)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 20 points since 2019, to 55% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
93%
ELA
86%
2010
Math
89%
ELA
80%
2011
Math
69%
ELA
86%
2012
Math
68%
ELA
62%
2013
Math
71%
ELA
64%
2014
Math
72%
ELA
71%
2015
Math
75%
ELA
69%
2016
Math
74%
ELA
74%
2017
ELA
71%
2018
Math
81%
ELA
70%
2019
Math
81%
ELA
70%
2020*
Math
45%
ELA
53%
2021*
Math
45%
ELA
53%
2025
Math
56%
ELA
55%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 68% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 67% (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

67.9%

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 Salem 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 45Car-Dependent
  • Bike 43Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,681/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Fredericksburg), 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

$105,218

Median home value

$376,200

Median rent

$1,758/mo

College educated

33.1%

Homeownership

76.1%

Poverty rate

6.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 22407; 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
Elite Academy CorporationPrivate · tuitionNot rated4–120.3 mi13Compare →
Harrison Road ElementaryEnrollment path unverified2.5PK–51.2 mi732Compare →
Battlefield ElementaryEnrollment path unverified4.7PK–51.5 mi668Compare →
Berkeley ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.5PK–5Not available282Compare →

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.

Spotsylvania County Public Schools

Schools in district
34
Rank in district
#26 of 29
District spending per student
$13,858NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
9.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Salem Elementary

Salem Elementary is a public elementary school in Fredericksburg, VA, part of Spotsylvania County Public Schools, serving approximately 582 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.5 out of 10 and ranks #1,706 of 1,851 schools in VA. State assessment records show 68% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 67% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Salem Elementary

What grades does Salem Elementary serve?

Salem Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Salem Elementary?

Salem Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 582 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Salem Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Salem Elementary is 13.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Salem Elementary rank in VA?

Salem Elementary ranks #1,706 of 1,851 schools in VA.

What is Salem Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Salem Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.5 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 Salem Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Salem Elementary has 68% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 67% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Salem Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Salem Elementary a Title I school?

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

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

67.9% of students at Salem 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 – 5th
Enrollment
582
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
42
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Spotsylvania County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
24.4%
Area population (ZIP 22407)
64,273
Area average commute
35.8 min
Area median age
38.4
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 22407; 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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