Top Schools Methodology
While schools offer much more than test scores, academic results are the major factor in sending a child to school. To determine the top 25 percent of Northern Virginia elementary and middle schools, we used four different attributes to rank them, and they are ranked only in relation to other schools within that county. For high schools we used five attributes. The attributes used to rank schools in the counties all point to school academic quality. They are: the percentage of students who passed the 2015-16 Standards of Learning test (SOLs); the percentage of students who performed above average on the SOLs; the average SOL pass rate over a three-year time period (2013-2016); and the percentage of students who receive free/reduced lunch. For high schools we also factored in the percentage of students who graduated with advanced diplomas in the 2015-16 year. All information is from the Virginia Department of Education.
The attributes are weighted to determine a school’s final ranking; 2015-16 SOL scores count the most, Advanced Proficiency next, 2013-2016 SOL pass rates third and free/reduced lunch percentage last. For high schools, the advanced diploma percentages were ranked highest followed by the above statistics. We’ve also listed useful information such as teacher credentials, safety records and awards to give a better snapshot of a school.
Key
Advanced Diploma: percentage of students who graduated with an advanced diploma
2015-16 SOL Pass Rate: percentage of students who passed the Standards of Learning test
Advanced Proficiency SOL Pass Rate (Adv. Prof. SOL Pass Rate): percentage of students who performed above average on the 2015-16 SOLs
2013-2016 Average SOL Pass Rate: average SOL pass rate over a three-year time period, showing long-term academic performance
Free/Reduced Lunch (F/R): percentage of students who received free or reduced lunch, showing the socio-economic breakdown of a school
Note: If any of the above information was not available for a school that school was not included.
(1) Spring Hill Elementary
8201 Lewinsville Road, McLean
(2) McKinley Elementary
1030 N. McKinley Road, Arlington
(3) Churchill Road Elementary
7100 Churchill Road, McLean
(4) Arlington Traditional
855 N. Edison St., Arlington
(5) Willow Springs Elementary
5400 Willow Springs School Road, Fairfax
(6) Floris Elementary
2708 Centreville Road, Herndon
(7) Archer Elementary
324 Nutley St. NW, Vienna
(8) Colvin Run Elementary
1400 Trap Road, Vienna
(9) Arlington Science Focus School
1501 N. Lincoln St., Arlington
(10) Greenbriar West Elementary
13300 Poplar Tree Road, Fairfax
(11) Jamestown Elementary
3700 N. Delaware St., Arlington
(12) Wolftrap Elementary
1903 Beulah Road, Vienna
(13) Springfield Estates Elementary
6200 Charles Goff Drive, Springfield
(14) Westbriar Elementary
1741 Pine Valley Drive, Vienna
(15) Forestville Elementary
1085 Utterback Store Road, Great Falls
(16) Haycock Elementary
6616 Haycock Road, Falls Church
(17) Nottingham Elementary
5900 Little Falls Road, Arlington
(18) Mosby Woods Elementary
9619 Five Oaks Road, Fairfax
(19) Emerick Elementary
440 S. Nursery Ave., Purcellville
(20) Keene Mill Elementary
6310 Bardu Ave., Springfield
(21) Poplar Tree Elementary
13440 Melville Lane, Chantilly
(22) Lemon Road Elementary
7230 Idylwood Road, Falls Church
(23) Oak Hill Elementary
3210 Kinross Circle, Herndon
(24) Lyles-Crouch Elementary
530 S. St. Asaph St., Alexandria
(25) Chesterbrook Elementary
1753 Kirby Road, McLean
(26) Navy Elementary
3500 W. Ox Road, Fairfax
(27) Canterbury Woods Elementary
4910 Willet Drive, Annandale
(28) Taylor Elementary
2600 N. Stuart St., Arlington
(29) Sangster Elementary
7420 Reservation Drive, Springfield
(30) Great Falls Elementary
701 Walker Road, Great Falls
(31) Ashlawn Elementary
5950 N. Eighth Road, Arlington
Student Population: 656
2015-16 SOL Pass Rate: 92.75
Adv. Prof. SOL Pass Rate: 50
2013-2016 Average SOL Pass Rate: 91.1
F/R: 17
Teacher Credentials: 30% bachelor’s, 68% master’s, 2% doctoral
Safety: 0 incidents
Awards: 2015-16 Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award
(32) Wakefield Forest Elementary
4011 Iva Lane, Fairfax
(33) Kent Gardens Elementary
1717 Melbourne Drive, McLean
(34) Mantua Elementary
9107 Horner Court, Fairfax
(35) Mary G. Porter Traditional School
15311 Forest Grove Drive, Woodbridge
(36) Little River Elementary
43464 Hyland Hills St., South Riding
(37) Thurgood Marshall Elementary
12505 Kahns Road, Manassas
(38) Flint Hill Elementary
244 Flint Hill Road, Vienna
(39) Sycolin Creek Elementary
21100 Evergreen Mills Road, Leesburg
(40) Sunrise Valley Elementary
10824 Cross School Road, Reston
(41) Glebe Elementary
1770 N. Glebe Road, Arlington
Student Population: 584
2015-16 SOL Pass Rate: 92
Adv. Prof. SOL Pass Rate: 47
2013-2016 Average SOL Pass Rate: 90.8
F/R: 14.8
Teacher Credentials: 21% bachelor’s, 79% master’s
Safety: 0 incidents
Awards: 2014-15 Board of Education Excellence Award
(42) Lowes Island Elementary
20755 Whitewater Drive, Sterling
(43) Rosa Lee Carter Elementary
43330 Loudoun Reserve Drive, Ashburn
(44) Lees Corner Elementary
13500 Hollinger Ave., Fairfax
(45) T. Clay Wood Elementary
10600 Kettle Run Road, Nokesville
(46) Mill Run Elementary
42940 Ridgeway Drive, Ashburn
(47) Waynewood Elementary
1205 Waynewood Blvd., Alexandria
(48) Old Bridge Elementary
3051 Old Bridge Road, Woodbridge
(49) McNair Elementary
2499 Thomas Jefferson Drive, Herndon
(50) Belmont Station Elementary
20235 Nightwatch St., Ashburn
(51) Waterford Elementary
15513 Loyalty Road, Waterford
(52) Oakton Elementary
3000 Chain Bridge Road, Oakton
(53) Waples Mill Elementary
11509 Waples Mill Road, Oakton
(54) Crossfield Elementary
2791 Fox Mill Road, Herndon
(55) White Oaks Elementary
6130 Shiplett Blvd., Burke
(56) A. Henderson Elementary
3799 Waterway Drive, Dumfries
(57) Ashland Elementary
15300 Bowmans Folly Drive, Manassas
(58) Tuckahoe Elementary
6550 26th St. N., Arlington
Student Population: 674
2015-16 SOL Pass Rate: 91.75
Adv. Prof. SOL Pass Rate: 42.25
2013-2016 Average SOL Pass Rate: 93.1
F/R: 3.1
Teacher Credentials: 22% bachelor’s, 76% master’s, 2% doctoral
Safety: 0 incidents
Awards: 2014-15 Board of Education Excellence Award, 2015-16 Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence
(59) Legacy Elementary
22995 Minerva Drive, Ashburn
(60) Minnieville Elementary
13639 Greenwood Drive, Woodbridge
(61) Lincoln Elementary
18048 Lincoln Road, Purcellville
(62) Buckland Mills Elementary
10511 Wharfdale Place, Gainesville
(63) Silverbrook Elementary
9350 Crosspointe Drive, Fairfax
(64) Liberty Elementary
25491 Riding Center Drive, South Riding
(65) Hunt Valley Elementary
7107 Sydenstricker Road, Springfield
Student Population: 673
2015-16 SOL Pass Rate: 91.75
Adv. Prof. SOL Pass Rate: 40.5
2013-2016 Average SOL Pass Rate: 90.9
F/R: 8.6
Teacher Credentials: 27% bachelor’s, 69% master’s, 2% doctoral
Safety: 0 incidents
Awards: 2014-15 Board of Education Excellence Award, 2015-16 Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award
(66) Discovery Elementary
44020 Grace Burn Drive, Ashburn
(67) P.B. Smith Elementary
6176 Dumfries Road, Warrenton
(68) Hamilton Elementary
54 S. Kerr St., Hamilton
(69) Occoquan Elementary
12915 Occoquan Road, Woodbridge
(70) Pinebrook Elementary
25480 Mindful Court, Aldie
(71) Charles Barrett Elementary
1115 Martha Custis Drive, Alexandria
(72) Newton-Lee Elementary
43335 Gloucester Parkway, Ashburn
Student Population: 833
2015-16 SOL Pass Rate: 90.75
Adv. Prof. SOL Pass Rate: 41.25
2013-2016 Average SOL Pass Rate: 91.7
F/R: 4.1
Teacher Credentials: 36% bachelor’s, 64% master’s
Safety: 0 incidents
Awards: 2014-15 Board of Education Excellence Award
(73) Vienna Elementary
128 Center St. S., Vienna
Student Population: 464
2015-16 SOL Pass Rate: 91.75
Adv. Prof. SOL Pass Rate: 37
2013-2016 Average SOL Pass Rate: 92.5
F/R: 7.5
Teacher Credentials: 19% bachelor’s, 78% master’s, 3% doctoral
Safety: 0 incidents
Awards: 2014-15 Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award, 2015-16 Board of Education Excellence Award
(74) Powell Elementary
13340 Leland Road, Centreville
Student Population: 977
2015-16 SOL Pass Rate: 90.75
Adv. Prof. SOL Pass Rate: 39
2013-2016 Average SOL Pass Rate: 89.9
F/R: 11.7
Teacher Credentials: 18% bachelor’s, 83% master’s
Safety: 0 incidents
Awards: 2015-16 Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award
(75) Long Branch Elementary
33 N. Filmore St., Arlington
Student Population: 602
2015-16 SOL Pass Rate: 87.75
Adv. Prof. SOL Pass Rate: 42
2013-2016 Average SOL Pass Rate: 87.6
F/R: 32.4
Teacher Credentials: 20% bachelor’s, 75% master’s, 5% doctoral
Safety: 0 incidents
Awards: 2014-15 and 2015-16 Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award
(76) Seldens Landing Elementary
43345 Coton Commons Drive, Leesburg
Student Population: 815
2015-16 SOL Pass Rate: 91.5
Adv. Prof. SOL Pass Rate: 40.5
2013-2016 Average SOL Pass Rate: 87.8
F/R: 8.9
Teacher Credentials: 33% bachelor’s, 67% master’s
Safety: 0 incidents
Awards: N/A
(77) Bennett Elementary
8800 Old Dominion Drive, Manassas
(78) Hillside Elementary
43000 Ellzey Drive, Ashburn
Student Population: 640
2015-16 SOL Pass Rate: 92.25
Adv. Prof. SOL Pass Rate: 36.5
2013-2016 Average SOL Pass Rate: 90.7
F/R: 4
Teacher Credentials: 31% bachelor’s, 69% master’s
Safety: 0 incidents
Awards: 2014-15 Board of Education Excellence Award