Enrollment
500
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Arlington, VA
Barrett Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Barrett Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510027000084
👥 S:T ratio 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 38
📋 Attendance 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Barrett Elementary earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of Virginia schools.
- #17 of 26
- schools in Arlington · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 8.8:1
- small classes for Virginia
- 74.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Barrett Elementary has class sizes smaller than 98% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Barrett Elementary ranks #17 of 26 schools in Arlington, VA.
School address
District: Arlington County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510027000084 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
57.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.8:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-37% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.3%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Barrett Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Barrett Elementary
Barrett Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Arlington, Virginia, enrolling 500 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.8:1, Barrett Elementary is leaner than roughly 98% of Virginia schools and 37% under the state's 13.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 74.3% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 500 students, its enrollment sits close to the Virginia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Among 352 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #17, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (57%) and White (24%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 313 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
16.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Arlington County Public Schools spends $21,782 per pupil, 49% above the Virginia average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Arlington's public schools, it stands alongside Abingdon Elementary (768 students): Barrett Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.8:1 vs 12.4:1).
Arlington County Public Schools also operates Washington-Liberty High (3,044 students) and Wakefield High (2,646 students) alongside Barrett Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Barrett Elementary compares
Barrett Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8.8:1 | ▼ 37% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.3% | ▲ 29% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 500 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.8:1
Leaner classes than 93% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
500
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
8.8:1
students per teacher
- 37% below state mean
Top 2% in Virginia - lower ratio than 98% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
16.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$21,782
per pupil, district-wide
- above Virginia avg of $14,649
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.6 FTE
Per 313 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 57.4%
White 23.8%
African American 8.8%
Two or More 5.4%
Asian 4.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 57.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.1, Barrett Elementary is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Arlington County Public Schools, which includes Barrett Elementary.
$21,782
Per student
+49%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
+31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 79.4%
State 12.4%
Federal 8.2%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Barrett Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Liberty High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wakefield High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Yorktown High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gunston Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Barrett Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,044
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 2,646
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 2,593
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 1,120
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
- Enrollment
- 1,072
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
Similar other schools in Arlington
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Abingdon Elementary
Standard public school
768 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Cardinal Elementary
Standard public school
682 students 10.3:1 students per teacher
Oakridge Elementary
Standard public school
636 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Arlington Science Focus School
Standard public school
632 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Alice West Fleet Elementary
Standard public school
629 students 9.3:1 students per teacher
Arlington Traditional
Standard public school
624 students 13:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~500 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Barrett Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Barrett Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Arlington County Public Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Barrett Elementary
How many students attend Barrett Elementary?
Barrett Elementary has 500 students enrolled. It is a public school in Arlington, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Barrett Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Barrett Elementary is 8.8:1, which is 37% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 44% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Barrett Elementary?
74.3% of students at Barrett Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Barrett Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Barrett Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 57.4% of enrollment, in Arlington, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Barrett Elementary?
Barrett Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Barrett Elementary rank among schools in Arlington?
By Resource Investment Index, Barrett Elementary ranks #17 of 26 schools in Arlington, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Arlington on the city page.
Is Barrett Elementary a good school?
Barrett Elementary earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of Virginia schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Arlington County Public Schools?
Besides Barrett Elementary, Arlington County Public Schools also operates Washington-Liberty High (3,044 students), Wakefield High (2,646 students), and Yorktown High (2,593 students). See the Arlington County Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.