Enrollment
680
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Springfield, VA
Cardinal Forest Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cardinal Forest Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510126000442
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cardinal Forest Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Virginia schools.
- #17 of 18
- schools in Springfield · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 23.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Cardinal Forest Elementary has class sizes larger than 80% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cardinal Forest Elementary ranks #17 of 18 schools in Springfield, VA.
School address
District: Fairfax County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510126000442 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.4%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cardinal Forest Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cardinal Forest Elementary
Cardinal Forest Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Springfield, Virginia, enrolling 680 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 23.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 680 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Among 339 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #295, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (43%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%) (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 453 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
13.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Fairfax County Public Schools spends $17,977 per pupil, 23% above the Virginia average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Springfield's public schools, it stands alongside Sangster Elementary (928 students): Cardinal Forest Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.8:1 vs 17.8:1).
Fairfax County Public Schools also operates Lake Braddock Secondary (4,411 students) and Robinson Secondary (3,710 students) alongside Cardinal Forest 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 Cardinal Forest Elementary compares
Cardinal Forest 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 | 15.8:1 | ▲ 14% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.4% | ▼ 59% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 680 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
680
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 80% in Virginia - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$17,977
per pupil, district-wide
- above Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 453 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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
White 43.1%
Hispanic or Latino 23.7%
Asian 15.3%
African American 11.8%
Two or More 6.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 43.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.7, Cardinal Forest Elementary is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fairfax County Public Schools, which includes Cardinal Forest Elementary.
$17,977
Per student
+23%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 66.6%
State 23.3%
Federal 10.1%
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 Cardinal Forest Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Braddock Secondary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Robinson Secondary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hayfield Secondary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chantilly High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Springfield High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cardinal Forest Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,411
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 3,710
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 3,256
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 2,937
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 2,799
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar other schools in Springfield
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Sangster Elementary
Standard public school
928 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Orange Hunt Elementary
Standard public school
874 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Keene Mill Elementary
Standard public school
813 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Hunt Valley Elementary
Standard public school
735 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Kings Park Elementary
Standard public school
653 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Saratoga Elementary
Standard public school
612 students 13.3:1 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 (~680 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cardinal Forest Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Cardinal Forest Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Fairfax 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 Cardinal Forest Elementary
How many students attend Cardinal Forest Elementary?
Cardinal Forest Elementary has 680 students enrolled. It is a public school in Springfield, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cardinal Forest Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cardinal Forest Elementary is 15.8:1, which is 14% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cardinal Forest Elementary?
23.4% of students at Cardinal Forest Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cardinal Forest Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cardinal Forest Elementary is White at 43.1% of enrollment, in Springfield, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cardinal Forest Elementary?
Cardinal Forest Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical 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 Cardinal Forest Elementary rank among schools in Springfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Cardinal Forest Elementary ranks #17 of 18 schools in Springfield, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Springfield on the city page.
Is Cardinal Forest Elementary a good school?
Cardinal Forest Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% 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 Fairfax County Public Schools?
Besides Cardinal Forest Elementary, Fairfax County Public Schools also operates Lake Braddock Secondary (4,411 students), Robinson Secondary (3,710 students), and Hayfield Secondary (3,256 students). See the Fairfax 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.