Enrollment
789
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fredericksburg, VA
Cedar Forest Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cedar Forest Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510364002768
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 54
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cedar Forest Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Virginia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Virginia schools.
- #6 of 14
- schools in Fredericksburg · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 64.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Cedar Forest Elementary has class sizes larger than 71% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cedar Forest Elementary ranks #6 of 14 schools in Fredericksburg, VA.
School address
District: Spotsylvania County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510364002768 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.9%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cedar Forest Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cedar Forest Elementary
Cedar Forest Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Fredericksburg, Virginia, enrolling 789 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 64.9% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 789 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.
Against 199 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #132.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (31%) and White (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 395 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Fredericksburg's public schools, it stands alongside Parkside Elementary (946 students): Cedar Forest Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.2:1 vs 18.2:1).
Spotsylvania County Public Schools also operates Riverbend High (1,913 students) and Massaponax High (1,692 students) alongside Cedar 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 Cedar Forest Elementary compares
Cedar 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 | 15.2:1 | ▲ 9% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.9% | ▲ 13% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 789 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
789
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% 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
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 71% in Virginia - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,318
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 395 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 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 31.1%
White 27.8%
African American 26.0%
Two or More 10.6%
Asian 4.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 31.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.5, Cedar 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 Spotsylvania County Public Schools, which includes Cedar Forest Elementary.
$13,318
Per student
-9%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.0%
State 41.8%
Federal 11.2%
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 Cedar Forest Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverbend High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Massaponax High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Courtland High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spotsylvania High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chancellor High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cedar Forest Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,913
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,692
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,497
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,394
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,321
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Fredericksburg
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Parkside Elementary
Standard public school
946 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Hugh Mercer Elementary
Standard public school
859 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Lafayette Elementary
Standard public school
812 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Harrison Road Elementary
Standard public school
732 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Smith Station Elementary
Standard public school
715 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Lee Hill Elementary
Standard public school
680 students 17:1 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 (~789 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cedar Forest Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Cedar Forest Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Spotsylvania 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 Cedar Forest Elementary
How many students attend Cedar Forest Elementary?
Cedar Forest Elementary has 789 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fredericksburg, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cedar Forest Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cedar Forest Elementary is 15.2:1, which is 9% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cedar Forest Elementary?
64.9% of students at Cedar Forest Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cedar Forest Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cedar Forest Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 31.1% of enrollment, in Fredericksburg, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cedar Forest Elementary?
Cedar Forest Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Cedar Forest Elementary rank among schools in Fredericksburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Cedar Forest Elementary ranks #6 of 14 schools in Fredericksburg, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Fredericksburg on the city page.
Is Cedar Forest Elementary a good school?
Cedar Forest Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Virginia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Spotsylvania County Public Schools?
Besides Cedar Forest Elementary, Spotsylvania County Public Schools also operates Riverbend High (1,913 students), Massaponax High (1,692 students), and Courtland High (1,497 students). See the Spotsylvania 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.