Enrollment
377
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Annandale, VA
Columbia Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Columbia Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 61/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510126000452
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 62
📋 Attendance 68
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbia Elementary earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #1 of 6
- schools in Annandale · Resource Index
- 61
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.5:1
- students per teacher
- 37.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbia Elementary has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Elementary ranks #1 of 6 schools in Annandale, VA.
School address
District: Fairfax County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510126000452 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.4%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Columbia Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Columbia Elementary
Columbia Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Annandale, Virginia, enrolling 377 students.
At 13.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Virginia median, within a few percentage points of the 13.9:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 37.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 377 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 1,868 Virginia schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 132 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #10, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (38%) and Hispanic or Latino (35%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 189 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
13.0% 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 Annandale's public schools, it stands alongside Braddock Elementary (955 students): Columbia Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.5:1 vs 15.7:1).
Fairfax County Public Schools also operates Lake Braddock Secondary (4,411 students) and Robinson Secondary (3,710 students) alongside Columbia 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 Columbia Elementary compares
Columbia 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 | 13.5:1 | ▼ 3% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.4% | ▼ 35% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 377 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
377
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 45% in Virginia - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.0%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 189 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 37.7%
Hispanic or Latino 35.3%
Asian 11.9%
African American 9.5%
Two or More 5.6%
Largest group: White at 37.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.7, Columbia 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 Columbia 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 Columbia Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Braddock Secondary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Robinson Secondary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hayfield Secondary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chantilly High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Springfield High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbia 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 Annandale
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Braddock Elementary
Standard public school
955 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Canterbury Woods Elementary
Standard public school
735 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Mason Crest Elementary
Standard public school
684 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
Annandale Terrace Elementary
Standard public school
680 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Camelot Elementary
Standard public school
602 students 13.7:1 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 (~377 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbia Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Columbia 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 Columbia Elementary
How many students attend Columbia Elementary?
Columbia Elementary has 377 students enrolled. It is a public school in Annandale, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbia Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbia Elementary is 13.5:1, which is 3% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 14% 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 Columbia Elementary?
37.4% of students at Columbia Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbia Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Columbia Elementary is White at 37.7% of enrollment, in Annandale, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbia Elementary?
Columbia Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 61/100 (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 Columbia Elementary rank among schools in Annandale?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Elementary ranks #1 of 6 schools in Annandale, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Annandale on the city page.
Is Columbia Elementary a good school?
Columbia Elementary earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median. 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 Columbia 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.