Enrollment
648
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sterling, VA
Countryside Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Countryside Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510225002413
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Countryside Elementary earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #11 of 14
- schools in Sterling · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13:1
- students per teacher
- 35.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Countryside Elementary has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Countryside Elementary ranks #11 of 14 schools in Sterling, VA.
School address
District: Loudoun County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510225002413 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.7%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Countryside Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Countryside Elementary
Countryside Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Sterling, Virginia, enrolling 648 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13:1 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 648 students, its enrollment sits close to the Virginia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 322 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #114.
Its student body is led by White (36%) and Hispanic or Latino (34%) (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 295 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Loudoun County Public Schools spends $18,953 per pupil, 29% above the Virginia average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Sterling's public schools, it stands alongside Dominion High (1,453 students): Countryside Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13:1 vs 11.6:1).
Loudoun County Public Schools also operates Independence High (2,166 students) and Lightridge High (2,030 students) alongside Countryside 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 Countryside Elementary compares
Countryside 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 | 13:1 | ▼ 6% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.7% | ▼ 38% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 648 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13:1
Leaner classes than 67% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
648
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% 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
13:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 36% in Virginia - lower ratio than 64% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
18.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$18,953
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
Counselors2.2 FTE
Per 295 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 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 35.6%
Hispanic or Latino 33.6%
African American 12.2%
Asian 12.2%
Two or More 5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 35.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.7, Countryside Elementary is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Loudoun County Public Schools, which includes Countryside Elementary.
$18,953
Per student
+29%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
+14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 67.9%
State 27.1%
Federal 5.0%
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 Countryside Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independence High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lightridge High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Freedom High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Briar Woods High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John Champe High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Countryside Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,166
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 2,030
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,885
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,862
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,851
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar other schools in Sterling
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Dominion High
Standard public school
1,453 students 11.6:1 students per teacher
Elaine E. Thompson Elementary
Standard public school
756 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Potowmack Elementary
Standard public school
568 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Rolling Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
562 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Forest Grove Elementary
Standard public school
529 students 10.6:1 students per teacher
Lowes Island Elementary
Standard public school
528 students 13.9:1 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 (~648 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Countryside Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Countryside Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Loudoun 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 Countryside Elementary
How many students attend Countryside Elementary?
Countryside Elementary has 648 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sterling, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Countryside Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Countryside Elementary is 13:1, which is 6% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 17% 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 Countryside Elementary?
35.7% of students at Countryside Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Countryside Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Countryside Elementary is White at 35.6% of enrollment, in Sterling, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Countryside Elementary?
Countryside Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (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 Countryside Elementary rank among schools in Sterling?
By Resource Investment Index, Countryside Elementary ranks #11 of 14 schools in Sterling, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Sterling on the city page.
Is Countryside Elementary a good school?
Countryside Elementary earns 53/100 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 Loudoun County Public Schools?
Besides Countryside Elementary, Loudoun County Public Schools also operates Independence High (2,166 students), Lightridge High (2,030 students), and Freedom High (1,885 students). See the Loudoun 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.