Enrollment
454
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Reston, VA
Forest Edge Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Forest Edge Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510126000471
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Forest Edge Elementary earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Virginia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Virginia schools.
- #1 of 8
- schools in Reston · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.3:1
- small classes for Virginia
- 65.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Forest Edge Elementary has class sizes smaller than 86% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Forest Edge Elementary ranks #1 of 8 schools in Reston, VA.
School address
District: Fairfax County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510126000471 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.3:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.3%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Forest Edge Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Forest Edge Elementary
Forest Edge Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Reston, Virginia, enrolling 454 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.3:1, Forest Edge Elementary is leaner than roughly 86% of Virginia schools and 19% under the state's 13.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 65.3% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 454 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 216 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #11, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (31%) and White (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 303 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
12.1% 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 Reston's public schools, it stands alongside Dogwood Elementary (745 students): Forest Edge Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.3:1 vs 14.1:1).
Fairfax County Public Schools also operates Lake Braddock Secondary (4,411 students) and Robinson Secondary (3,710 students) alongside Forest Edge 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 Forest Edge Elementary compares
Forest Edge 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 | 11.3:1 | ▼ 19% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.3% | ▲ 13% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 454 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.3:1
Leaner classes than 81% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
454
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.3%
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
11.3:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 14% in Virginia - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
12.1%
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 303 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.2 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
African American 30.8%
White 30.6%
Hispanic or Latino 24.7%
Asian 8.1%
Two or More 5.7%
Largest group: African American at 30.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.1, Forest Edge 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 Forest Edge 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 Forest Edge 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 Forest Edge 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 Reston
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Dogwood Elementary
Standard public school
745 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences
Standard public school
726 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Lake Anne Elementary
Standard public school
616 students 14:1 students per teacher
Terraset Elementary
Standard public school
598 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Sunrise Valley Elementary
Standard public school
558 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Aldrin Elementary
Standard public school
455 students 11.1:1 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 (~454 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Forest Edge Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Forest Edge 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 Forest Edge Elementary
How many students attend Forest Edge Elementary?
Forest Edge Elementary has 454 students enrolled. It is a public school in Reston, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Forest Edge Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Forest Edge Elementary is 11.3:1, which is 19% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 28% 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 Forest Edge Elementary?
65.3% of students at Forest Edge Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Forest Edge Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Forest Edge Elementary is African American at 30.8% of enrollment, in Reston, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Forest Edge Elementary?
Forest Edge Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (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 Forest Edge Elementary rank among schools in Reston?
By Resource Investment Index, Forest Edge Elementary ranks #1 of 8 schools in Reston, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Reston on the city page.
Is Forest Edge Elementary a good school?
Forest Edge Elementary earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% 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 Fairfax County Public Schools?
Besides Forest Edge 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.