Enrollment
683
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chantilly, VA
Poplar Tree Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Poplar Tree Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510126002182
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 78
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Poplar Tree Elementary earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Virginia schools.
- #5 of 7
- public schools in Chantilly · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.2:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 8.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Poplar Tree Elementary has class sizes larger than 71% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Poplar Tree Elementary ranks #5 of 7 public schools in Chantilly, VA.
School address
District: Fairfax County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510126002182 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
8.0%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-86% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Poplar Tree Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Poplar Tree Elementary
Poplar Tree Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Chantilly, Virginia, enrolling 683 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 8.0% free-meal eligibility runs 86% below the Virginia average.
Enrollment of 683 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Among 185 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #146, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Asian (45%) and White (35%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 455 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Fairfax County Public Schools spends $17,977 per pupil, 23% above the Virginia average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Chantilly's public schools, it stands alongside Brookfield Elementary (684 students): Poplar Tree Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.2:1 vs 12:1).
Fairfax County Public Schools also operates Lake Braddock Secondary (4,411 students) and Robinson Secondary (3,710 students) alongside Poplar Tree 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 Poplar Tree Elementary compares
Poplar Tree 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 | 8.0% | ▼ 86% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 683 | top 33% | - | - |
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.
683
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
8.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 86% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
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
8.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
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 455 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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
Asian 45.2%
White 35.0%
Hispanic or Latino 8.9%
Two or More 5.9%
African American 5.0%
Largest group: Asian at 45.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.9, Poplar Tree 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 Poplar Tree 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 Poplar Tree Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Braddock Secondary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Robinson Secondary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hayfield Secondary | Larger | Higher 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 Poplar Tree 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 Chantilly
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~683 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Poplar Tree Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Poplar Tree 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 Poplar Tree Elementary
How many students attend Poplar Tree Elementary?
Poplar Tree Elementary has 683 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chantilly, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Poplar Tree Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Poplar Tree 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 Poplar Tree Elementary?
8.0% of students at Poplar Tree Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Poplar Tree Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Poplar Tree Elementary is Asian at 45.2% of enrollment, in Chantilly, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Poplar Tree Elementary?
Poplar Tree Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (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 Poplar Tree Elementary rank among public schools in Chantilly?
By Resource Investment Index, Poplar Tree Elementary ranks #5 of 7 public schools in Chantilly, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Chantilly on the city page.
Is Poplar Tree Elementary a good school?
Poplar Tree Elementary earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% 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 Poplar Tree 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.