Enrollment
568
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sterling, VA
Potowmack Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Potowmack Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510225001158
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 79
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Potowmack Elementary earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Virginia schools.
- #6 of 14
- schools in Sterling · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.6:1
- small classes for Virginia
- 47.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Potowmack Elementary has class sizes smaller than 70% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Potowmack Elementary ranks #6 of 14 schools in Sterling, VA.
School address
District: Loudoun County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510225001158 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.6:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.0%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Potowmack Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Potowmack Elementary
Potowmack Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Sterling, Virginia, enrolling 568 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 47.0% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 568 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.
Against 203 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #32.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (49%) and White (26%) (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 355 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
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): Potowmack Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.6:1 vs 11.6:1).
Loudoun County Public Schools also operates Independence High (2,166 students) and Lightridge High (2,030 students) alongside Potowmack 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 Potowmack Elementary compares
Potowmack 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 | 12.6:1 | ▼ 9% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.0% | ▼ 18% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 568 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.6:1
Leaner classes than 70% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
568
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.6:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 30% in Virginia - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
8.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
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
Counselors1.6 FTE
Per 355 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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 48.9%
White 25.9%
Asian 9.7%
African American 8.6%
Two or More 6.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 48.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.3, Potowmack 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 Potowmack 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 Potowmack 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 Potowmack 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
Countryside Elementary
Standard public school
648 students 13:1 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 (~568 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Potowmack Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Potowmack 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 Potowmack Elementary
How many students attend Potowmack Elementary?
Potowmack Elementary has 568 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sterling, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Potowmack Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Potowmack Elementary is 12.6:1, which is 9% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 20% 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 Potowmack Elementary?
47.0% of students at Potowmack Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Potowmack Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Potowmack Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 48.9% of enrollment, in Sterling, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Potowmack Elementary?
Potowmack Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (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 Potowmack Elementary rank among schools in Sterling?
By Resource Investment Index, Potowmack Elementary ranks #6 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 Potowmack Elementary a good school?
Potowmack Elementary earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% 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 Loudoun County Public Schools?
Besides Potowmack 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.