Enrollment
573
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fredericksburg, VA
Salem Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Salem Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510364001874
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Salem Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #8 of 14
- schools in Fredericksburg · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 65.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Salem Elementary has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Salem Elementary ranks #8 of 14 schools in Fredericksburg, VA.
School address
District: Spotsylvania County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510364001874 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.1%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Salem Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Salem Elementary
Salem Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Fredericksburg, Virginia, enrolling 573 students.
At 14.3:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 65.1% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 573 students, its enrollment sits close to the Virginia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Among 236 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #210, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (38%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 573 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Fredericksburg's public schools, it stands alongside Parkside Elementary (946 students): Salem Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.3:1 vs 18.2:1).
Spotsylvania County Public Schools also operates Riverbend High (1,913 students) and Massaponax High (1,692 students) alongside Salem 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 Salem Elementary compares
Salem 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 | 14.3:1 | ▲ 3% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.1% | ▲ 13% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 573 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
573
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.1%
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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 58% in Virginia - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
21.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,318
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 573 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 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 37.7%
African American 25.5%
White 24.3%
Two or More 8.6%
Asian 3.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 37.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.5, Salem Elementary is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Spotsylvania County Public Schools, which includes Salem Elementary.
$13,318
Per student
-9%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.0%
State 41.8%
Federal 11.2%
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 Salem Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverbend High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Massaponax High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Courtland High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spotsylvania High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chancellor High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Salem Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,913
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,692
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,497
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,394
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,321
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Fredericksburg
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Parkside Elementary
Standard public school
946 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Hugh Mercer Elementary
Standard public school
859 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Lafayette Elementary
Standard public school
812 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Cedar Forest Elementary
Standard public school
789 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Harrison Road Elementary
Standard public school
732 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Smith Station Elementary
Standard public school
715 students 16.6:1 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 (~573 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Salem Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Salem Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Spotsylvania 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 Salem Elementary
How many students attend Salem Elementary?
Salem Elementary has 573 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fredericksburg, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Salem Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Salem Elementary is 14.3:1, which is 3% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 9% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Salem Elementary?
65.1% of students at Salem Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Salem Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Salem Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 37.7% of enrollment, in Fredericksburg, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Salem Elementary?
Salem Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical 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 Salem Elementary rank among schools in Fredericksburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Salem Elementary ranks #8 of 14 schools in Fredericksburg, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Fredericksburg on the city page.
Is Salem Elementary a good school?
Salem Elementary earns 40/100 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 Spotsylvania County Public Schools?
Besides Salem Elementary, Spotsylvania County Public Schools also operates Riverbend High (1,913 students), Massaponax High (1,692 students), and Courtland High (1,497 students). See the Spotsylvania 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.