Enrollment
1,401
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Alexandria, VA
Sandburg Middle
Federal NCES profile for Sandburg Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 510126000474
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sandburg Middle earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #6 of 7
- middle schools in Alexandria · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.1:1
- students per teacher
- 42.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Sandburg Middle has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sandburg Middle ranks #6 of 7 middle schools in Alexandria, VA.
School address
District: Fairfax County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510126000474 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
93.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.6%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sandburg Middle compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sandburg Middle
Sandburg Middle is a large middle school in Alexandria, Virginia, enrolling 1,401 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 42.6% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Virginia, bigger than 92% of state schools at 1,401 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 108 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 (40%) and White (31%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 200 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Fairfax County Public Schools spends $17,977 per pupil, 23% above the Virginia average, a better-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Alexandria's middle schools, it stands alongside Glasgow Middle (1,702 students): Sandburg Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.1:1 vs 13.8:1).
Fairfax County Public Schools also operates Lake Braddock Secondary (4,411 students) and Robinson Secondary (3,710 students) alongside Sandburg Middle.
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 Sandburg Middle compares
Sandburg Middle on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.1:1 | ▲ 9% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.6% | ▼ 26% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,401 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,401
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 69% in Virginia - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
21.4%
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
$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
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 200 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
148
in-school suspensions + 102 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 40.4%
White 31.3%
African American 17.8%
Asian 5.3%
Two or More 4.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.2, Sandburg Middle 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 Sandburg Middle.
$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 Sandburg Middle 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Springfield High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sandburg Middle'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 middle schools in Alexandria
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Glasgow Middle
Standard public school
1,702 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Francis C. Hammond Middle
Standard public school
1,597 students
George Washington Middle
Standard public school
1,458 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Twain Middle
Standard public school
1,026 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Holmes Middle
Standard public school
881 students 14:1 students per teacher
Whitman Middle
Standard public school
828 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~1,401 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sandburg Middle's federal record.
- Compare Sandburg Middle 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 Sandburg Middle
How many students attend Sandburg Middle?
Sandburg Middle has 1,401 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Alexandria, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sandburg Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Sandburg Middle is 15.1:1, which is 9% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sandburg Middle?
42.6% of students at Sandburg Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sandburg Middle?
The largest demographic group at Sandburg Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 40.4% of enrollment, in Alexandria, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sandburg Middle?
Sandburg Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (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 Sandburg Middle rank among middle schools in Alexandria?
By Resource Investment Index, Sandburg Middle ranks #6 of 7 middle schools in Alexandria, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Alexandria on the city page.
Is Sandburg Middle a good school?
Sandburg Middle earns 54/100 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 Fairfax County Public Schools?
Besides Sandburg Middle, 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.