Enrollment
928
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Springfield, VA
Sangster Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sangster Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510126002119
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 38
📋 Attendance 91
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sangster Elementary earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Virginia schools.
- #2 of 18
- schools in Springfield · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.8:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 3.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Sangster Elementary has class sizes larger than 95% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sangster Elementary ranks #2 of 18 schools in Springfield, VA.
School address
District: Fairfax County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510126002119 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.8:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
3.0%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-95% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sangster Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sangster Elementary
Sangster Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Springfield, Virginia, enrolling 928 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.8:1 is larger than about 95% of Virginia schools and 28% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 3.0% free-meal eligibility runs 95% below the Virginia average.
Enrollment of 928 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 134 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #40.
Its student body is led by White (58%) and Asian (14%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 309 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.8% 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 Springfield's public schools, it stands alongside Orange Hunt Elementary (874 students): Sangster Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.8:1 vs 16.2:1).
Fairfax County Public Schools also operates Lake Braddock Secondary (4,411 students) and Robinson Secondary (3,710 students) alongside Sangster 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 Sangster Elementary compares
Sangster 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 | 17.8:1 | ▲ 28% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 3.0% | ▼ 95% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 928 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.8:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
928
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
3.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 95% 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
17.8:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 95% in Virginia - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
3.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 309 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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
White 58.3%
Asian 14.2%
Two or More 9.5%
African American 9.3%
Hispanic or Latino 8.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 58.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.5, Sangster 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 Sangster 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 Sangster Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Braddock Secondary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Robinson Secondary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hayfield Secondary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chantilly High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Springfield High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sangster 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 Springfield
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Orange Hunt Elementary
Standard public school
874 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Keene Mill Elementary
Standard public school
813 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Hunt Valley Elementary
Standard public school
735 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Cardinal Forest Elementary
Standard public school
680 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Kings Park Elementary
Standard public school
653 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Saratoga Elementary
Standard public school
612 students 13.3:1 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 (~928 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sangster Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sangster 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 Sangster Elementary
How many students attend Sangster Elementary?
Sangster Elementary has 928 students enrolled. It is a public school in Springfield, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sangster Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sangster Elementary is 17.8:1, which is 28% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sangster Elementary?
3.0% of students at Sangster Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sangster Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sangster Elementary is White at 58.3% of enrollment, in Springfield, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sangster Elementary?
Sangster 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 Sangster Elementary rank among schools in Springfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Sangster Elementary ranks #2 of 18 schools in Springfield, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Springfield on the city page.
Is Sangster Elementary a good school?
Sangster Elementary earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% 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 Sangster 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.