Enrollment
715
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fredericksburg, VA
Smith Station Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Smith Station Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510364000227
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Smith Station Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Virginia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Virginia schools.
- #8 of 14
- schools in Fredericksburg · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.6:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 64.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Smith Station Elementary has class sizes larger than 88% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Smith Station Elementary ranks #8 of 14 schools in Fredericksburg, VA.
School address
District: Spotsylvania County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510364000227 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.6:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.8%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Smith Station Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Smith Station Elementary
Smith Station Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Fredericksburg, Virginia, enrolling 715 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.6:1 is larger than about 88% of Virginia schools and 19% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 64.8% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 715 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Among 220 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #191, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (34%) and African American (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 715 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Fredericksburg's public schools, it stands alongside Parkside Elementary (946 students): Smith Station Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.6:1 vs 18.2:1).
Spotsylvania County Public Schools also operates Riverbend High (1,913 students) and Massaponax High (1,692 students) alongside Smith Station 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 Smith Station Elementary compares
Smith Station 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 | 16.6:1 | ▲ 19% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.8% | ▲ 12% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 715 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.6:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
715
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
16.6:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 88% in Virginia - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
18.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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 715 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.9 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 33.7%
African American 26.0%
Hispanic or Latino 25.6%
Two or More 9.4%
Asian 5.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 33.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.2, Smith Station 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 Smith Station 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 Smith Station Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverbend High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Massaponax High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Courtland High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar 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 Smith Station 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
Lee Hill Elementary
Standard public school
680 students 17:1 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 (~715 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Smith Station Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Smith Station 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 Smith Station Elementary
How many students attend Smith Station Elementary?
Smith Station Elementary has 715 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fredericksburg, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Smith Station Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Smith Station Elementary is 16.6:1, which is 19% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Smith Station Elementary?
64.8% of students at Smith Station Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Smith Station Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Smith Station Elementary is White at 33.7% of enrollment, in Fredericksburg, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Smith Station Elementary?
Smith Station 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 Smith Station Elementary rank among schools in Fredericksburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Smith Station 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 Smith Station Elementary a good school?
Smith Station Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Virginia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Spotsylvania County Public Schools?
Besides Smith Station 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.