Enrollment
744
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Woodbridge, VA
Sonnie Penn Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Sonnie Penn Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510313001864
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 74
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sonnie Penn Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Virginia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Virginia schools.
- #22 of 27
- schools in Woodbridge · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.7:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 32.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Sonnie Penn Elementary has class sizes larger than 95% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sonnie Penn Elementary ranks #22 of 27 schools in Woodbridge, VA.
School address
District: Prince William County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510313001864 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.7:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.3%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sonnie Penn Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sonnie Penn Elementary
Sonnie Penn Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Woodbridge, Virginia, enrolling 744 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.7:1 is larger than about 95% of Virginia schools and 27% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 32.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 744 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 332 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #187.
Its student body is led by African American (29%) and Asian (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 78/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 372 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
10.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Woodbridge's public schools, it stands alongside Kyle R. Wilson Elementary (875 students): Sonnie Penn Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.7:1 vs 16.8:1).
Prince William County Public Schools also operates Charles J. Colgan Sr. High (2,956 students) and Woodbridge High (2,898 students) alongside Sonnie Penn 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 Sonnie Penn Elementary compares
Sonnie Penn 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 | 17.7:1 | ▲ 27% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.3% | ▼ 44% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 744 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.7:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
744
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.7:1
students per teacher
- 27% 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
10.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,913
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 372 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.0 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
African American 28.8%
Asian 24.3%
White 19.6%
Hispanic or Latino 17.6%
Two or More 9.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 28.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 78.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 78.0, Sonnie Penn Elementary is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Prince William County Public Schools, which includes Sonnie Penn Elementary.
$13,913
Per student
-5%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.2%
State 44.1%
Federal 8.6%
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 Sonnie Penn Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles J. Colgan Sr. High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Woodbridge High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Osbourn Park High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Gainesville High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gar-Field High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sonnie Penn Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,956
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,898
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,661
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 2,648
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,524
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar other schools in Woodbridge
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Kyle R. Wilson Elementary
Standard public school
875 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Springwoods Elementary
Standard public school
842 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Fannie W. Fitzgerald Elementary
Standard public school
829 students 12:1 students per teacher
Leesylvania Elementary
Standard public school
759 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Antietam Elementary
Standard public school
752 students 16:1 students per teacher
Lake Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
671 students 16.4:1 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 (~744 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sonnie Penn Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Sonnie Penn Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Prince William 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 Sonnie Penn Elementary
How many students attend Sonnie Penn Elementary?
Sonnie Penn Elementary has 744 students enrolled. It is a public school in Woodbridge, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sonnie Penn Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Sonnie Penn Elementary is 17.7:1, which is 27% 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 Sonnie Penn Elementary?
32.3% of students at Sonnie Penn Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sonnie Penn Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Sonnie Penn Elementary is African American at 28.8% of enrollment, in Woodbridge, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 78.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sonnie Penn Elementary?
Sonnie Penn Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 Sonnie Penn Elementary rank among schools in Woodbridge?
By Resource Investment Index, Sonnie Penn Elementary ranks #22 of 27 schools in Woodbridge, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Woodbridge on the city page.
Is Sonnie Penn Elementary a good school?
Sonnie Penn Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% 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 Prince William County Public Schools?
Besides Sonnie Penn Elementary, Prince William County Public Schools also operates Charles J. Colgan Sr. High (2,956 students), Woodbridge High (2,898 students), and Osbourn Park High (2,661 students). See the Prince William 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.