Enrollment
2,434
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Reston, VA
South Lakes High
Federal NCES profile for South Lakes High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 510126000566
👥 S:T ratio 41
📚 AP courses 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 56
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Lakes High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median. It is also one of the largest schools in Virginia.
- #10 of 10
- public schools in Reston · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 28.0%
- free-lunch eligible
South Lakes High has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Lakes High ranks #10 of 10 public schools in Reston, VA.
School address
District: Fairfax County Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510126000566 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
166.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.0%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Lakes High compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Lakes High
South Lakes High is a large high school in Reston, Virginia, enrolling 2,434 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 28.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Virginia, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,434 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 69 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #42.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%) (diversity index 72/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 3 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 221 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.
Fairfax County Public Schools also operates Lake Braddock Secondary (4,411 students) and Robinson Secondary (3,710 students) alongside South Lakes High.
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 South Lakes High compares
South Lakes High on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▲ 6% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.0% | ▼ 51% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,434 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
2,434
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% 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
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 64% in Virginia - lower ratio than 36% 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
Counselors11.0 FTE
Per 221 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
129
in-school suspensions + 55 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.6 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
White 39.9%
Hispanic or Latino 29.2%
African American 12.9%
Asian 9.9%
Two or More 7.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 39.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.3, South Lakes High is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fairfax County Public Schools, which includes South Lakes High.
$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 South Lakes High 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 | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chantilly High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Springfield High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Lakes High'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 high 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 (~2,434 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Lakes High's federal record.
- Compare South Lakes High 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 South Lakes High
How many students attend South Lakes High?
South Lakes High has 2,434 students enrolled. It is a high school in Reston, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Lakes High?
The student-teacher ratio at South Lakes High is 14.7:1, which is 6% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Lakes High?
28.0% of students at South Lakes High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Lakes High?
The largest demographic group at South Lakes High is White at 39.9% of enrollment, in Reston, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Lakes High?
South Lakes High has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Lakes High rank among public schools in Reston?
By Resource Investment Index, South Lakes High ranks #10 of 10 public schools in Reston, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Reston on the city page.
Is South Lakes High a good school?
South Lakes High earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median. It is also one of the largest schools in Virginia. 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 South Lakes High, 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.