Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Charles Barrett Elementary

Q: Is Charles Barrett Elementary a good school?

Charles Barrett Elementary ranks 775 th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

775^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 30% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Charles Barrett Elementary is a PK–5 school in Alexandria, VA serving 547 students and is part of Alexandria City Public Schools. Once a high-performing school ranking in the 80th percentile statewide a decade ago, Barrett has since declined and now sits at the 30th percentile (775th out of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools) with a 2-star rating. While the school has stabilized after a dip to 1 star, it remains well below its former standing and its district, Alexandria City Public Schools, ranks in the 21st percentile of Virginia districts.

The good news for parents is that Barrett has several clear strengths. Its upper-elementary grades are notably strong: 5th grade reading (72% proficient) and science (71% proficient) both exceed the state average, while 4th grade VA Studies (79% proficient) also outperforms the state. Chronic absenteeism is an impressive 9.9%, well below the state rate of 14.8% despite over half the students qualifying for free/reduced-price lunch. However, 3rd grade is a weak spot, with math (54%) and reading (52%) proficiency running 15 to 20 points below state averages. The most concerning issue is a dramatic gap in outcomes across student subgroups—while some groups perform at exceptionally high levels statewide, others rank near the very bottom of Virginia elementary schools, representing a major equity challenge.

Compared to nearby schools, Barrett sits in the middle of the pack. It outperforms Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary and Randolph Elementary in Arlington, but lags well behind Arlington’s Claremont Immersion and Montessori Public School of Arlington. Spending is moderate at about $13,000 per student—far less than some lower-performing neighbors like Cora Kelly School for Math Science and Technology—and Barrett’s low absenteeism suggests strong family engagement. Bottom line: Barrett is a solid mid-tier school with real strengths in later grades and attendance, but closing the subgroup achievement gaps and improving 3rd grade proficiency are the clearest paths to restoring its former excellence.

547

Students ?

14.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,318

Per pupil spending ?

51.4%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

1115 Martha Custis Dr
Alexandria, VA 22302

(703) 824-6960

District: Alexandria City Public Schools

Students who attend Charles Barrett Elementary usually attend:

High:

Alexandria City High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

50.1%

White:

35.3%

African American:

10.1%

See top rated Virginia elementary schools

Compare Charles Barrett Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 80th percentile in 2016 → 30th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Virginia average (65% vs 72% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 50 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school65%

District avg63%

Virginia avg72%

775^th of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 30%▼ down 50 pts since 2016

From top 20% (2016) to bottom 30% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 14Elementary Schools in the Alexandria City Public Schools

103^rd of 131Alexandria City Public Schools among Virginia districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	35.8	775 of 1111	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.0	712 of 1110	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	33.4	799 of 1114	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	40.1	719 of 1114	35.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	47.5	640 of 1109	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	48.3	619 of 1103	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	60.0	495 of 1105	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	53.0	585 of 1097	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2017	68.6	332 of 1099	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2016	75.0	221 of 1096	79.8%	★★★★☆
2015	77.1	191 of 1100	82.6%	★★★★☆
2014	69.2	312 of 1110	71.9%	★★★★☆
2013	69.7	311 of 1120	72.2%	★★★★☆
2012	42.1	751 of 1117	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2011	51.2	617 of 1117	44.8%	★★☆☆☆
2010	61.7	416 of 1113	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2009	30.2	911 of 1082	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	25.2	953 of 1081	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	44.4	695 of 1083	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2006	48.4	642 of 1071	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2005	38.1	772 of 1062	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	17.4	290 of 315	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	22.2	283 of 326	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.4	301 of 306	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	19.1	268 of 300	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	32.9	805 of 1100	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	42.9	687 of 1096	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.1	820 of 1098	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.9	810 of 1100	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	6.7	610 of 619	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	11.3	574 of 606	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.2	571 of 580	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	10.7	535 of 564	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	10.2	997 of 1040	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	8.7	1012 of 1046	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	5.9	1017 of 1036	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	37.4	761 of 1099	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	39.2	729 of 1093	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	35.5	781 of 1101	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	46.1	643 of 1093	41.2%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	85.0	56 of 974	94.3%	★★★★★
2025	86.7	38 of 973	96.1%	★★★★★
2024	82.6	84 of 979	91.4%	★★★★★
2023	80.7	104 of 984	89.4%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2026)94th percentile+64 vs school

Male (2026)31st percentile~ school

Female (2026)27th percentile-3 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)8th percentile-22 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)4th percentile-26 vs school

Hispanic (2026)1st percentile-29 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

VA Studies79%+8 vs state

Science71%~ state avg

Mathematics64%-9 vs state

English Reading61%-10 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Charles Barrett Elementary

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent on FaceBook
Monday, March 7, 2016

I would choose Charles Barrett ES over any private school in the area. The principal is amazing, the CETA program is very special and the teachers are so committed to the students and programs there. They have an awesome social worker (National Social Worker of the Year), and the positive attitude and methods regarding discipline make for a safe and friendly school, every day of the year. I feel so lucky! Close Quote

Schools Near Charles Barrett Elementary

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				SOL Mathematics (2026)			SOL Science (2026)	SOL English Reading (2026)			SOL VA Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SOL Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Charles Barrett Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1115 Martha Custis Dr	Alexandria	22302	Alexandria city	Alexandria City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 824-6960	547	38	14.3	51.4%	193 (35.3%)	55 (10.1%)	274 (50.1%)	10 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (2.6%)	35.8	775^th of 1111 public elementary schools	30.2%		41	712^th of 1110 public elementary schools	35.9%	63	53.9	66.7	69.6	70.9	52.3	56.8	72.2	79.0	$14,318	$26	$14,291
Oakridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1414 24th St S	Arlington	22202	Arlington County	Arlington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 228-5840	636	43	14.6	31.9%	238 (37.4%)	134 (21.1%)	157 (24.7%)	56 (8.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (8.0%)	57.4	515^th of 1111 public elementary schools	53.6%		51.5	582^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	47.6%	67	78.5	71.1	85.5	73.6	64.8	68.8	77.8	73.1	$15,090	$88	$15,003
Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	3500 South 23rd Street	Arlington	22206	Arlington County	Arlington County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(703) 228-5825	417	41	10.0	58.0%	66 (15.8%)	127 (30.5%)	181 (43.4%)	27 (6.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.6%)	19.5	949^th of 1111 public elementary schools	14.6%		21.8	905^th of 1110 public elementary schools	18.5%	44	60.6	54.8	66.0	45.3	58.5	52.5	49.0	68.3	$25,813	$1,072	$24,741
George Mason Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2601 Cameron Mills Rd	Alexandria	22302	Alexandria city	Alexandria City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 706-4470	332	24	14.1	41.6%	164 (49.4%)	32 (9.6%)	119 (35.8%)	6 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.3%)	42.4	705^th of 1111 public elementary schools	36.5%		53.4	560^th of 1110 public elementary schools	49.5%	145	70.2	59.1	66.7	74.5	66.0	59.1	72.6	75.8	$18,655	$00	$18,655
Abingdon Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3035 S Abingdon St	Arlington	22206	Arlington County	Arlington County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(703) 228-6650	768	59	13.0	57.6%	242 (31.5%)	84 (10.9%)	309 (40.2%)	87 (11.3%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (5.6%)	24.8	898^th of 1111 public elementary schools	19.2%		26.4	868^th of 1110 public elementary schools	21.8%	30	63.8	57.6	67.0	68.6	55.7	59.9	61.9	46.8	$17,402	$1,274	$16,128
Cora Kelly School for Math Science and Technology	Public	PK, KG-5	3600 Commonwealth Ave	Alexandria	22305	Alexandria city	Alexandria City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(703) 706-4420	337	23	14.7	82.2%	73 (21.7%)	39 (11.6%)	206 (61.1%)	12 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.1%)	24.9	896^th of 1111 public elementary schools	19.4%		21.4	913^th of 1110 public elementary schools	17.7%	17	45.5	66.7	71.7	60.9	40.9	54.8	56.5	70.7	$19,143	$233	$18,910
Mount Vernon Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	2601 Commonwealth Ave	Alexandria	22305	Alexandria city	Alexandria City Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 706-4460	933	52	18.1	41.2%	360 (38.6%)	30 (3.2%)	479 (51.3%)	12 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (5.5%)	27.6	870^th of 1111 public elementary schools	21.7%		25.1	880^th of 1110 public elementary schools	20.7%	10	63.4	61.4	59.1	60.8	60.7	63.3	61.9	65.1	$13,010	$13	$12,997
Hoffman-Boston Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1415 S Queen St	Arlington	22204	Arlington County	Arlington County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(703) 228-5845	592	52	11.3	43.8%	153 (25.8%)	147 (24.8%)	131 (22.1%)	127 (21.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (5.6%)	30.5	835^th of 1111 public elementary schools	24.8%		41.1	710^th of 1110 public elementary schools	36.0%	125	69.6	62.7	59.8	45.5	63.2	69.2	65.4	63.5	$20,028	$706	$19,322
Randolph Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1306 S Quincy St	Arlington	22204	Arlington County	Arlington County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(703) 228-5830	430	44	9.7	57.9%	69 (16.0%)	63 (14.7%)	242 (56.3%)	34 (7.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.7%)	30.4	837^th of 1111 public elementary schools	24.7%		21.6	909^th of 1110 public elementary schools	18.1%	72	74.3	68.1	60.7	60.7	61.1	49.3	60.7	61.7	$23,349	$979	$22,371
Claremont Immersion	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	4700 S. Chesterfield Rd.	Arlington	22206	Arlington County	Arlington County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 228-2500	595	41	14.5	37.8%	153 (25.7%)	27 (4.5%)	361 (60.7%)	17 (2.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (6.1%)	76.7	259^th of 1111 public elementary schools	76.7%		65.3	412^th of 1110 public elementary schools	62.9%	153	86.3	80.0	85.4	80.9	76.3	80.0	84.3	94.7	$15,625	$00	$15,625

Frequently Asked Questions about Charles Barrett Elementary

What schools do graduates of Charles Barrett Elementary attend?

Students who attend Charles Barrett Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Alexandria City High

How many students attend Charles Barrett Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 547 students attended Charles Barrett Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Charles Barrett Elementary?

Students at Charles Barrett Elementary are 50% Hispanic, 35% White, 10% African American, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is Charles Barrett Elementary in?

Alexandria City Public Schools

Is Charles Barrett Elementary a good school?

Charles Barrett Elementary ranks 775^th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Charles Barrett Elementary!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

VAVirginia Elementary School Rankings

VAVirginia District Rankings

Schools in Alexandria, VA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Charles Barrett Elementary!

Latest Virginia data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataNewOct 12, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNewOct 12, 2026

2025–26 SOL test scoresAug 25, 2026

2021–22 school spending dataFeb 16, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Virginia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.