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

Wakefield High

Q: Is Wakefield High a good school?

Wakefield High ranks 170 th of 331 Virginia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Q: How many students attend Wakefield High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 2,646 students attended Wakefield High.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Wakefield High?

Students at Wakefield High are 46% Hispanic, 25% White, 17% African American, 6% Asian, 6% Two or more races.

Q: What schools feed into Wakefield High?

Wakefield High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Abingdon Elementary Elementary : Alice West Fleet Elementary Elementary : Barcroft Elementary Elementary : Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary Elementary : Hoffman-Boston Elementary Elementary : Oakridge Elementary Elementary : Randolph Elementary Middle : Gunston Middle Middle : Jefferson Middle

Public Grades 9-12

170^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 331 Virginia High Schools

Better than 49% of Virginia high schools

Summary

Wakefield High is a large, comprehensive public high school in Arlington, Virginia, serving 2,646 students in grades 9–12 within Arlington County Public Schools, a highly rated district. Its state ranking has climbed from the low-30s percentile range to 170th of 331 schools (49th percentile) in 2025-26, putting it in the middle of nearby comprehensive high schools — behind Yorktown High and slightly behind Washington-Liberty High and Edison High, but ahead of Falls Church High, Justice High, Annandale High, and Alexandria City High.

Academically, Wakefield has genuine strengths. Math stands out: 9th-grade Geometry proficiency is 95.95% and Algebra I proficiency exceeds state averages at nearly every grade level, including students taking the course in 11th and 12th grade — an uncommon pattern at many high-poverty schools. Earth Science scores also top state averages and most nearby schools. The school is notably effective for several student subgroups relative to the state, with strong 2025-26 rankings for Disabled Students (89th percentile), Military-Connected Students (82nd percentile), White Students (78th percentile), and African American Students (72nd percentile). These gains suggest the school is serving many historically underserved groups increasingly well.

The biggest challenges are attendance and persistence. Chronic absenteeism sits at 22.5% — roughly double the district rate of 12.1% and the highest among nearby traditional high schools — while the dropout rate rose to 7.0% and graduation fell to 91.0%, both below state averages. Reading and Biology also need attention: 10th-grade reading proficiency is below state averages, 12th-grade reading is just 33.3% versus a 70.2% state average, and Biology scores lag well behind. Resource pressures are real too: Wakefield has the highest student-teacher ratio (18.7) among comparison schools and absorbed a sharp jump in free/reduced-price lunch eligibility to 48%. Still, the improvement trajectory is encouraging — if attendance and literacy gains continue, Wakefield could move from the middle of the pack into solidly above-average territory.

2,646

Students ?

18.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,716

Per pupil spending ?

48.0%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

1325 S. Dinwiddie Street
Arlington, VA 22206

(703) 228-6700

District: Arlington County Public Schools

Feeder schools for Wakefield High:

Elementary:	Abingdon Elementary
	Alice West Fleet Elementary
	Barcroft Elementary
	Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary
	More...
	Hoffman-Boston Elementary
	Oakridge Elementary
	Randolph Elementary
Middle:	Gunston Middle
	Jefferson Middle

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

45.6%

White:

24.9%

African American:

17.4%

See top rated Virginia high schools

Compare Wakefield High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 24th percentile in 2016 → 49th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 25 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school83%

District avg84%

Virginia avg78%

170^th of 331

Virginia public high schools ?

Bottom 49%▲ up 25 pts since 2016

From bottom 24% (2016) to bottom 49% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 3High Schools in the Arlington County Public Schools

26^th of 131Arlington County 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	56.1	170 of 331	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	47.0	216 of 328	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	46.6	219 of 329	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.6	221 of 326	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.2	223 of 325	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	35.1	220 of 327	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	39.7	221 of 327	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	35.7	241 of 326	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	33.9	251 of 324	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	33.8	244 of 321	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	43.1	187 of 322	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2014	40.5	206 of 322	36.0%	★★☆☆☆
2013	41.9	195 of 321	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	33.3	252 of 321	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	31.8	256 of 320	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	28.9	272 of 317	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	29.3	263 of 313	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	24.1	285 of 316	9.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	35.7	244 of 313	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	20.2	298 of 314	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	20.4	294 of 308	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	64.0	67 of 242	72.3%	★★★★☆
2025	56.3	107 of 245	56.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	49.9	138 of 249	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.2	137 of 240	42.9%	★★☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	65.4	43 of 120	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.5	76 of 125	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.5	92 of 118	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	45.5	86 of 120	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	78.5	27 of 252	89.3%	★★★★☆
2024	56.8	99 of 253	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	43.4	148 of 249	40.6%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	42.9	81 of 135	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	43.2	55 of 101	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.5	76 of 122	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	53.0	43 of 97	55.7%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	55.6	167 of 322	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	45.6	215 of 321	33.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.8	232 of 322	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	41.8	229 of 320	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	51.4	133 of 242	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	40.3	165 of 236	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	39.1	167 of 233	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	43.1	144 of 232	37.9%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	59.9	127 of 321	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	46.6	193 of 324	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	46.7	189 of 320	40.9%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	54.9	160 of 325	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	47.2	199 of 322	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	48.1	192 of 322	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.5	208 of 321	35.2%	★★☆☆☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	71.0	19 of 105	81.9%	★★★★☆
2025	45.4	67 of 98	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.5	51 of 92	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	40.1	70 of 92	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	57.9	85 of 196	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	83.6	12 of 198	93.9%	★★★★★
2024	71.4	41 of 198	79.3%	★★★★☆
2023	75.0	34 of 193	82.4%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	69.9	69 of 312	77.9%	★★★★☆
2025	75.6	39 of 313	87.5%	★★★★☆
2024	72.5	43 of 314	86.3%	★★★★☆
2023	64.4	93 of 315	70.5%	★★★★☆

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)

Disabled (2026)89th percentile+41 vs school

Military Connected (2026)82nd percentile+33 vs school

White (2026)78th percentile+29 vs school

African American (2026)72nd percentile+24 vs school

Asian (2026)64th percentile+16 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)60th percentile+12 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)57th percentile+8 vs school

Male (2026)51st percentile~ school

Female (2026)48th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)45th percentile-4 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)40th percentile-9 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

Geometry96%+19 vs state

Algebra II93%+6 vs state

Writing88%+12 vs state

English Reading84%~ state avg

Algebra I84%+5 vs state

Biology78%~ state avg

Earth Science62%~ state avg

1.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★0

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★2

Rate Wakefield High

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 citizen
Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Admin is very poor and has a clear problem with dealing with the overwhelming diverse student population. Classic discriminatory practices and overall neglect. Poor cafeteria and little to no student clubs and activities. Poor encouragement from teachers. Needs basic diversity training and a better management over student achievement Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Special education is not good. Very disappointed with quality of teaching from the special education teachers. Administration does not care. If you have a child who requires special education services, stay on top of it! Don't be afraid to take action. Close Quote

Schools Near Wakefield High

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 Writing (2026)			SOL Geometry (2026)				SOL Algebra I (2026)					SOL Algebra II (2026)				SOL Chemistry (2026)				SOL Biology (2026)				SOL Earth Science (2026)				SOL English Reading (2026)				SOL Geography (2026)			SOL VA and US History (2026)			SOL World History I (2026)				SOL World History II (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 Writing 10th Grade	SOL Writing 11th Grade	SOL Writing 12th Grade	SOL Geometry 9th Grade	SOL Geometry 10th Grade	SOL Geometry 11th Grade	SOL Geometry 12th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 9th Grade	SOL Algebra I 10th Grade	SOL Algebra I 11th Grade	SOL Algebra I 12th Grade	SOL Algebra II 9th Grade	SOL Algebra II 10th Grade	SOL Algebra II 11th Grade	SOL Algebra II 12th Grade	SOL Chemistry 9th Grade	SOL Chemistry 10th Grade	SOL Chemistry 11th Grade	SOL Chemistry 12th Grade	SOL Biology 9th Grade	SOL Biology 10th Grade	SOL Biology 11th Grade	SOL Biology 12th Grade	SOL Earth Science 9th Grade	SOL Earth Science 10th Grade	SOL Earth Science 11th Grade	SOL Earth Science 12th Grade	SOL English Reading 9th Grade	SOL English Reading 10th Grade	SOL English Reading 11th Grade	SOL English Reading 12th Grade	SOL Geography 9th Grade	SOL Geography 10th Grade	SOL Geography 12th Grade	SOL VA and US History 10th Grade	SOL VA and US History 11th Grade	SOL VA and US History 12th Grade	SOL World History I 9th Grade	SOL World History I 10th Grade	SOL World History I 11th Grade	SOL World History I 12th Grade	SOL World History II 9th Grade	SOL World History II 10th Grade	SOL World History II 11th Grade	SOL World History II 12th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Wakefield High	Public	9-12	1325 S. Dinwiddie Street	Arlington	22206	Arlington County	Arlington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 228-6700	2,646	141	18.7	48.0%	659 (24.9%)	461 (17.4%)	1,206 (45.6%)	163 (6.2%)	6 (0.2%)	2 (0.1%)	149 (5.6%)	56.1	170^th of 331 public high schools	48.6%		47	216^th of 328 public high schools	34.1%	46	≥ 50%	88.0	400.0	96.0	389.0	< 50%			85.0	75.3	86.6	95.2	93.4	< 50%	< 50%	≥ 50%		350.0	400.0		86.0	54.7	55.0	65.6	< 50%	56.1	65.0	78.6		56.3	87.7	33.3		≥ 50%		≥ 50%	432.0	411.0					< 50%		≥ 50%		$13,716	$16	$13,701
Arlington Community High	Public	9-12	800 S. Walter Reed Dr	Arlington	22204	Arlington County	Arlington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 228-5350	156	9	17.5	—	1 (0.6%)	11 (7.1%)	137 (87.8%)	5 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.3%)								(n/a)	≥ 50%	≥ 50%							≥ 50%	414.0	424.0	359.0									< 50%	< 50%	387.0	393.0				< 50%	≥ 50%	405.0	50.0	392.0				< 50%											$24,433	$00	$24,433
Justice High	Public	9-12	3301 Peace Valley Ln	Falls Church	22044	Fairfax County	Fairfax County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 824-3900	2,357	153	15.4	77.4%	440 (18.7%)	238 (10.1%)	1,393 (59.1%)	233 (9.9%)	4 (0.2%)	1 (0.0%)	48 (2.0%)	29.4	282^nd of 331 public high schools	14.8%		35.1	262^nd of 328 public high schools	20.1%	20				74.6	404.0	< 50%			75.9	85.6	91.2	100.0	100.0	446.0	≥ 50%		< 50%	39.3	26.7	≥ 50%	68.8	59.7	36.4	83.3	< 50%	25.0	51.2	83.9		418.0	77.6	82.2				< 50%		421.0						< 50%			$12,989	$450	$12,539
Alexandria City High	Public	9-12	3330 King St	Alexandria	22302	Alexandria city	Alexandria City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 824-6800	4,655	306	15.2	67.5%	1,117 (24.0%)	1,169 (25.1%)	1,974 (42.4%)	246 (5.3%)	6 (0.1%)	8 (0.2%)	135 (2.9%)	15.6	320^th of 331 public high schools	3.3%		14.2	322^nd of 328 public high schools	1.8%	2				74.4	10.9	374.0	377.0		52.0	65.2	79.8	86.1	95.7	358.0	367.0	< 50%		30.4	380.0	≥ 50%	61.0	37.3	56.9	77.3	385.0	27.5	47.2	37.0		47.1	78.6	62.1	79.2	≥ 50%		< 50%	371.0	70.6	15.6	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	< 50%	351.0	< 50%	≥ 50%	$14,358	$255	$14,103
Washington-Liberty High	Public	9-12	1301 N Stafford St	Arlington	22201	Arlington County	Arlington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 228-6200	3,044	167	18.2	25.2%	1,202 (39.5%)	289 (9.5%)	1,018 (33.4%)	271 (8.9%)	7 (0.2%)	1 (0.0%)	256 (8.4%)	57.7	158^th of 331 public high schools	52.3%		54.5	172^nd of 328 public high schools	47.6%	14	< 50%	91.0	366.0	95.7	50.0	346.0	< 50%	≥ 50%	76.5	75.4	78.8	100.0	98.0	73.7	≥ 50%	459.0	≥ 50%	61.4	73.3	413.0	94.4	58.5	30.8	71.4	≥ 50%	40.7	47.2	44.0		456.0	86.8	55.1			≥ 50%		407.0	66.7				≥ 50%	< 50%	≥ 50%		< 50%	$12,363	$16	$12,348
Thomas Jefferson High for Science and Technology	Public, Magnet	9-12	6560 Braddock Rd	Alexandria	22312	Fairfax County	Fairfax County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 750-8300	2,108	125	16.8	14.8%	437 (20.7%)	118 (5.6%)	155 (7.4%)	1,276 (60.5%)	2 (0.1%)	3 (0.1%)	117 (5.6%)	87.3	3^rd of 331 public high schools	99.1%		87.2	4^th of 328 public high schools	98.8%	1				100.0	98.8	≥ 50%			≥ 50%				100.0	100.0				≥ 50%	≥ 50%		100.0										100.0	≥ 50%							≥ 50%	≥ 50%	≥ 50%			≥ 50%
Yorktown High	Public	9-12	5200 Yorktown Blvd	Arlington	22207	Arlington County	Arlington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 228-5400	2,593	139	18.6	13.5%	1,509 (58.2%)	150 (5.8%)	500 (19.3%)	208 (8.0%)	2 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	224 (8.6%)	74.1	64^th of 331 public high schools	80.7%		73.4	68^th of 328 public high schools	79.3%	4		84.9	96.3	97.3	392.0	389.0			90.4	81.0	90.9	72.7	98.7	91.7	432.0	≥ 50%	< 50%	61.3	50.0		95.5	54.0	76.0	407.0	< 50%	50.0	400.0	422.0		≥ 50%	94.8	64.8					< 50%	429.0							≥ 50%		$12,588	$00	$12,588
Edison High	Public	9-12	5801 Franconia Rd	Alexandria	22310	Fairfax County	Fairfax County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 924-8000	2,294	183	12.5	38.6%	641 (27.9%)	419 (18.3%)	817 (35.6%)	285 (12.4%)	8 (0.3%)	4 (0.2%)	120 (5.2%)	63.3	126^th of 331 public high schools	61.9%		46.8	217^th of 328 public high schools	33.8%	91		357.0	< 50%	94.4	47.1	385.0	< 50%		83.7	70.6	90.3	100.0	95.8	98.8	395.0			36.7	392.0		88.4	75.3	391.0	446.0		371.0	66.7	405.0		< 50%	89.9	66.7					≥ 50%	≥ 50%	< 50%								$12,986	$155	$12,831
Fairfax County Adult High	Public	9-12	6815 Edsall Rd	Springfield	22151	Fairfax County	Fairfax County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 658-2740	226	11	19.9	—	19 (8.4%)	9 (4.0%)	174 (77.0%)	24 (10.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27.6	295^th of 331 public high schools	10.9%		27.1	295^th of 328 public high schools	10.1%							< 50%	400.0			81.8	76.0	426.0				≥ 50%						≥ 50%	379.0	359.0		≥ 50%	399.0	384.0		354.0	379.0	51.4						< 50%				≥ 50%			< 50%	< 50%
Falls Church High	Public	9-12	7521 Jaguar Trail	Falls Church	22042	Fairfax County	Fairfax County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 207-4000	2,170	184	11.8	65.9%	332 (15.3%)	116 (5.3%)	1,350 (62.2%)	283 (13.0%)	9 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	78 (3.6%)	29.8	280^th of 331 public high schools	15.4%		35.6	261^st of 328 public high schools	20.4%	19		236.0	< 50%	90.0	21.6	353.0	≥ 50%		64.0	67.9	73.9	424.0	100.0	≥ 50%	< 50%			27.6	398.0	≥ 50%	80.7	68.0	45.1	70.3	< 50%	19.1	28.8	83.3		< 50%	81.2	62.2	≥ 50%				≥ 50%		< 50%								$15,004	$301	$14,703

Frequently Asked Questions about Wakefield High

How many students attend Wakefield High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 2,646 students attended Wakefield High.

What is the racial makeup of Wakefield High?

Students at Wakefield High are 46% Hispanic, 25% White, 17% African American, 6% Asian, 6% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Wakefield High?

Wakefield High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Abingdon Elementary
Elementary : Alice West Fleet Elementary
Elementary : Barcroft Elementary
Elementary : Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary
Elementary : Hoffman-Boston Elementary
Elementary : Oakridge Elementary
Elementary : Randolph Elementary
Middle : Gunston Middle
Middle : Jefferson Middle

What district is Wakefield High in?

Arlington County Public Schools

Is Wakefield High a good school?

Wakefield High ranks 170^th of 331 Virginia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Wakefield High!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

VAVirginia High School Rankings

VAVirginia District Rankings

Schools in Arlington, VA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Wakefield High!

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.