Summary
Glasgow Middle is a large 6th–8th grade school in Alexandria, VA, serving 1,702 students in Fairfax County Public Schools, with 85.84% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch — the highest poverty rate among nearby middle schools. The school ranks 371st out of 416 Virginia middle schools, placing it in the bottom tier of the state, though this is a slight improvement from last year's 383rd-place ranking.
The most striking academic pattern at Glasgow is the divide between advanced and grade-level math. In Algebra I and Geometry, proficiency rates are roughly 98–100%, matching or exceeding state averages. But in grade-level 6th, 7th, and 8th grade math, only 18–29% of students are proficient, compared to district rates of 33–69%. Reading proficiency sits in the mid-50s to low-60s, about 20 points behind the county average. Glasgow's scores are broadly similar to Key Middle and Poe Middle, but well below Twain Middle, which has a much lower poverty rate and significantly higher reading and math results.
There are encouraging signs. Chronic absenteeism has fallen from 24.8% in 2022-23 to 12.8% in 2024-25, now below the Virginia state average of 14.8%. Outcomes vary significantly by student group: Glasgow ranks in the 83rd percentile statewide for African American students and the 95th percentile for military-connected students, while Hispanic students, English learners, and economically disadvantaged students are among the lowest-performing subgroups in the state. The school also spends $12,567 per student — the lowest of nearby comparison schools — despite serving the highest-need population. With attendance improving and the state rank ticking upward, Glasgow may be at a turning point, but the core academic challenges for the majority of its students remain significant.
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