Summary
Glen Forest Elementary is a PK-5 school in Falls Church, VA, serving 779 students in Fairfax County Public Schools. The school's state ranking stands at 1,038th out of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools (7th percentile) with a 0-star rating for the 2025-2026 school year. Roughly 97.6% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, one of the highest concentrations of economic disadvantage among nearby schools. The school sits just 0.22 miles from Campbell Elementary in Arlington, which ranks in the 77th percentile statewide, making the two schools a striking example of how much outcomes can vary within a small neighborhood.
Academically, Glen Forest trails district and state averages by 20 to 30 percentage points in nearly every subject and grade. In 3rd grade math, for instance, 56.6% of Glen Forest students are proficient, compared with 78.4% across Fairfax County and 74.0% statewide. The gaps widen in 5th grade, where only 41.5% of students pass math and 40.4% pass science, versus district rates near two-thirds. Reading follows a similar pattern. Chronic absenteeism is also a concern: 17.1% of students were chronically absent in 2024-2025, above the district's 11.9% and the state's 14.8%, though improved from 24.6% two years earlier. The school does devote significant resources to students, spending $14,765 per pupil with a favorable 12.2-to-1 student-teacher ratio.
Notably, African American students at Glen Forest are a clear success story, ranking in the 87th percentile statewide with a 4-star rating in 2025-2026. Other student groups at the school, however, tell a different story: Hispanic, White, English language learners, and students from low-income families all rank near the bottom statewide. There are signs of gradual improvement in lower grades — 3rd grade math has risen from 42.5% to 56.6% since 2022-2023, and 4th grade reading from 38.1% to 53.2%. The overall picture is complex. The school offers strong resources and some clear areas of effectiveness, but overall academic performance remains well below levels seen at nearby schools like Campbell Elementary.
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