Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 20191

Zip code 20191 in Reston, Virginia, is served by a single middle school, Hughes Middle, part of Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), which instructs grades 7–8 and enrolls roughly 1,012 students. With no other middle school in the zip code to compare against, this analysis focuses on how Hughes stacks up against its district and the state of Virginia using SOL test data, attendance, and spending metrics.

Hughes Middle stands out for exceptional performance in advanced mathematics and literacy. In 2025–2026, students achieved 100% proficiency in 7th-grade Algebra I and 98.33% in 8th-grade Geometry, while 8th-grade Algebra I reached 91.61%. English reading proficiency is also a clear strength, with 81.17% of 7th graders and 84.02% of 8th graders passing, both above district and state averages. Science proficiency in 8th grade is 76.45%, beating both the district (74.22%) and state (64.72%). However, general grade-level math is a significant concern: only 26.96% of 8th graders and 47.15% of 7th graders were proficient in on-grade-level mathematics, both below state averages (46.86% and 51.11%, respectively). This creates a pronounced contrast between accelerated math students and those in standard courses.

Year-over-year trends show mixed but generally improving results. Eighth-grade math jumped from 14.17% to 26.96% proficiency, 8th-grade Algebra I improved from 83.49% to 91.61%, and 8th-grade reading rose from 78.26% to 84.02%. However, 7th-grade math declined from 57.94% to 47.15%. The school's state ranking has improved from 190th to 137th out of roughly 416 schools, moving from the 54th to the 67th percentile, although it still earns 3 stars compared to the district's 4 stars. With 41.4% of students receiving free/reduced lunch, Hughes serves a substantial economically disadvantaged population, yet reading and science outcomes remain strong. Chronic absenteeism is 12.0%, near the district's 11.9% and well below the state's 14.8%. Overall, Hughes is a solid, improving school with elite advanced math offerings and notable literacy strengths, though grade-level math, especially in 8th grade, remains the area needing the most attention.