Summary:
Zip code 22033 contains four elementary schools serving a combined 2,947 students, all belonging to Fairfax County Public Schools, a highly rated Virginia district ranked 39th out of 131 districts with a 4-star overall rating. Despite sharing the same district and zip code, these schools—Navy Elementary, Greenbriar West Elementary, Lees Corner Elementary, and Greenbriar East Elementary—differ dramatically in academic performance, poverty rates, attendance, and spending.
Navy Elementary is the clear standout, ranked 14th out of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools (99th percentile, 5 stars) with roughly 93–94% proficiency in math, reading, and science, and it has been steadily improving. Greenbriar West Elementary is also strong, ranked 145th (87th percentile, 4 stars), with the lowest chronic absenteeism (8.9%) and the lowest student-teacher ratio (13.5) in the group. Lees Corner Elementary is solid but slipping, ranked 235th (79th percentile, 4 stars), with performance that has slowly declined over three years. Greenbriar East Elementary is the school of concern: ranked 794th (29th percentile, 1 star), it has the highest poverty rate (39.3% free/reduced lunch), the highest chronic absenteeism (12.8%), the largest enrollment (922), and just 64.6% overall proficiency—nearly 30 points behind Navy.
Several patterns stand out for parents to consider. Poverty strongly tracks performance: Navy has the lowest poverty rate (5.9%) and highest scores, while Greenbriar East has the highest poverty and lowest scores. Spending more does not guarantee better results—Navy spends the least ($10,432 per student) yet achieves the best outcomes, while Lees Corner spends the most ($13,611) but ranks below Greenbriar West, which spends less. Smaller classes don't explain the gap either, since Navy has the highest student-teacher ratio yet the best test scores. Chronic absenteeism is an additional warning flag for Greenbriar East, the only school above the district average, and its math proficiency (59.6%) is notably weaker than its reading (70.1%). In short, families in zip code 22033 can have vastly different educational experiences depending on which elementary school their child attends.
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