Best Public Schools in Zip Code 22044

Schools in zip code 22044, a predominantly low-income area of Fairfax County served by Fairfax County Public Schools, include three schools—Justice High (grades 9–12, 2,357 students), Bailey's Upper Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences (grades 3–5, 539 students), and Sleepy Hollow Elementary (grades PK–5, 475 students)—with no middle schools in the immediate area. All three schools serve high-poverty populations, with free/reduced lunch rates between 72% and 88%, and despite the district ranking in the 70th percentile statewide, each school ranks in the bottom 15% of Virginia schools.

Comparing the three schools, Justice High is the only secondary school and shows a two-sided picture: its dropout rate (9.1%) and chronic absenteeism (21.3%) are roughly double state averages, yet seniors who persist post strong SOL results—100% proficiency in Algebra I and Algebra II, 82.2% in English Reading, and 90.91% in VA & US History, all above district averages. Bailey's Upper Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences has the highest poverty rate (87.57%) in the zip code but the best attendance, with only 6.1% chronic absenteeism, well below the district's 11.9% and the state's 14.8%. Its state rank has climbed from the 5th percentile to the 14th percentile over three years. Sleepy Hollow Elementary offers the lowest student-teacher ratio (12.9:1) but shows a troubling 5th-grade achievement cliff, with math proficiency at 26% and science at 28.57%, far below the district's 66.58% and 72.65%.

Spending patterns also stand out: both elementary schools spend about $15,800–$15,900 per student, while Justice High spends $11,944, yet elementary proficiency remains well below district averages. The biggest red flags are the 5th-grade academic collapse at both elementary schools and the absence of a middle school in the zip code, which may contribute to disengagement by high school. Overall, families in 22044 are choosing between schools that share low rankings and high poverty, but Bailey's Upper Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences is improving, Sleepy Hollow Elementary offers small classes, and Justice High's upper-grade students show that persistence can lead to strong academic outcomes.