Schools in Zip Code 22079

Zip code 22079 (Lorton, VA) is home to five schools in the Fairfax County Public Schools district, serving elementary through high school students (one high school, one middle school, and three elementary schools) with a combined enrollment of about 5,067 students. South County Middle is the standout school in the area, ranking in the 87th percentile statewide with a 4-star rating and the lowest chronic absenteeism at 9.6%. It posts remarkable advanced math results, including 100% proficiency in 8th Grade Geometry and 7th Grade Algebra I, though on-grade-level 8th Grade Math (36.17%) trails the state. Laurel Hill Elementary (74th percentile) and Gunston Elementary (73rd percentile) are both strong 4-star elementary schools, with Laurel Hill especially strong in 6th Grade Math (94.62%) and Reading (93.8%), and Gunston showing excellent 5th Grade Science (84.78%).

Among the elementary schools, Lorton Station Elementary is the clear outlier: with a 2-star rating and only 41st percentile ranking, it struggles despite showing the largest improvement of any school in the zip code (rising from the 20th percentile in 2023–2024). It also has the highest poverty rate (70.2% free/reduced lunch) and the highest chronic absenteeism (17.7%), and its upper-elementary math proficiency (56.92% in 5th Grade, 50% in 6th Grade) remains well below state averages. South County High has a more moderate 61st percentile ranking, but its graduation and dropout rates are exceptional: 97.2% graduation versus 92.7% district and 92.3% state, with a 1.7% dropout rate. The high school also posted strong 12th Grade Reading (85.71%) and Biology (90.72%), though its Chemistry proficiency swung dramatically from 11.36% to 52.94% across two years.

Spending per student averages roughly $11,662, with Gunston Elementary spending the most ($12,523) and South County High the least ($10,495), likely due to economies of scale. Student-teacher ratios range from 13.2 at South County Middle to 16.3 at South County High. The most meaningful takeaway for parents is the sharp divide within this otherwise strong district: lower-poverty schools like Laurel Hill, Gunston, and South County Middle consistently outperform district and state averages, while Lorton Station faces significant challenges tied to economic disadvantage and absenteeism. Advanced course offerings can also mask weaker on-grade-level performance, as seen at the middle school, and graduation success at the high school exceeds what its test-score ranking alone would suggest.