Summary:
Zip code 22124 in Oakton, Virginia is home to two highly rated public elementary schools — Oakton Elementary and Waples Mill Elementary — both serving grades PK–6 within Fairfax County Public Schools.
Oakton Elementary is the clear standout, ranking 29th out of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools (97th percentile) with an overall SOL proficiency rate of about 91.4%. It improved dramatically from 139th two years ago, fueled by exceptional 2025–26 results in 5th grade science (93.44% proficient) and a perfect 100% proficiency in 6th grade Algebra I. Waples Mill Elementary is also elite, ranking 58th (95th percentile) with roughly 89.7% SOL proficiency, and has climbed steadily from 144th to 81st to 58th over three years. Both schools far exceed district and state averages in nearly every subject and grade level. Oakton is the stronger overall performer, yet Waples Mill actually beat Oakton in some specific subjects, including 6th grade math (86.96% vs. 84.91%) and 4th grade reading (93.94% vs. 93.33%).
Waples Mill offers a more individualized setting with a better student-teacher ratio (14.0 vs. 17.2) and higher per-student spending ($12,066 vs. $10,786), but that did not translate into higher test scores. Both schools have low poverty rates as measured by free/reduced lunch eligibility (roughly 13%), and chronic absenteeism runs well below state averages — Oakton's 6.6% rate is strikingly low. Families in 22124 have two outstanding options: Oakton for its elite rankings, low absenteeism, and accelerated math pathway, or Waples Mill for its smaller classes and consistent, top-tier performance. Together, they make this one of Virginia's strongest elementary school markets.
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