Summary:
Zip code 22204 in Arlington, VA is served by two public middle schools—Jefferson Middle and Kenmore Middle—both covering grades 6–8 within Arlington County Public Schools, a district ranked in the 80th percentile statewide.
Kenmore consistently outperforms Jefferson in grade-level math: in 2025-2026, 58.06% of Kenmore 8th graders were proficient versus 43.94% at Jefferson, and Kenmore’s average math proficiency across grades 6–8 was 54.0% compared to Jefferson’s 45.1%. This is especially notable because Kenmore serves a higher share of economically disadvantaged students (54.89% free/reduced lunch) than Jefferson (43.04%). Jefferson, however, posts stronger recent results in reading and civics—its 7th grade reading proficiency of 73.86% edges the state average, and its civics score of 78.98% is well above the state’s 70.1%. Both schools achieve 100% proficiency in Geometry and near-perfect scores in Algebra I, showing strong advanced-math pathways.
One striking pattern is the large gap between advanced and grade-level math: while both schools excel in Algebra I and Geometry, standard grade-level math proficiency lags, especially at Jefferson where 7th grade math sits at just 40.58%. Both schools trail their high-performing district averages in most subjects, though they sometimes beat Virginia state averages in science, civics, and select math/reading categories. State rankings have slipped for both schools over the past three years—Jefferson fell from the 47th to 38th percentile, and Kenmore from the 49th to 42nd percentile—even as attendance remains strong (chronic absenteeism around 12%, below the state’s 14.8%) and resources are comparable, with per-pupil spending near $15,300–$15,500 and student-teacher ratios around 14:1. For parents, the key takeaway is that Kenmore offers a clear edge in math, while Jefferson has a slight advantage in reading and civics, and both schools are well-resourced but face the challenge of lifting grade-level proficiency in core subjects.
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