Summary:
Zip code 22311 in Alexandria, VA is served by three public elementary schools — John Adams Elementary, William Ramsay Elementary, and Ferdinand T. Day Elementary — all part of Alexandria City Public Schools, serving grades PK through 5 with a combined enrollment of about 2,021 students.
If you are comparing schools in this area, John Adams currently leads the pack. It has the highest state rank (895 out of 1,111), the best average SOL proficiency (59.6%), and its 4th grade VA Studies score of 88.9% far exceeds both the district and state averages. Ferdinand T. Day is the most improved school in the zip code, jumping from the 5th to the 14th percentile in two years and posting a +9.6 point gain in average proficiency. It does this while spending the least per pupil ($11,865) and having the highest student-teacher ratio (16.3), suggesting strong efficiency. William Ramsay is the most concerning: it ranks lowest (7th percentile), has the lowest average proficiency (48.6%), and the highest chronic absenteeism (16.8%). Its 3rd grade reading proficiency is just 32.7%, more than 23 points below the district average.
Across all three schools, 3rd grade reading is a clear weakness — every school is below 50% proficiency — while 4th grade VA Studies improved dramatically everywhere, with John Adams and Ferdinand T. Day both exceeding the state average. Chronic absenteeism strongly tracks achievement: the two schools with the lowest absenteeism rates (around 11%) perform better than William Ramsay, which has a 16.8% rate. Spending does not clearly predict outcomes, as William Ramsay spends nearly as much as John Adams but lags significantly. For parents, the big picture is that all three schools are below district and state averages, but John Adams offers the strongest current academics, Ferdinand T. Day offers the best momentum and efficiency, and William Ramsay needs the most urgent attention around attendance and early-grade reading.
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