Schools in Zip Code 22405

Zip code 22405 contains 7 schools within Stafford County Public Schools, serving roughly 6,630 students across 4 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high school in the Fredericksburg area. The district ranks 74th of 131 in Virginia with a 2-star rating. Performance varies widely. Grafton Village Elementary is the top elementary, ranking in the 55th percentile with 3 stars and beating state averages in 5th grade math, science, and reading. Ferry Farm Elementary also earns 3 stars with 4th grade results well above district averages. Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle is the stronger middle school with 100% proficiency in 7th grade Algebra I, while Stafford Senior High has climbed from the 29th to the 49th percentile over two years.

At the other end, Falmouth Elementary and Edward E. Drew Junior Middle have both remained at 1 star for multiple years and rank in the bottom quartile statewide. Both serve high-poverty populations, with free/reduced lunch rates of 78.7% and 74.4% respectively. Notably, higher spending does not guarantee better outcomes: Drew spends about $13,167 per student yet is outperformed by Dixon-Smith, which spends roughly $3,500 less. Falmouth also spends more than Grafton Village but performs far worse. Conway Elementary posts the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the zip at 8.7% despite its 1-star ranking, showing attendance and achievement do not always align.

The most pressing systemic issue is chronic absenteeism. The zip's weighted average of roughly 19.2% exceeds both the district (17.5%) and state (14.8%). Stafford Senior High is the biggest concern, with 29.0% chronic absenteeism, a 6.7% dropout rate, and an 89.8% graduation rate, all worse than district and state averages, despite having the lowest poverty rate in the zip. On a positive note, both middle schools show exceptional advanced math results, including 100% proficiency in 7th grade Algebra I, signaling a strong advanced math pipeline. For parents, the key takeaway is that Grafton Village, Ferry Farm, and Donald B. Dixon-Lyle R. Smith Middle are the strongest performers, and that poverty and attendance are better predictors of school success than per-student spending.