Schools in Zip Code 22408

Zip code 22408 in Fredericksburg, Virginia is served by four public schools in Spotsylvania County Public Schools: three elementary schools (Cedar Forest Elementary, Lee Hill Elementary, and Spotswood Elementary) and one high school (Courtland High), with no middle school in the immediate area, creating a transition gap for students. The district overall ranks 95th out of 131 Virginia districts, and the zip code serves roughly 3,492 students. The elementary schools face much higher poverty rates (around 65% free/reduced lunch) compared to the high school (33.7%).

Lee Hill Elementary is the standout elementary school, ranking in the 35th percentile and posting the highest average proficiency (67.8%) among the three elementary schools despite spending the least per student ($7,838). Its 5th-grade math proficiency was 82.8%, well above the state average. Spotswood Elementary and Cedar Forest Elementary have both fallen sharply in state rankings over the past two years: Spotswood dropped from the 49th to 21st percentile and Cedar Forest from 44th to 20th, with average proficiency now around 60–61%. Courtland High, the only high school, ranks in the 45th percentile and posts strong results in Algebra II, Biology, and reading, but has a severe 10th-grade Geometry problem (13.6% proficiency vs. 34.1% statewide) and chronic absenteeism of 23%, well above the state's 14.8%.

Notably, the elementary schools serve much higher-poverty populations than Courtland High, yet have lower chronic absenteeism, suggesting high school engagement is the more pressing issue. Courtland's dropout rate of 5.6% also exceeds the state's 5.0%, and its Geometry struggles likely threaten graduation readiness. Despite nearly identical demographics across the three elementary schools, Lee Hill outperforms its peers by 7–8 percentage points, indicating that school-level practices matter more than funding — Spotswood spends the most ($9,002 per student) yet has seen the sharpest decline. Finally, with no middle school in 22408, families should anticipate a transition outside the zip code after elementary school.