Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 199 schools in district

Cardinal Forest Elementary

8600 Forrester Blvd, Springfield, VA 22152Fairfax County Public Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–06Non-Charter
632
Students
Total enrolled
$19,816
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 38% vs nat'l
14.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 5% vs nat'l
52/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 632 students in grades PK–06 in Springfield, Virginia.
38% above average funding
District spends $19,816 per pupil, 38% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 52th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Cardinal Forest Elementary is a large elementary in Springfield, Virginia, serving grades PK–06 with 632 students. The district invests $19,816 per student — 38% above the national average of $14,347, with a 14.6:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 30% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Cardinal Forest Elementary

632
Total Students
14.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
30%
Free Lunch
43
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–06) are served by this school
Gender Distribution313 male · 319 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility30%
National avg 52% · 187 students
Student Composition
13%
48%
22%
10%
Asian13%
White48%
Hispanic / Latino22%
Black10%
Multiracial7%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 510126000442

Academic Outcomes at Cardinal Forest Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
52
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 52th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 85th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 22152

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$19,816Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$19,816
State avg
$16,302
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,719
Student Support$3,765
Administration$2,378
Operations$2,972
Other$1,982
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $19,816 spent per student, an estimated $8,778 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
23%
67%
State government
23.3%
Local (property tax)
66.7%
Federal programs
10.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $19,816/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Middle
GLASGOW MIDDLESANDBURG MIDDLECARSON MIDDLELONGFELLOW MIDDLE
+1 more
↓
High School
LAKE BRADDOCK SECONDARYROBINSON SECONDARYHAYFIELD SECONDARYCHANTILLY HIGH
+21 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 06
Location—
CountyFairfax County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictFairfax County Public Schools →
Phone: (703)923-5200
NCES ID: 510126000442
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Springfield seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Fairfax County Public Schools
High
LAKE BRADDOCK SECONDARY
4,377 students · 07–12
● 57 opp20% FRL
High
ROBINSON SECONDARY
3,607 students · 07–12
● 55 opp14% FRL
High
HAYFIELD SECONDARY
3,145 students · 07–12
● 52 opp32% FRL
High
CHANTILLY HIGH
2,937 students · 09–12
20% FRL
High
WEST POTOMAC HIGH
2,764 students · 09–12
● 53 opp48% FRL
High
OAKTON HIGH
2,701 students · 09–12
● 55 opp15% FRL
High
WESTFIELD HIGH
2,686 students · 09–12
32% FRL
High
WEST SPRINGFIELD HIGH
2,663 students · 09–12
● 52 opp17% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
8600 Forrester Blvd, Springfield, VA 22152
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.