Cardinal Elementary

Summary:

Cardinal Elementary is a public elementary school located in Arlington, Virginia, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 704 students. The school is part of the Arlington County Public Schools district, which is ranked 26 out of 130 school districts in Virginia and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Cardinal Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Virginia, with a statewide ranking between 7 and 107 over the past 10 years. The school's students consistently outperform the Arlington County and Virginia state averages in SOL (Standards of Learning) assessments across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 91.67% of 3rd graders, 90.52% of 4th graders, and 96.95% of 5th graders at Cardinal Elementary were proficient or better in SOL Mathematics, compared to 76.71% and 70.11% for Arlington County and Virginia, respectively. The school's performance is particularly strong in the White and Multi-racial student subgroups, ranking 13th and 12th out of all Virginia elementary schools in 2023-2024, respectively.

Cardinal Elementary outperforms most of the nearby schools, such as Discovery Elementary, Carlin Springs Elementary, and Barrett Elementary, in academic achievement, with higher proficiency rates in SOL assessments across all grade levels and subject areas. However, the school's performance for its African American and Hispanic student subgroups is less impressive, ranking 99th and 211th, respectively, in the 2022-2023 school year, suggesting that the school may need to focus on addressing the achievement gaps for these subgroups to ensure equitable educational outcomes.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1644 N. McKinley Road
       Arlington, VA  22205


(703) 228-5280

District: Arlington County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
15th of 1,114 Virginia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,149 Help


Students who attend Cardinal Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Swanson Middle
High:    Yorktown High

Student/teacher ratio:  10.5 Help
Number of students:  704

Racial breakdown:

White:
76.1%
Two or more races:
9.7%
Hispanic:
6.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  6.4% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Cardinal Elementary ranks better than 98.7% of elementary schools in Virginia. It also ranks 3rd among 24 ranked elementary schools in the Arlington County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.61. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Cardinal Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Arlington County Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cardinal Elementary is $10,149, which is the lowest among 24 elementary schools in the Arlington County Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cardinal Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Cardinal Elementary 15th of 1114 Virginia public elementary schools. (See Cardinal Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
White students:


Arlington County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Arlington County Public Schools 26th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Cardinal Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Cardinal Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 86.16 42nd 1062 96.0%
2006 89.40 9th 1071 99.2%
2007 87.66 26th 1083 97.6%
2008 88.14 17th 1081 98.4%
2009 86.87 19th 1082 98.2%
2010 85.73 20th 1113 98.2%
2011 87.02 25th 1117 97.8%
2012 77.57 169th 1117 84.9%
2013 89.73 33rd 1120 97.1%
2014 87.89 50th 1110 95.5%
2015 90.65 15th 1100 98.6%
2016 92.04 7th 1096 99.4%
2017 90.99 16th 1099 98.5%
2018 92.23 13th 1097 98.8%
2019 86.24 61st 1105 94.5%
2021 87.96 107th 1103 90.3%
2022 89.84 57th 1109 94.9%
2023 91.87 25th 1114 97.8%
2024 92.61 15th 1114 98.7%
See the entire list of Virginia Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Cardinal Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 83.46 30th 245 87.8%
2024 88.83 12th 247 95.1%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Female students at Cardinal Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 90.95 29th 1100 97.4%
2024 90.65 25th 1098 97.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Cardinal Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 69.08 82nd 324 74.7%
2024 76.89 44th 355 87.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Cardinal Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 80.57 12th 182 93.4%
2024 81.55 13th 195 93.3%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Cardinal Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 90.31 35th 1093 96.8%
2024 92.37 18th 1101 98.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Cardinal Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 76.60 99th 579 82.9%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Cardinal Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 62.97 211th 564 62.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Cardinal Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 89.97 14th 984 98.6%
2024 90.20 13th 979 98.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Virginia Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Cardinal Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Virginia Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Cardinal Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 329 329
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 385 385
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 319 319
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 327 327
1993 282 25 21 40 0 n/a n/a 0 368
1994 264 15 18 48 0 n/a n/a 0 345
1995 253 24 12 51 0 n/a n/a 0 340
1996 253 24 12 51 0 n/a n/a 0 340
1997 252 27 15 59 0 n/a n/a 0 353
1998 227 36 13 60 0 n/a n/a 0 336
1999 227 31 17 55 0 n/a n/a 0 330
2000 255 21 27 65 1 n/a n/a -4 365
2001 263 18 36 80 0 n/a n/a 0 397
2002 295 19 24 64 0 n/a n/a 0 402
2003 295 19 24 64 0 n/a n/a 0 402
2004 294 27 25 50 0 n/a n/a 0 396
2005 306 25 25 51 0 n/a n/a 6 413
2006 289 19 22 40 0 n/a n/a 12 382
2007 308 18 23 29 0 n/a n/a 11 389
2008 339 16 25 24 0 n/a n/a 11 415
2009 328 15 29 32 0 n/a n/a 16 420
2010 347 14 31 36 0 n/a n/a 8 436
2011 364 12 30 52 2 1 30 0 491
2012 373 20 26 49 2 0 34 0 504
2013 394 20 30 67 2 0 43 0 556
2014 380 15 30 65 1 0 45 0 536
2015 424 17 30 63 1 0 46 0 581
2016 444 14 32 58 1 1 54 0 604
2017 524 29 30 68 0 1 74 0 726
2018 561 29 38 86 0 2 84 0 800
2019 565 29 42 73 0 0 82 0 791
2020 561 33 39 64 1 0 85 0 783
2021 491 28 36 54 1 0 72 0 682
2022 480 31 33 44 0 0 70 0 658
2023 536 28 25 47 0 0 68 0 704

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Cardinal Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 329 22.9 14.3 n/a
1990 385 25.6 15.0 n/a
1991 319 21.8 14.6 n/a
1992 327 22.2 14.7 n/a
1993 368 25.4 14.5 n/a
1994 345 25.2 n/a 16.5
1995 340 n/a 0.0 17.1
1996 340 n/a 0.0 17.1
1997 353 n/a 0.0 18.1
1998 336 n/a 0.0 20.8
1999 330 34.0 9.7 23.6
2000 365 n/a 0.0 27.9
2001 397 31.0 12.8 20.7
2002 402 37.0 10.9 13.4
2003 402 37.0 10.9 13.4
2004 396 31.7 12.5 13.4
2005 413 29.7 13.9 13.8
2006 382 32.0 11.9 11.9
2007 389 31.4 12.4 9.3
2008 415 26.9 15.4 9.2
2009 420 28.9 14.5 11.1
2010 436 26.2 16.6 9.8
2011 491 28.0 17.5 7.1
2012 504 37.5 13.4 8.7
2013 556 42.6 13.0 8.8
2014 536 42.5 12.6 8
2015 581 43.0 13.5 8.1
2016 604 40.0 15.1 5.5
2017 726 42.5 17.0 7.6
2018 800 48.5 16.4 8.6
2019 791 45.4 17.4 7.3
2020 783 47.8 16.3 8.8
2021 682 39.5 17.2 n/a
2022 658 34.5 19.0 10.5
2023 704 66.5 10.5 6.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Cardinal Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 329 22.9 14.3 n/a
1990 385 25.6 15.0 n/a
1991 319 21.8 14.6 n/a
1992 327 22.2 14.7 n/a
1993 368 25.4 14.5 n/a
1994 345 25.2 n/a 16.5
1995 340 n/a 0.0 17.1
1996 340 n/a 0.0 17.1
1997 353 n/a 0.0 18.1
1998 336 n/a 0.0 20.8
1999 330 34.0 9.7 23.6
2000 365 n/a 0.0 27.9
2001 397 31.0 12.8 20.7
2002 402 37.0 10.9 13.4
2003 402 37.0 10.9 13.4
2004 396 31.7 12.5 13.4
2005 413 29.7 13.9 13.8
2006 382 32.0 11.9 11.9
2007 389 31.4 12.4 9.3
2008 415 26.9 15.4 9.2
2009 420 28.9 14.5 11.1
2010 436 26.2 16.6 9.8
2011 491 28.0 17.5 7.1
2012 504 37.5 13.4 8.7
2013 556 42.6 13.0 8.8
2014 536 42.5 12.6 8
2015 581 43.0 13.5 8.1
2016 604 40.0 15.1 5.5
2017 726 42.5 17.0 7.6
2018 800 48.5 16.4 8.6
2019 791 45.4 17.4 7.3
2020 783 47.8 16.3 8.8
2021 682 39.5 17.2 n/a
2022 658 34.5 19.0 10.5
2023 704 66.5 10.5 6.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Cardinal Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $49 (0.5%) $9,002 (99.5%) $9,050
2020 $00 (0.0%) $9,206 (100.0%) $9,206
2021 $00 (0.0%) $10,149 (100.0%) $10,149

Data source: Virginia Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cardinal Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 61st of 1105 Elementary schoolsRanks 25th of 1114 Elementary schools
 3.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Cardinal Elementary)9389.6
 3.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Arlington County Public Schools)8779.2
 7.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8269.1
 12.9%
3rd Grade English Reading (Cardinal Elementary)9189.6
 1.4%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Arlington County Public Schools)7876.4
 1.6%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Virginia)7166.1
 4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Cardinal Elementary)9494.4
 0.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Arlington County Public Schools)8778.4
 8.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8369.7
 13.3%
4th Grade English Reading (Cardinal Elementary)9092
 2%
   4th Grade English Reading (Arlington County Public Schools)8179.3
 1.7%
   4th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7572.7
 2.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Cardinal Elementary)9492.7
 1.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Arlington County Public Schools)8877.8
 10.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8167
 14%
5th Grade Science (Cardinal Elementary)9692.7
 3.3%
   5th Grade Science (Arlington County Public Schools)8272.7
 9.3%
   5th Grade Science (Virginia)7966
 13%
5th Grade English Reading (Cardinal Elementary)9093.6
 3.6%
   5th Grade English Reading (Arlington County Public Schools)8480
 4%
   5th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7871.4
 6.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students791704
 11%
African American2928
 3.4%
American Indian00
Asian4225
 40.5%
Hispanic7347
 35.6%
Pacific Islander00
White565536
 5.1%
Two or More Races8268
 17.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients7.3%6.4%
 0.9%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Cardinal Elementary

Yes! Cardinal Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 15th of 1114 Virginia elementary schools.

Students who attend Cardinal Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Swanson Middle
High : Yorktown High

Students at Cardinal Elementary are 76% White, 10% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic, 4% African American, 4% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 704 students attended Cardinal Elementary.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Virginia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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