South County High

Summary:

South County High is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Lorton, Virginia, which is part of the Fairfax County Public Schools district. The school has a diverse student population, with racial demographics that have remained relatively consistent over the past few years.

Academically, South County High's performance has fluctuated, with its statewide ranking ranging from 46th to 187th out of 327 Virginia high schools in recent years, and its current ranking at 155th out of 329 schools. The school's performance on SOL (Standards of Learning) tests varies across subject areas and grade levels, with some strengths in Algebra I and English Reading, but weaker performance in Geometry and Biology. Student subgroup performance also varies, with Asian and African American students generally performing better than Hispanic and English Language Learner students, and low-income and disabled students tending to underperform compared to their peers.

Compared to nearby schools, South County High generally performs better than the Fairfax County Adult High School, but its performance is mixed when compared to other Fairfax County Public Schools such as Edison High, Annandale High, and Hayfield Secondary. The nearby West Springfield High consistently outperforms South County High in academic metrics and statewide rankings.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 8501 Silverbrook Road
       Lorton, VA  22079


(703) 446-1600

District: Fairfax County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
155th of 329 Virginia High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,160 Help


Feeder schools for South County High:

Elementary:    Gunston Elementary
    Halley Elementary
    Laurel Hill Elementary
    Newington Forest Elementary
    More...
Middle:    South County Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  16.5 Help
Number of students:  2,273

Racial breakdown:

White:
36.3%
African American:
23.1%
Asian:
18.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  23.1% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details South County High ranks better than 52.9% of high schools in Virginia. It also ranks 12th among 28 ranked high schools in the Fairfax County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 58.31. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at South County High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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
Help
Compare Details South County High has the largest high school student body size in the Fairfax County Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at South County High is $9,160. 20 high schools in the Fairfax County Public Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South County High:

SchoolDigger ranks South County High 155th of 329 Virginia public high schools. (See South County High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Fairfax County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Fairfax County Public Schools 41st of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for South County High.

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Rank History for South County High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at South County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 53.00 128th 314 59.2%
2007 56.14 111th 313 64.5%
2008 60.71 88th 316 72.2%
2009 65.01 66th 313 78.9%
2010 67.33 53rd 317 83.3%
2011 68.66 55th 320 82.8%
2012 66.88 52nd 321 83.8%
2013 72.16 45th 321 86.0%
2014 70.10 46th 322 85.7%
2015 68.83 50th 322 84.5%
2016 61.28 86th 321 73.2%
2017 60.15 96th 324 70.4%
2018 53.36 135th 326 58.6%
2019 49.82 163rd 327 50.2%
2021 41.81 187th 327 42.8%
2022 51.01 146th 325 55.1%
2023 60.27 147th 326 54.9%
2024 58.31 155th 329 52.9%
See the entire list of Virginia High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at South County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 42.62 126th 193 34.7%
2024 62.91 68th 198 65.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at South County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 60.46 30th 97 69.1%
2024 47.19 70th 122 42.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 51.56 171st 320 46.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at South County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 65.79 103rd 320 67.8%
2024 60.10 145th 322 55.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at South County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 58.80 104th 249 58.2%
2024 52.31 118th 253 53.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at South County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 54.28 44th 92 52.2%
2024 48.08 54th 92 41.3%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at South County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 57.72 149th 321 53.6%
2024 59.44 143rd 322 55.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at South County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 64.37 38th 120 68.3%
2024 43.59 82nd 118 30.5%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at South County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 66.62 68th 240 71.7%
2024 61.30 86th 249 65.5%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at South County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 58.71 101st 232 56.5%
2024 58.56 88th 233 62.2%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at South County High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 57.50 146th 315 53.7%
2024 55.94 155th 314 50.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia High 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.

South County High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.8)
60%

0%

20%

0%

20%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Open Quote Fantastic school with an incredible array of opportunities for students!! Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Open Quote After having a few children in the school system at all different academic levels I can say the school system works great if you have a straight A student but not for an average student or a child that needs extra support. If your child needs extra assistance they are like a burden on the teachers who only want to deal with the straight A students who do not need any extra help. Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, February 25, 2013

Open Quote Great school! Couldn't be happier with this High School. Close Quote


by a student on FaceBook
Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Open Quote Our school has great facilities but the teacher aren't very involved and a lot of the students are spoiled and rude Close Quote



Enrollment information for South County High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2006 1301 420 394 245 12 n/a n/a 118 2490
2007 1578 521 517 297 9 n/a n/a 141 3063
2008 1547 467 516 282 8 n/a n/a 153 2973
2009 1554 475 498 289 10 n/a n/a 167 2993
2010 1513 465 497 261 9 n/a n/a 162 2907
2011 1501 435 508 295 9 5 107 0 2860
2012 1510 470 491 308 10 5 130 0 2924
2013 1032 338 366 226 7 3 88 0 2060
2014 1049 361 366 246 8 3 100 0 2133
2015 1014 369 392 245 5 4 119 0 2148
2016 1013 408 425 242 4 5 130 0 2227
2017 975 436 429 287 4 7 117 0 2255
2018 926 450 428 311 4 10 112 0 2241
2019 902 457 409 353 2 5 123 0 2251
2020 851 497 412 350 1 5 125 0 2241
2021 853 532 411 356 2 7 126 0 2287
2022 813 547 419 364 1 4 148 0 2296
2023 825 525 417 343 2 5 156 0 2273

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 South County High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2006 2490 167.0 14.9 15.8
2007 3063 226.2 13.5 16.5
2008 2973 156.8 19.0 13.2
2009 2993 146.7 20.4 16.2
2010 2907 134.6 21.5 16.4
2011 2860 144.4 19.7 16.2
2012 2924 196.2 14.9 15.5
2013 2060 135.2 15.2 15.5
2014 2133 139.4 15.2 17.4
2015 2148 139.0 15.4 17.7
2016 2227 142.0 15.6 16.5
2017 2255 142.5 15.8 16.4
2018 2241 143.5 15.6 18
2019 2251 141.8 15.8 18.1
2020 2241 141.3 15.8 20.5
2021 2287 140.5 16.2 n/a
2022 2296 145.4 15.7 20
2023 2273 137.7 16.5 23.1

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 South County High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2006 2490 167.0 14.9 15.8
2007 3063 226.2 13.5 16.5
2008 2973 156.8 19.0 13.2
2009 2993 146.7 20.4 16.2
2010 2907 134.6 21.5 16.4
2011 2860 144.4 19.7 16.2
2012 2924 196.2 14.9 15.5
2013 2060 135.2 15.2 15.5
2014 2133 139.4 15.2 17.4
2015 2148 139.0 15.4 17.7
2016 2227 142.0 15.6 16.5
2017 2255 142.5 15.8 16.4
2018 2241 143.5 15.6 18
2019 2251 141.8 15.8 18.1
2020 2241 141.3 15.8 20.5
2021 2287 140.5 16.2 n/a
2022 2296 145.4 15.7 20
2023 2273 137.7 16.5 23.1

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 South County High

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $80 (0.9%) $8,829 (99.1%) $8,909
2020 $72 (0.8%) $9,125 (99.2%) $9,197
2021 $105 (1.1%) $9,055 (98.9%) $9,160

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

Impact of COVID-19 on South County High

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 163rd of 327 High schoolsRanks 147th of 326 High schools
 4.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Writing (South County High)8870
 18%
   End of Course Writing (Fairfax County Public Schools)8378
 5%
   End of Course Writing (Virginia)8174
 7%
End of Course Geometry (South County High)8582
 3%
   End of Course Geometry (Fairfax County Public Schools)8690
 4%
   End of Course Geometry (Virginia)8380
 3%
End of Course Algebra I (South County High)8177
 4%
   End of Course Algebra I (Fairfax County Public Schools)8986
 3%
   End of Course Algebra I (Virginia)8680
 6%
End of Course Algebra II (South County High)8783
 4%
   End of Course Algebra II (Fairfax County Public Schools)9091
 1%
   End of Course Algebra II (Virginia)9186
 5%
End of Course Chemistry (South County High)8938
 51%
   End of Course Chemistry (Fairfax County Public Schools)8959
 30%
   End of Course Chemistry (Virginia)8864
 24%
End of Course Biology (South County High)8670
 16%
   End of Course Biology (Fairfax County Public Schools)8678
 8%
   End of Course Biology (Virginia)8370
 13%
End of Course Earth Science (South County High)4874
 26%
   End of Course Earth Science (Fairfax County Public Schools)5735
 22%
   End of Course Earth Science (Virginia)8172
 9%
End of Course English Reading (South County High)8891
 3%
   End of Course English Reading (Fairfax County Public Schools)8687
 1%
   End of Course English Reading (Virginia)8685
 1%
End of Course World History I (South County High)9383
 10%
   End of Course World History I (Fairfax County Public Schools)8580
 5%
   End of Course World History I (Virginia)8066
 14%
End of Course World History II (South County High)8242
 40%
   End of Course World History II (Fairfax County Public Schools)8481
 3%
   End of Course World History II (Virginia)8148
 33%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students22512273
 1%
African American457525
 14.9%
American Indian22
Asian409417
 2%
Hispanic353343
 2.8%
Pacific Islander55
White902825
 8.5%
Two or More Races123156
 26.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients18.1%23.1%
 5%


Schools Near South County High









Frequently Asked Questions about South County High

South County High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Gunston Elementary
Elementary : Halley Elementary
Elementary : Laurel Hill Elementary
Elementary : Newington Forest Elementary
Elementary : Silverbrook Elementary
Middle : South County Middle

Students at South County High are 36% White, 23% African American, 18% Asian, 15% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races.

South County High ranks 155th of 329 Virginia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,273 students attended South County High.


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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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