Sterling Elementary

Summary:

Sterling Elementary is a public elementary school located in Sterling, Virginia, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 432. The school is part of the Loudoun County Public Schools district, which is ranked 24th out of 130 school districts in Virginia and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sterling Elementary has a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic students (61.11%) compared to the surrounding schools, which range from 29.09% to 46.29% Hispanic students. The school also has an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 98.61% in the 2022-2023 school year, much higher than the surrounding schools, which range from 40.25% to 94.55%. Despite being part of the highly-ranked Loudoun County Public Schools district, Sterling Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom 20% of Virginia elementary schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for most years, significantly lower than the surrounding schools, which generally have 1-2 star ratings.

Sterling Elementary's student performance on SOL (Standards of Learning) tests is consistently lower than the Loudoun County Public Schools district and the state of Virginia averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's 3rd-grade math proficiency rate was 56.16%, compared to 78.75% for the district and 70.11% for the state. This performance gap between Sterling Elementary and the surrounding schools, as well as the district and state averages, appears to be widening over time, suggesting the need for targeted interventions and support programs to address the specific needs of the school's student population.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 200 W Church Rd
       Sterling, VA  20164


(571) 434-4580

District: Loudoun County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
791st of 1,114 Virginia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,579 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  10.2 Help
Number of students:  432

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
61.1%
White:
14.1%
Asian:
11.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  98.6% Help


 See top rated Virginia elementary schools

 Compare Sterling Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Sterling Elementary ranks worse than 71% of elementary schools in Virginia. It also ranks 51st among 59 ranked elementary schools in the Loudoun County Public Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 33.86. (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
Help
Compare Details Sterling Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Loudoun County Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sterling Elementary is $17,579, which is the 19th highest among 59 elementary schools in the Loudoun County Public Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sterling Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Sterling Elementary 791st of 1114 Virginia public elementary schools. (See Sterling Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Loudoun County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Loudoun County Public Schools 24th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Sterling Elementary.

What do you think?

Your rating for Sterling Elementary?

Rank History for Sterling Elementary

Help
Compare

Rank History for all students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 21.84 946th 1062 10.9%
2006 30.46 892nd 1071 16.7%
2007 32.77 870th 1083 19.7%
2008 46.52 681st 1081 37.0%
2009 43.76 728th 1082 32.7%
2010 40.82 814th 1113 26.9%
2011 24.20 1005th 1117 10.0%
2012 31.46 920th 1117 17.6%
2013 38.16 784th 1120 30.0%
2014 23.04 979th 1110 11.8%
2015 28.82 884th 1100 19.6%
2016 29.98 880th 1096 19.7%
2017 42.89 718th 1099 34.7%
2018 18.42 977th 1097 10.9%
2019 29.43 887th 1105 19.7%
2021 17.89 930th 1103 15.7%
2022 19.53 932nd 1109 16.0%
2023 28.08 860th 1114 22.8%
2024 33.86 791st 1114 29.0%
See the entire list of Virginia Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 33.20 213th 300 29.0%
2024 37.79 191st 306 37.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 28.16 818th 1036 21.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 28.39 862nd 1100 21.6%
2024 26.95 868th 1098 20.9%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 32.04 803rd 1093 26.5%
2024 40.99 719th 1101 34.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 40.41 170th 238 28.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 23.40 469th 564 16.8%
2024 27.78 456th 580 21.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Sterling Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 65.40 333rd 984 66.2%
2024 56.29 475th 979 51.5%
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.

Sterling Elementary 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)
0%

0%

100%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Thursday, August 29, 2013

Open Quote My experience with the teachers I would grade a B+. My son loved both his kindergarten and his first grade teachers. I believe they were dedicated to the students and genuinely enjoy the children. They integrate technology and variety into the classrooms very well. My son was reading after the first few months in first grade. His math took off at the end of the first grade. My only constructive criticism is that both teachers sometimes forgot to email me back when I had questions or wanted to come into the classroom to help my son on occasion. I think they are very busy and, had my issues been more pressing, I could have pursued it successfully with them had I needed to.

The biggest RED FLAG parents need to know about this school I have just now run into this year. I requested the same kindergarten teacher for my daughter that my son had. I liked her and I already had an established relationship with her. It was comforting to know my daughter would be in the same class as her brother had been, for both her and me. I was shocked when a week before school I receive notice that my daughter was not assigned the teacher I requested. I went to the principal and was informed that parents are not allowed to request a particular teacher for their child. Particularly concerning the principal said THE SCHOOL KNOWS BEST WHAT TEACHER MY CHILD NEEDS. I feel the need to capitalize this. My daughter is going into kindergarten. They don't even know her. This is my child and I feel that the school is attempting to limit the power of the parent in directing their own child's education. This is wrong.

The reasoning? It is very hard for the unions to give 2.5% across the board raises if too many parents request a particular teacher. It is informal parental evaluations of the teachers, which, currently are not allowed. I feel disempowered and helpless as a parent. Worse, this most definitely negatively impacted my relationship with the school. When you have no trust as a parent, it is even harder to let your child go into school every day. This policy is wrong and I will be fighting it this year. If you are a parent reading this and want to help, email me at [email protected]. This is OUR children and they are worth the fight. We, as parents, deserve a say in who educates our children and information about the teachers who have them in their care 5 days a week up to 7 hours a day. Thank you. Tristan Close Quote



Enrollment information for Sterling Elementary

Help
Compare
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 616 616
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 445 445
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 448 448
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 460 460
1993 411 28 22 8 1 n/a n/a 0 470
1994 427 33 24 11 1 n/a n/a 0 496
1995 327 48 25 25 0 n/a n/a 0 425
1996 327 48 25 25 0 n/a n/a 0 425
1997 339 53 32 47 0 n/a n/a 0 471
1998 304 52 42 49 0 n/a n/a 0 447
1999 316 65 64 53 2 n/a n/a 0 500
2000 296 54 74 42 2 n/a n/a -4 464
2001 288 60 95 66 3 n/a n/a 0 512
2002 239 60 91 73 1 n/a n/a 0 464
2003 239 60 91 73 1 n/a n/a 0 464
2004 193 47 87 77 1 n/a n/a 1 406
2005 189 52 76 94 1 n/a n/a 6 418
2006 162 46 82 119 0 n/a n/a 11 420
2007 145 43 104 142 0 n/a n/a 16 450
2008 132 41 99 160 0 n/a n/a 17 449
2009 141 38 101 159 1 n/a n/a 19 459
2010 168 44 106 191 2 n/a n/a 22 533
2011 155 45 123 206 7 0 24 0 560
2012 138 44 140 184 9 0 22 0 537
2013 149 47 122 193 8 0 25 0 544
2014 145 43 84 196 8 0 21 0 497
2015 125 44 99 210 7 2 22 0 509
2016 121 37 76 236 5 1 27 0 503
2017 101 38 74 244 4 2 26 0 489
2018 82 29 60 271 3 2 22 0 469
2019 73 23 53 277 4 2 18 0 450
2020 70 25 51 286 2 2 25 0 461
2021 74 28 43 267 1 1 23 0 437
2022 70 31 43 273 1 1 16 0 435
2023 61 31 51 264 2 1 22 0 432

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 Sterling Elementary

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 616 28.6 21.5 n/a
1990 445 24.4 18.2 n/a
1991 448 23.2 19.3 n/a
1992 460 23.6 19.4 n/a
1993 470 27.2 17.3 n/a
1994 496 26.6 n/a 4
1995 425 n/a 0.0 6.8
1996 425 n/a 0.0 6.8
1997 471 n/a 0.0 7.6
1998 447 n/a 0.0 11.6
1999 500 32.5 15.4 13
2000 464 n/a 0.0 11.3
2001 512 34.0 15.1 12.7
2002 464 5.0 92.8 17
2003 464 5.0 92.8 17
2004 406 33.0 12.3 23.2
2005 418 33.0 12.7 28.2
2006 420 36.0 11.7 30.6
2007 450 43.5 10.3 33.4
2008 449 30.8 14.6 36.3
2009 459 29.8 15.4 35.2
2010 533 29.8 17.8 35.8
2011 560 31.1 17.9 38.8
2012 537 26.5 20.2 37.4
2013 544 25.6 21.2 42.1
2014 497 28.2 17.5 49.5
2015 509 26.0 19.5 50.5
2016 503 37.0 13.5 56.1
2017 489 37.9 12.8 58.1
2018 469 41.2 11.3 62
2019 450 40.6 11.0 62.9
2020 461 41.0 11.2 62.3
2021 437 41.5 10.5 n/a
2022 435 41.0 10.6 66
2023 432 42.0 10.2 98.6

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 Sterling Elementary

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 616 28.6 21.5 n/a
1990 445 24.4 18.2 n/a
1991 448 23.2 19.3 n/a
1992 460 23.6 19.4 n/a
1993 470 27.2 17.3 n/a
1994 496 26.6 n/a 4
1995 425 n/a 0.0 6.8
1996 425 n/a 0.0 6.8
1997 471 n/a 0.0 7.6
1998 447 n/a 0.0 11.6
1999 500 32.5 15.4 13
2000 464 n/a 0.0 11.3
2001 512 34.0 15.1 12.7
2002 464 5.0 92.8 17
2003 464 5.0 92.8 17
2004 406 33.0 12.3 23.2
2005 418 33.0 12.7 28.2
2006 420 36.0 11.7 30.6
2007 450 43.5 10.3 33.4
2008 449 30.8 14.6 36.3
2009 459 29.8 15.4 35.2
2010 533 29.8 17.8 35.8
2011 560 31.1 17.9 38.8
2012 537 26.5 20.2 37.4
2013 544 25.6 21.2 42.1
2014 497 28.2 17.5 49.5
2015 509 26.0 19.5 50.5
2016 503 37.0 13.5 56.1
2017 489 37.9 12.8 58.1
2018 469 41.2 11.3 62
2019 450 40.6 11.0 62.9
2020 461 41.0 11.2 62.3
2021 437 41.5 10.5 n/a
2022 435 41.0 10.6 66
2023 432 42.0 10.2 98.6

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 Sterling Elementary

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $604 (4.3%) $13,517 (95.7%) $14,121
2020 $569 (3.3%) $16,716 (96.7%) $17,285
2021 $820 (4.7%) $16,760 (95.3%) $17,579

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Sterling 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 887th of 1105 Elementary schoolsRanks 860th of 1114 Elementary schools
 3.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Sterling Elementary)7364.3
 8.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Loudoun County Public Schools)8777.1
 9.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8269.1
 12.9%
3rd Grade English Reading (Sterling Elementary)5161.3
 10.3%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Loudoun County Public Schools)7673.8
 2.2%
   3rd Grade English Reading (Virginia)7166.1
 4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Sterling Elementary)6766.2
 0.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Loudoun County Public Schools)8879.1
 8.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8369.7
 13.3%
4th Grade English Reading (Sterling Elementary)5163.2
 12.2%
   4th Grade English Reading (Loudoun County Public Schools)8180.9
 0.1%
   4th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7572.7
 2.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Sterling Elementary)8343.2
 39.8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Loudoun County Public Schools)8878.6
 9.4%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)8167
 14%
5th Grade Science (Sterling Elementary)8144.6
 36.4%
   5th Grade Science (Loudoun County Public Schools)8573.3
 11.7%
   5th Grade Science (Virginia)7966
 13%
5th Grade English Reading (Sterling Elementary)7951.5
 27.5%
   5th Grade English Reading (Loudoun County Public Schools)8479.6
 4.4%
   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 Students450432
 4%
African American2331
 34.8%
American Indian42
 50%
Asian5351
 3.8%
Hispanic277264
 4.7%
Pacific Islander21
 50%
White7361
 16.4%
Two or More Races1822
 22.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients62.9%98.6%
 35.7%


Schools Near Sterling Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Sterling Elementary

Students at Sterling Elementary are 61% Hispanic, 14% White, 12% Asian, 7% African American, 5% Two or more races.

Sterling Elementary ranks 791st of 1114 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 432 students attended Sterling Elementary.


Rate Sterling Elementary!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Sterling Elementary!




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.





Diagnostics
x12_510225000932 retrieved from Memory in 0 milliseconds.
None retrieved from Database in 45 milliseconds.