Arlington Public Schools operates 40 schools. Individual school names, addresses, and attendance zone boundaries are available directly from the district.
| Metric | Arlington Public Schools | National Average | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Enrollment | 28,000 | 3,700 | ↑ Larger than avg |
| Number of Schools | 40 | 6 | Varies by district |
| Per-Pupil Spending | $20,000/yr | $13,700/yr | ↑ 46% above avg |
| District Type | Suburban | Public District | — |
| Overall Rating | 8/10 — Good | — | Above average |
About Arlington Public Schools
Zip code 22205 in Arlington, Virginia is served by Arlington Public Schools for public school enrollment. The district covers grades Pre-K – 12th. This page provides a data-driven overview of Arlington Public Schools’s funding levels, size, rating, and what families should know before enrolling or making a housing decision in this area.
Funding and Resources
According to NCES 2024–2025, Arlington Public Schools spends approximately $20,000 per student per year, placing it 48% above the Virginia state average of approximately $13,500 and well above the national average nationally (U.S. average: $13,700/year). Districts at this funding level typically offer smaller class sizes, broader elective and extracurricular programs, stronger technology infrastructure, and more competitive teacher salaries. Per-pupil spending directly affects teacher compensation, class sizes, elective course offerings, technology access, and the depth of student support services — making it one of the most meaningful structural indicators of district capacity.
District Scale and Program Breadth
At 40 schools serving grades Pre-K – 12th, Arlington Public Schools qualifies as a very large district serving students from Pre-K – 12th. The district enrolls approximately 28,000 students in total. Very large districts are complex systems with significant variation in school quality across attendance zones. They typically offer extensive programs — magnet schools, specialized high schools, dual-language tracks, advanced coursework — but navigating these options requires active engagement with the district.
Understanding the 8/10 Rating
With a rating of 8/10 (above average), Arlington Public Schools ranks among Virginia’s above average-rated school systems. Our ratings are built from NCES Common Core of Data and measure structural factors: per-pupil expenditure, student-teacher ratio, enrollment stability, and school count. They do not incorporate test scores or graduation rates, which are not consistently available across all 13,500+ US districts in the NCES dataset.
Arlington Public Schools earns an above-average rating, reflecting stronger-than-typical resource levels and stable enrollment trends for Virginia. Above-average districts generally offer solid program variety, adequate staffing, and a track record of organizational stability. Families considering this area will find a district with meaningful strengths. Research the specific schools assigned to your address — even above-average districts have variation between individual buildings.
Enrollment for Families in Zip Code 22205
Children in zip code 22205 are assigned to Arlington Public Schools for public school enrollment, covering grades Pre-K – 12th. School assignments are address-specific — your elementary, middle, and high school placements depend on your exact street address within zip code 22205, not just your neighborhood. Two homes on opposite ends of the same zip code may be assigned to different schools within the same district.
To confirm your specific school assignments, contact Arlington Public Schools at (402)478-4173 or visit the district’s official website. Typical enrollment documents include proof of address, a government-issued birth certificate, immunization records, and any existing school records or IEP documentation. If your child has an IEP or 504 plan, bring that documentation to enrollment — Virginia districts are required to continue services within a reasonable period. Fall enrollment windows typically open in late winter or early spring; contact the district for exact dates and required steps.
School Districts and Home Values in Arlington
For families considering a purchase in the Arlington area, district assignment matters financially. Because Arlington Public Schools serves zip code 22205, homes in and around zip code 22205 often carry a measurable premium over comparable properties in adjacent lower-rated districts. District boundaries are address-specific — verify the exact district assignment for any property you’re seriously considering rather than assuming based on the neighborhood. A single block can place two adjacent homes in different districts with different ratings and different annual property tax implications.
Use the property tax estimator on this page to calculate estimated annual tax obligations based on your target purchase price. In Virginia, property taxes are a primary funding source for public schools — your tax payments directly support Arlington Public Schools programs and staff. Understanding both district quality and the associated tax burden is essential financial due diligence before committing to any home in zip code 22205.
Data Sources and Accuracy
All district information on this page is sourced from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024–2025, the U.S. Department of Education’s annual census of all public school districts — the same dataset used by researchers, journalists, and policymakers to analyze American public education. District boundaries, school assignments, phone numbers, and per-pupil expenditure figures are updated annually when NCES publishes new data, typically in spring. Always verify your specific school assignment and enrollment requirements directly with Arlington Public Schools before making any housing or enrollment decision based on zip code 22205 data.