The Fairfax County Government has released the Lifelong Education and Learning Dashboard, providing new data on education and learning indicators across the county. The dashboard covers six main areas: access to early childhood education, access to quality technology, participation in learning opportunities, support for academic achievement, support for career-based training, and increased English language proficiency.
Within these categories, nine headline metrics are tracked. These include preschool enrollment, kindergarten readiness, grade-level reading skills, Algebra 1 credit attainment, high school graduation rates, postsecondary plans, library and community resource usage, broadband internet access, and levels of limited English proficiency.
The purpose of the dashboard is to inform residents and stakeholders about educational progress in the county. It is also intended to monitor changes over time, identify disparities among different groups or geographic areas within Fairfax County, and help leaders make decisions based on data. According to the county government: “Overall, the metrics included in this dashboard help to evaluate the goals of promoting school readiness and supporting the achievement of educational goals, while ensuring that access to resources and learning opportunities are available to residents at all stages of life.”
This is the eighth dashboard published as part of Fairfax County’s broader strategic plan. Eventually there will be a dashboard for each of ten identified Community Outcome Areas.
Some highlights from recent data include:
In the 2024-2025 school year, 57% of kindergarteners enrolled through Fairfax County Public Schools met grade level expectations in the fall. Students with pre-kindergarten experience were more likely—at a rate of 65%—to meet expectations in reading, mathematics and self-regulation than those without pre-K experience (26%).
The on-time high school graduation rate for Fairfax County Public School’s class of 2025 was reported at 93%. This figure has fluctuated slightly since 2019 but remains higher than Virginia’s state average of 92%. In comparison with neighboring jurisdictions, Loudoun County recorded a graduation rate of 97%. Graduation rates varied by race and ethnicity.
Fairfax County Public Library saw an increase in registered cardholders during fiscal year 2025. There were 610,481 registered cardholders compared with 515,358 in fiscal year 2022. Of those registered in FY25, 257,039 used their cards actively over the past year—checking out materials or accessing digital resources—a rise from previous years.
Approximately one in seven Fairfax County residents (14.5%) reported speaking English less than “very well” in 2024. While this is a decrease from numbers reported in 2017, it remains higher than both state (6.5%) and national (9%) averages. Limited English proficiency was more common among older adults and people living below the poverty line.
The Lifelong Education and Learning Dashboard will be updated annually to track trends over time. All dashboards can be accessed via the Countywide Data Analytics webpage. More information about each Community Outcome Area is available on the Fairfax Countywide Strategic Plan webpage, with additional guidance provided by a Strategic Plan Dashboard Tutorial.
For further questions regarding the dashboard or its data sources, residents can contact Countywide Data Analytics at DMBDataAnalytics@fairfaxcounty.gov.
