Carlin Springs Elementary School, 5995 S. Fifth Road: pre-K to grade 5, 426 K-5 students on Sept. 30, 2026, framework score 80.9. Office: 703-228-6645.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. Sources: Carlin Springs Elementary, Arlington Public Schools, the Virginia Department of Education’s School Quality Profile and the federal NCES school directory.

Carlin Springs Elementary School is an Arlington Public Schools (APS) neighborhood elementary school. It sits at 5995 S. Fifth Road and serves pre-K through fifth grade.

Who to call

  • Main office: 703-228-6645 (fax 703-998-5341)
  • New to APS (registration): APS Welcome Center, 703-228-8000, option 1; 2110 Washington Blvd., first floor
  • Buses and general questions: APS main line, 703-228-8000
  • Which school serves an address: School and Community Relations, 703-228-6005
Address 5995 S. Fifth Road, Arlington, VA 22204
Grades Pre-K to 5
School day 7:50 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. (early release 12:20 p.m.)
Website carlinsprings.apsva.us
Division Arlington Public Schools

Principal

Principal Carmen De La Cruz Scales, according to the school’s website.

Enrollment and teachers

  • APS count: 426 students in kindergarten through fifth grade on Sept. 30, 2026, plus 70 in preschool programs, in APS’s official membership summary (PDF).
  • State count: 510 students in fall 2025, including 65 in pre-K, after 534 in 2024 and 547 in 2023, in the School Quality Profile.
  • Federal count: 547 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 51 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That works out to about 11 students per teacher.

State report card

Virginia’s School Performance and Support Framework scores each school on mastery on state tests, growth, readiness and graduation, according to APS’s framework page. Schools scoring 90 or more are Distinguished, 80 to 89 Meets Expectations, 65 to 79 Approaching Expectations and below 65 Needs Intensive Support. A school with a student group identified for federal support drops one category.

  • 2026-27 framework score: 80.9, rated Approaching Expectations, in the division summary (PDF). Students with disabilities were identified for Targeted Support and Improvement.
  • Accreditation: Fully Accredited

Standards of Learning pass rates (grades 3 to 5, share of tested students who passed), from the School Quality Profile:

Subject 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26
English reading 46% 38% 49%
Math 39% 40% 56%
Science 28% 38% 42%

Attendance zone

APS assigns neighborhood schools by home address. Check an address in the APS boundary locator or on the 2026-27 elementary boundary map (PDF).

Middle and high school: on APS’s boundary maps, the whole Carlin Springs zone lies in the Kenmore Middle zone and the Washington-Liberty High School zone.

Calendar and bell times

From the APS 2026-27 calendar:

  • Wednesday, Oct. 28: early release, all schools
  • Monday, Nov. 2: end of first quarter
  • Tuesday, Nov. 3: no school for students (Election Day)
  • Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day, no school
  • Nov. 25-27: Thanksgiving break
  • Dec. 23 to Jan. 1: winter break
  • Thursday, March 18, 2027: early release; Friday, March 19: no school (parent-teacher conferences)
  • March 22-26, 2027: spring break
  • Thursday, June 17, 2027: last day of school, early release

The school day runs 7:50 a.m. to 2:40 p.m., with early release at 12:20 p.m., according to APS. Each elementary school holds a family information session between November and January; see the schedule.

More on Arlington schools

Frequently asked questions

What grades does Carlin Springs Elementary serve?

Pre-K through fifth grade. APS counted 426 students in kindergarten through fifth grade on Sept. 30, 2026, plus 70 in preschool programs.

How is Carlin Springs Elementary rated by the state?

It is fully accredited. In Virginia’s 2026-27 School Performance and Support Framework it scored 80.9 and is rated Approaching Expectations, a category lowered by one because students with disabilities were identified for targeted federal support.

Which middle and high school does Carlin Springs Elementary feed into?

Kenmore Middle and Washington-Liberty High. The whole Carlin Springs zone lies inside both zones on APS’s boundary maps.

What time does Carlin Springs Elementary start?

7:50 a.m. to 2:40 p.m., with early release at 12:20 p.m., according to Arlington Public Schools.