B.C. Charles Elementary

Located at 701 Menchville Road, in Newport News, Virginia, B.C. Charles Elementary is a compact K-5 school that serves 388 students (grades pre-K through 5), operated by Newport News City Public Schools. Enrollment runs roughly 22% leaner than the state mean of about 499.

Across the 40 schools in Newport News City Public Schools (25,882 students total), B.C. Charles Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, B.C. Charles Elementary lists that the largest single group is Black at 41%, but no single group is in the majority. The remainder consists of 36% White, 11% Hispanic, 10% multiracial. That mix tracks the wider county fairly closely.

On the income-and-resources front, Staff filings list 19 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 20.4:1 students per teacher. That figure is higher than the state norm's 13.8:1 average. About 100% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, B.C. Charles Elementary sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 61.0%; this one delivers 60.5%.

In the surrounding community, ACS estimates for Newport News city put median household income runs about $69,634, about 31% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 11%. In all, Newport News city runs 48 public schools (combined enrollment of about 25,882 students), of which B.C. Charles Elementary is one.

Nearest neighbor: Menchville High, around 0.3 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts B.C. Charles Elementary at 4th of 9; the average score across the group is 59.0%.

The campus sits in an urban setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. B.C. Charles Elementary's enrollment has edged down 23% since 2018, when it stood at 504 (now 388). Over the same period, the Black share climbed from 36% to 41%. Class-load math has rose: from 17.4:1 in 2018 to 20.4:1 in 2025.

On this page, members of the B.C. Charles Elementary community share and discuss enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.