Total enrollment
12,905
-490 (-4%) vs SY 2020-21
Portsmouth city
Virginia · Public K-12
Portsmouth city in Virginia has 24 public K-12 schools in service today, collectively responsible for roughly 12,905 students with Portsmouth City Public Schools the largest district. By level, that breaks down as 17 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools.
4-year change in Portsmouth city
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
22
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Portsmouth city ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Virginia | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 58.0% | #102 of 115 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 12,905 | #23 of 118 | #677 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 22 | #19 of 118 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.0:1 | #77 of 118 | #1,374 of 2,655 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 48.7% | #74 of 115 | #1,159 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Portsmouth city school rankings
Residents
97,190
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
24
1 districts
Enrollment
12,905
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$60,491
Below Virginia avg
Free/reduced lunch
101.3%
Above Virginia avg
Elementary
17
7,431 students
Middle
3
1,863 students
High
3
3,611 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Portsmouth City Public Schools
12,905 students · 1 district in Portsmouth city
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Portsmouth city residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
24.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
14.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.6%
civilian labor
Median age
36
23.0% under 18
Test scores in Portsmouth city
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 19 schools ranked. Virginia state average: 74.2%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Churchland High· 95.0%
- Manor High· 81.0%
- I.C. Norcom High· 78.0%
- Churchland Elementary· 72.0%
- Churchland Primary & Intermediate· 66.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Douglass Park Elementary· 37.0%
- Waterview Elementary· 38.0%
- Cradock Elementary· 41.0%
- Brighton Elementary· 47.0%
- Westhaven Elementary· 47.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Churchland High | Portsmouth | High | 09-12 | 1,453 | · |
| Manor High | Portsmouth | High | 09-12 | 1,149 | · |
| I.C. Norcom High | Portsmouth | High | 09-12 | 1,009 | · |
| Churchland Middle | Portsmouth | Middle | 07-08 | 798 | · |
| Churchland Elementary | Portsmouth | Elementary | KG-06 | 721 | · |
| Churchland Academy Elementary | Portsmouth | Elementary | KG-06 | 626 | · |
| Cradock Elementary | Portsmouth | Elementary | KG-06 | 616 | · |
| Simonsdale Elementary | Portsmouth | Elementary | KG-06 | 613 | · |
| Victory Elementary | Portsmouth | Elementary | KG-06 | 586 | · |
| Waterview Elementary | Portsmouth | Elementary | KG-06 | 576 | · |
| William E. Waters Middle | Portsmouth | Middle | 07-08 | 549 | · |
| Cradock Middle | Portsmouth | Middle | 07-08 | 516 | · |
| Douglass Park Elementary | Portsmouth | Elementary | KG-06 | 510 | · |
| Churchland Primary & Intermediate | Portsmouth | Elementary | KG-06 | 503 | · |
| Brighton Elementary | Portsmouth | Elementary | KG-06 | 483 | · |
| Hodges Manor Elementary | Portsmouth | Elementary | KG-06 | 466 | · |
| Lakeview Elementary | Portsmouth | Elementary | KG-06 | 439 | · |
| Westhaven Elementary | Portsmouth | Elementary | KG-06 | 401 | · |
| Park View Elementary | Portsmouth | Elementary | KG-06 | 400 | · |
| Mount Hermon Preschool Center | Portsmouth | Elementary | PK-PK | 208 | · |
| Olive Branch Preschool Center | Portsmouth | Elementary | PK-PK | 171 | · |
| Churchland Preschool Center | Portsmouth | Elementary | PK-PK | 112 | · |
| Cradock Technical & Career Center | Portsmouth | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| New Directions Center | Portsmouth | Elementary | N-N | · | · |
Cities in Portsmouth city
About Portsmouth city
Across the middle-population Virginia county of Portsmouth city of about 97,190 residents, the public-school footprint covers 24 schools and about 12,905 students.
In context, census numbers show the median household earns about $60,491 a year, about 24% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 14%. That income level is 21% below the Virginia median.
Looking at the level breakdown, Portsmouth city comprises 17 elementary schools (7,431 students), 3 middle schools (1,863), 3 high schools (3,611), and 1 combined or other schools.
Portsmouth City Public Schools is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 12,905 students across Portsmouth city.
Looking at the last 4 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 12,905 students, fell 4% from the 13,395 reported in SY 2020-21.
On this page, the community for Portsmouth city discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data