Old Donation School

Old Donation School is a roomy middle-grades school in Virginia Beach, Virginia, operated by Virginia Beach City Public Schools. The school hosts 1,377 students in grades 2 through 8. That puts it 84% larger than the typical public school in Virginia, which averages around 750 students.

Across the 82 schools in Virginia Beach City Public Schools (64,731 students total), Old Donation School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Looking at the student body, Old Donation School records that the largest single group is White, at 55% of enrollment. Other groups include 21% Asian, 11% multiracial, 7% Hispanic, 5% Black.

On the income-and-resources front, Old Donation School lists 86 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 16.0:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.1:1, putting Old Donation School higher than the state norm the norm. Roughly 14% of students at Old Donation School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Virginia Beach city (around 49%), the school's rate is somewhat below typical.

After controlling for student poverty, Old Donation School is in the OUTPERFORMING tier of the BeatsExpectations model, which fits a per-state line through proficiency and FRL share. Schools with this campus's poverty mix typically land near 84.2%; this one delivers 100.0%, a residual of +15.8 points.

In the broader community, census data for Virginia Beach city shows median household income runs about $92,968, 41% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Old Donation School is one of 89 public schools in Virginia Beach city (combined enrollment of about 64,731 students).

The closest other public school is Luxford Elementary, roughly 0.5 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. On composite proficiency, Old Donation School comes 1st of 8 in the immediate cluster, above the nearby-schools average of 75.9%.

The school occupies a city-core site.

Over the past 7-year window. Over the past 7-year window, the student count grew 17%: 1,181 students in 2018 compared to 1,377 in 2025. The White share of enrollment shrank from 63% to 55% over that span.

In the discussion threads here, members of the Old Donation School community share and discuss classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.