Enrollment
483
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Portsmouth, VA
Brighton Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Brighton Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 510300002472
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 3
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Brighton Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Virginia schools.
- #13 of 13
- elementary schools in Portsmouth · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.3:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 96.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Brighton Elementary has class sizes larger than 93% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Brighton Elementary ranks #13 of 13 elementary schools in Portsmouth, VA.
School address
District: Portsmouth City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510300002472 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.3:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
96.8%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+68% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Brighton Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Brighton Elementary
Brighton Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Portsmouth, Virginia, enrolling 483 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.3:1 is larger than about 93% of Virginia schools and 24% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 96.8% of students qualify for free meals, 68% above the Virginia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 483 students, its enrollment sits close to the Virginia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 1,868 Virginia schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 302 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #276, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 30/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 483 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 127 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 483 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Portsmouth's elementary schools, it stands alongside Churchland Elementary (721 students): Brighton Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.3:1 vs 16.8:1).
Portsmouth City Public Schools also operates Churchland High (1,453 students) and Manor High (1,149 students) alongside Brighton Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Brighton Elementary compares
Brighton Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.3:1 | ▲ 24% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 96.8% | ▲ 68% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 483 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.3:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
483
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
96.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.3:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 93% in Virginia - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,493
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 483 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
47
in-school suspensions + 80 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 83.0%
Hispanic or Latino 6.8%
Two or More 6.4%
White 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: African American at 83.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.1, Brighton Elementary is less mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Portsmouth City Public Schools, which includes Brighton Elementary.
$13,493
Per student
-8%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.7%
State 54.9%
Federal 12.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Brighton Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Churchland High | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Manor High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| I.C. Norcom High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Churchland Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Churchland Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Brighton Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,453
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 1,149
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,009
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 798
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 721
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar elementary schools in Portsmouth
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Churchland Elementary
Standard public school
721 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Churchland Academy Elementary
Standard public school
626 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Cradock Elementary
Standard public school
616 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Simonsdale Elementary
Standard public school
613 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Victory Elementary
Standard public school
586 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Waterview Elementary
Standard public school
576 students 14:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~483 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Brighton Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Brighton Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Portsmouth City Public Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Brighton Elementary
How many students attend Brighton Elementary?
Brighton Elementary has 483 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Portsmouth, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Brighton Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Brighton Elementary is 17.3:1, which is 24% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Brighton Elementary?
96.8% of students at Brighton Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Brighton Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Brighton Elementary is African American at 83.0% of enrollment, in Portsmouth, VA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Brighton Elementary?
Brighton Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Brighton Elementary rank among elementary schools in Portsmouth?
By Resource Investment Index, Brighton Elementary ranks #13 of 13 elementary schools in Portsmouth, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Portsmouth on the city page.
Is Brighton Elementary a good school?
Brighton Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Virginia schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Portsmouth City Public Schools?
Besides Brighton Elementary, Portsmouth City Public Schools also operates Churchland High (1,453 students), Manor High (1,149 students), and I.C. Norcom High (1,009 students). See the Portsmouth City Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.