Enrollment
721
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Portsmouth, VA
Churchland Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Churchland Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 510300001239
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Churchland Elementary earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of Virginia schools.
- #3 of 13
- elementary schools in Portsmouth · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.8:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 98.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Churchland Elementary has class sizes larger than 89% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Churchland Elementary ranks #3 of 13 elementary schools in Portsmouth, VA.
School address
District: Portsmouth City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510300001239 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.3%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+71% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Churchland Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Churchland Elementary
Churchland Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Portsmouth, Virginia, enrolling 721 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.8:1 is larger than about 89% of Virginia schools and 21% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 98.3% of students qualify for free meals, 71% above the Virginia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 721 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 208 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #71.
Its student body is led by African American (49%) and White (27%) (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 361 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
13.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Portsmouth's elementary schools, it stands alongside Churchland Academy Elementary (626 students): Churchland Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.8:1 vs 14.6:1).
Portsmouth City Public Schools also operates Churchland High (1,453 students) and Manor High (1,149 students) alongside Churchland 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 Churchland Elementary compares
Churchland 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 | 16.8:1 | ▲ 21% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.3% | ▲ 71% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 721 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
721
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% 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
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 89% in Virginia - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
13.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 361 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
30
in-school suspensions + 46 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.5 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 48.7%
White 27.2%
Two or More 11.5%
Hispanic or Latino 10.7%
Asian 1.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 48.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.4, Churchland Elementary is more 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 Churchland 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 Churchland Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Churchland High | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar 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 | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Churchland Academy Elementary | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Churchland 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
- 626
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar elementary schools in Portsmouth
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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
Douglass Park Elementary
Standard public school
510 students 12.8:1 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 (~721 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Churchland Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Churchland 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 Churchland Elementary
How many students attend Churchland Elementary?
Churchland Elementary has 721 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Portsmouth, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Churchland Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Churchland Elementary is 16.8:1, which is 21% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 7% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Churchland Elementary?
98.3% of students at Churchland Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Churchland Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Churchland Elementary is African American at 48.7% of enrollment, in Portsmouth, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Churchland Elementary?
Churchland Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 Churchland Elementary rank among elementary schools in Portsmouth?
By Resource Investment Index, Churchland Elementary ranks #3 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 Churchland Elementary a good school?
Churchland Elementary earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% 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 Churchland 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.