- Enrollment
- 1,686
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Suffolk, VA
Colonel Fred Cherry Middle
Federal NCES profile for Colonel Fred Cherry Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 510371003058
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Colonel Fred Cherry Middle earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 64.0%
- free-lunch eligible
- 736
- students enrolled
Colonel Fred Cherry Middle has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Suffolk City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510371003058 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-27 students YoY
Colonel Fred Cherry Middle held near 728 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-27 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 50.0 → 60.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-27 students YoY 510371003058 · Suffolk, VA Middle · MID · TRAD
736 enr · 14.7:1 · 64.0% lunch · RII 49
Nearest enrollment peer: King's Fork High (1,686 students)
Colonel Fred Cherry Middle held near 728 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-27 headcount). Teacher FTE added 50.0 → 60.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Virginia schools → · Find another →
Colonel Fred Cherry Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- King's Fork Hi
King's Fork High
1,686 students
- Nansemond Rive
Nansemond River High
1,683 students
- Lakeland High
Lakeland High
1,045 students
- King's Fork Mi
King's Fork Middle
986 students
- Florence Bowse
Florence Bowser Elementary
926 students
- This school
Colonel Fred Cherry Middle
736 students
What this shows Colonel Fred Cherry Middle reports 736 students on the CCD universe file.
How Colonel Fred Cherry Middle compares
Colonel Fred Cherry Middle held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▲ 6% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.0% | ▲ 11% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 736 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
736
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
64.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 64% in Virginia - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,431
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $15,892
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 368 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
82
in-school suspensions + 69 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 55.4%
White 22.4%
Two or More 9.5%
Hispanic or Latino 9.4%
Asian 2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 55.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.4, Colonel Fred Cherry Middle is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Suffolk City Public Schools reports $14,431 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Colonel Fred Cherry Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| King's Fork High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nansemond River High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lakeland High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| King's Fork Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Florence Bowser Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Colonel Fred Cherry Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,683
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,045
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 986
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 926
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar middle schools in Suffolk
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
King's Fork Middle
Standard public school
986 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
John Yeates Middle
Standard public school
509 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
John F. Kennedy Middle
Standard public school
498 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Forest Glen Middle
Standard public school
433 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~736 students)
Frequently asked questions about Colonel Fred Cherry Middle
How many students attend Colonel Fred Cherry Middle?
Colonel Fred Cherry Middle has 736 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Suffolk, VA. CCD year-over-year: 755 (2022-23) → 728 (2023-24), nearly flat (-27).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle is 14.7:1, which is 6% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle?
64.0% of students at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Colonel Fred Cherry Middle?
The largest demographic group at Colonel Fred Cherry Middle is African American at 55.4% of enrollment, in Suffolk, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Colonel Fred Cherry Middle?
Colonel Fred Cherry Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Suffolk City Public Schools?
Besides Colonel Fred Cherry Middle, Suffolk City Public Schools also operates King's Fork High (1,686 students), Nansemond River High (1,683 students), and Lakeland High (1,045 students). See the Suffolk City Public Schools district page for the complete list.