Enrollment
1,087
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Newport News, VA
Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle
Federal NCES profile for Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 510264002208
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Virginia schools.
- #3 of 7
- middle schools in Newport News · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 89.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle has class sizes larger than 80% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle ranks #3 of 7 middle schools in Newport News, VA.
School address
District: Newport News City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510264002208 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
69.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
89.1%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle
Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle is a high-poverty, large middle school in Newport News, Virginia, enrolling 1,087 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 89.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,087 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 152 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #69.
Its student body is led by African American (33%) and White (32%) (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 362 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
17.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 17.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 411 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,087 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Newport News's middle schools, it stands alongside Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle (988 students): Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.8:1 vs 14.7:1).
Newport News City Public Schools also operates Woodside High (1,723 students) and Menchville High (1,707 students) alongside Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle.
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 Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle compares
Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.8:1 | ▲ 14% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.1% | ▲ 55% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,087 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,087
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
89.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% 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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 80% in Virginia - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,115
per pupil, district-wide
- above Virginia avg of $14,649
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 362 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
197
in-school suspensions + 214 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 37.8 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 32.6%
White 31.7%
Hispanic or Latino 23.2%
Two or More 9.4%
Asian 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 32.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.0, Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Newport News City Public Schools, which includes Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle.
$15,115
Per student
+3%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.8%
State 50.6%
Federal 17.7%
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 Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodside High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Menchville High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Warwick High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Denbigh High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Heritage High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,723
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,707
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,622
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,269
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,106
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar middle schools in Newport News
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle
Standard public school
988 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Mary Passage Middle
Standard public school
931 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Homer L. Hines Middle
Standard public school
846 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Crittenden Middle
Standard public school
781 students 13:1 students per teacher
B.T. Washington Middle
Standard public school
413 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Huntington Middle
Standard public school
292 students 9.7:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~1,087 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle's federal record.
- Compare Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Newport News 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 Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle
How many students attend Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle?
Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle has 1,087 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Newport News, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle is 15.8:1, which is 14% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle?
89.1% of students at Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle?
The largest demographic group at Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle is African American at 32.6% of enrollment, in Newport News, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle?
Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle rank among middle schools in Newport News?
By Resource Investment Index, Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle ranks #3 of 7 middle schools in Newport News, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Newport News on the city page.
Is Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle a good school?
Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% 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 Newport News City Public Schools?
Besides Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle, Newport News City Public Schools also operates Woodside High (1,723 students), Menchville High (1,707 students), and Warwick High (1,622 students). See the Newport News 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.