Enrollment
1,193
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Virginia Beach, VA
Independence Middle
Federal NCES profile for Independence Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 510384001690
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence Middle earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Virginia schools.
- #12 of 14
- middle schools in Virginia Beach · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.7:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 41.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Independence Middle has class sizes larger than 78% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Middle ranks #12 of 14 middle schools in Virginia Beach, VA.
School address
District: Virginia Beach City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510384001690 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
76.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.4%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence Middle compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence Middle
Independence Middle is a large middle school in Virginia Beach, Virginia, enrolling 1,193 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 41.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,193 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 156 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #102.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 398 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
15.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Virginia Beach's middle schools, it stands alongside Larkspur Middle (1,488 students): Independence Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.7:1 vs 15.8:1).
Virginia Beach City Public Schools also operates Landstown High (2,152 students) and Kempsville High (2,046 students) alongside Independence 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 Independence Middle compares
Independence 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 | 15.7:1 | ▲ 13% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.4% | ▼ 28% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,193 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,193
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 78% in Virginia - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,118
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 398 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
97
in-school suspensions + 109 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.3 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
White 44.8%
African American 26.1%
Hispanic or Latino 14.1%
Two or More 10.9%
Asian 3.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 44.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.8, Independence Middle is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Virginia Beach City Public Schools, which includes Independence Middle.
$14,118
Per student
-4%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.6%
State 39.7%
Federal 13.7%
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 Independence Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landstown High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kempsville High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bayside High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tallwood High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Floyd Kellam High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Independence Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,152
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 2,046
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,984
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,890
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,842
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar middle schools in Virginia Beach
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Larkspur Middle
Standard public school
1,488 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Princess Anne Middle
Standard public school
1,358 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Landstown Middle
Standard public school
1,272 students 15:1 students per teacher
Salem Middle
Standard public school
1,072 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Brandon Middle
Standard public school
1,053 students 16:1 students per teacher
Great Neck Middle
Standard public school
1,039 students 15.7:1 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 (~1,193 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence Middle's federal record.
- Compare Independence Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Virginia Beach 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 Independence Middle
How many students attend Independence Middle?
Independence Middle has 1,193 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Virginia Beach, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence Middle is 15.7:1, which is 13% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 0% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Independence Middle?
41.4% of students at Independence Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence Middle?
The largest demographic group at Independence Middle is White at 44.8% of enrollment, in Virginia Beach, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence Middle?
Independence Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Independence Middle rank among middle schools in Virginia Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Middle ranks #12 of 14 middle schools in Virginia Beach, 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 Virginia Beach on the city page.
Is Independence Middle a good school?
Independence Middle earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% 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 Virginia Beach City Public Schools?
Besides Independence Middle, Virginia Beach City Public Schools also operates Landstown High (2,152 students), Kempsville High (2,046 students), and Bayside High (1,984 students). See the Virginia Beach 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.