Enrollment
498
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Suffolk, VA
John F. Kennedy Middle
Federal NCES profile for John F. Kennedy Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 510371001621
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 67
📋 Attendance 21
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John F. Kennedy Middle earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of Virginia schools.
- #2 of 4
- middle schools in Suffolk · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.9:1
- small classes for Virginia
- 64.0%
- free-lunch eligible
John F. Kennedy Middle has class sizes smaller than 80% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John F. Kennedy Middle ranks #2 of 4 middle schools in Suffolk, VA.
School address
District: Suffolk City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510371001621 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.9:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.0%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John F. Kennedy Middle compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at John F. Kennedy Middle
John F. Kennedy Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Suffolk, Virginia, enrolling 498 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 64.0% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 498 students, its enrollment sits close to the Virginia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 211 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #51.
Its student body is led by African American (70%) and White (15%) (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 166 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 150 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 498 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Suffolk's middle schools, it stands alongside King's Fork Middle (986 students): John F. Kennedy Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.9:1 vs 13.5:1).
Suffolk City Public Schools also operates King's Fork High (1,686 students) and Nansemond River High (1,683 students) alongside John F. Kennedy 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 John F. Kennedy Middle compares
John F. Kennedy 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 | 11.9:1 | ▼ 14% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.0% | ▲ 11% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 498 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.9:1
Leaner classes than 76% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
498
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
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
11.9:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 20% in Virginia - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
31.5%
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
$13,163
per pupil, district-wide
- below Virginia avg of $14,649
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 166 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
89
in-school suspensions + 61 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 30.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 69.9%
White 15.1%
Hispanic or Latino 9.4%
Two or More 5.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 69.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.7, John F. Kennedy Middle is less mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Suffolk City Public Schools, which includes John F. Kennedy Middle.
$13,163
Per student
-10%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.0%
State 47.5%
Federal 12.5%
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 John F. Kennedy Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| King's Fork High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Nansemond River High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lakeland High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| King's Fork Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Florence Bowser Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John F. Kennedy Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,686
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- 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
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~498 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John F. Kennedy Middle's federal record.
- Compare John F. Kennedy Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Suffolk 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 John F. Kennedy Middle
How many students attend John F. Kennedy Middle?
John F. Kennedy Middle has 498 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Suffolk, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John F. Kennedy Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at John F. Kennedy Middle is 11.9:1, which is 14% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 24% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John F. Kennedy Middle?
64.0% of students at John F. Kennedy Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John F. Kennedy Middle?
The largest demographic group at John F. Kennedy Middle is African American at 69.9% of enrollment, in Suffolk, VA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John F. Kennedy Middle?
John F. Kennedy Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (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 John F. Kennedy Middle rank among middle schools in Suffolk?
By Resource Investment Index, John F. Kennedy Middle ranks #2 of 4 middle schools in Suffolk, 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 Suffolk on the city page.
Is John F. Kennedy Middle a good school?
John F. Kennedy Middle earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller 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 Suffolk City Public Schools?
Besides John F. Kennedy 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.
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.