Enrollment
2,046
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Virginia Beach, VA
Kempsville High
Federal NCES profile for Kempsville High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 510384001694
👥 S:T ratio 27
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kempsville High earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Virginia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Virginia.
- #12 of 12
- high schools in Virginia Beach · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.3:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 36.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Kempsville High has class sizes larger than 97% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kempsville High ranks #12 of 12 high schools in Virginia Beach, VA.
School address
District: Virginia Beach City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510384001694 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
112.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.3:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.7%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kempsville High compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kempsville High
Kempsville High is a large high school in Virginia Beach, Virginia, enrolling 2,046 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.3:1 is larger than about 97% of Virginia schools and 32% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Virginia, bigger than 97% of state schools at 2,046 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Among 73 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #60, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 70/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 22 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 341 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Virginia Beach's high schools, it stands alongside Landstown High (2,152 students): Kempsville High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.3:1 vs 16.6:1).
Virginia Beach City Public Schools also operates Landstown High (2,152 students) and Bayside High (1,984 students) alongside Kempsville High.
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 Kempsville High compares
Kempsville High on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.3:1 | ▲ 32% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.7% | ▼ 36% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,046 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.3:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,046
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% below the Virginia average of 57.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.3:1
students per teacher
- 32% above state mean
Top 97% in Virginia - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
26.6%
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
$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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 341 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
80
in-school suspensions + 128 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 15.2%
Two or More 8.7%
Asian 4.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 44.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.9, Kempsville High is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 22
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Virginia Beach City Public Schools, which includes Kempsville High.
$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 Kempsville High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landstown High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bayside High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tallwood High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Floyd Kellam High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ocean Lakes High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kempsville High'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
- 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
- Enrollment
- 1,834
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar high schools in Virginia Beach
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Landstown High
Standard public school
2,152 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Bayside High
Standard public school
1,984 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Tallwood High
Standard public school
1,890 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Floyd Kellam High
Standard public school
1,842 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Ocean Lakes High
Standard public school
1,834 students 15:1 students per teacher
First Colonial High
Standard public school
1,727 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~2,046 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kempsville High's federal record.
- Compare Kempsville High 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 Kempsville High
How many students attend Kempsville High?
Kempsville High has 2,046 students enrolled. It is a high school in Virginia Beach, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kempsville High?
The student-teacher ratio at Kempsville High is 18.3:1, which is 32% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Kempsville High?
36.7% of students at Kempsville High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kempsville High?
The largest demographic group at Kempsville High 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 69.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kempsville High?
Kempsville High has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Kempsville High rank among high schools in Virginia Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, Kempsville High ranks #12 of 12 high 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 high schools in Virginia Beach on the city page.
Is Kempsville High a good school?
Kempsville High earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Virginia schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Virginia. 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 Kempsville High, Virginia Beach City Public Schools also operates Landstown High (2,152 students), Bayside High (1,984 students), and Tallwood High (1,890 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.