Enrollment
465
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Newport News, VA
L.F. Palmer Elementary
Federal NCES profile for L.F. Palmer Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510264001060
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 51
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
L.F. Palmer Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Virginia schools.
- #12 of 27
- schools in Newport News · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.2:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 88.9%
- free-lunch eligible
L.F. Palmer Elementary has class sizes larger than 92% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, L.F. Palmer Elementary ranks #12 of 27 schools in Newport News, VA.
School address
District: Newport News City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510264001060 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
88.9%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How L.F. Palmer Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at L.F. Palmer Elementary
L.F. Palmer Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Newport News, Virginia, enrolling 465 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.2:1 is larger than about 92% of Virginia schools and 24% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 88.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 465 students, its enrollment sits close to the Virginia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Among 418 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #348, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (43%) and African American (41%) (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 465 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 17.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Newport News's public schools, it stands alongside Joseph H. Saunders Elementary (660 students): L.F. Palmer Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.2:1 vs 17.4:1).
Newport News City Public Schools also operates Woodside High (1,723 students) and Menchville High (1,707 students) alongside L.F. Palmer Elementary.
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 L.F. Palmer Elementary compares
L.F. Palmer Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.2:1 | ▲ 24% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 88.9% | ▲ 54% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 465 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
465
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
88.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% 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
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 92% in Virginia - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
19.8%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 465 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
34
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.9 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
Hispanic or Latino 43.4%
African American 40.9%
Two or More 7.3%
White 6.7%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 43.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.4, L.F. Palmer Elementary 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 L.F. Palmer Elementary.
$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 L.F. Palmer Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodside High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Menchville High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Warwick High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Denbigh High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Heritage High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to L.F. Palmer Elementary'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 other schools in Newport News
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Joseph H. Saunders Elementary
Standard public school
660 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Achievable Dream Academy
Standard public school
641 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Carver Elementary
Standard public school
634 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Discovery Stem Academy
Standard public school
561 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Kiln Creek Elementary
Standard public school
553 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Katherine Johnson Elementary
Standard public school
553 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~465 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on L.F. Palmer Elementary's federal record.
- Compare L.F. Palmer Elementary 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 L.F. Palmer Elementary
How many students attend L.F. Palmer Elementary?
L.F. Palmer Elementary has 465 students enrolled. It is a public school in Newport News, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at L.F. Palmer Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at L.F. Palmer Elementary is 17.2:1, which is 24% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at L.F. Palmer Elementary?
88.9% of students at L.F. Palmer Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of L.F. Palmer Elementary?
The largest demographic group at L.F. Palmer Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 43.4% of enrollment, in Newport News, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for L.F. Palmer Elementary?
L.F. Palmer Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 L.F. Palmer Elementary rank among schools in Newport News?
By Resource Investment Index, L.F. Palmer Elementary ranks #12 of 27 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 schools in Newport News on the city page.
Is L.F. Palmer Elementary a good school?
L.F. Palmer Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% 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 L.F. Palmer Elementary, 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.