Enrollment
798
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Suffolk, VA
Northern Shores Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Northern Shores Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510371001475
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 82
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northern Shores Elementary earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Virginia schools.
- #1 of 11
- schools in Suffolk · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.6:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 64.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Northern Shores Elementary has class sizes larger than 88% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northern Shores Elementary ranks #1 of 11 schools in Suffolk, VA.
School address
District: Suffolk City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510371001475 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.6:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.6%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northern Shores Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northern Shores Elementary
Northern Shores Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Suffolk, Virginia, enrolling 798 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.6:1 is larger than about 88% of Virginia schools and 19% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 64.6% lands close to the Virginia typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 798 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 197 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #63.
Its student body is led by African American (42%) and White (31%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 399 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Suffolk's public schools, it stands alongside Florence Bowser Elementary (926 students): Northern Shores Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.6:1 vs 19.3:1).
Suffolk City Public Schools also operates King's Fork High (1,686 students) and Nansemond River High (1,683 students) alongside Northern Shores 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 Northern Shores Elementary compares
Northern Shores 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 | 16.6:1 | ▲ 19% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.6% | ▲ 12% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 798 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.6:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
798
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
16.6:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 88% in Virginia - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 399 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 30 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 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 42.0%
White 31.2%
Hispanic or Latino 11.9%
Two or More 9.3%
Asian 4.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 42.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.1, Northern Shores Elementary is more 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 Northern Shores Elementary.
$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 Northern Shores Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| King's Fork High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nansemond River High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lakeland High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| King's Fork Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Florence Bowser Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northern Shores Elementary'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 other schools in Suffolk
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Florence Bowser Elementary
Standard public school
926 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Hillpoint Elementary
Standard public school
780 students 17:1 students per teacher
Creekside Elementary
Standard public school
764 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Mack Benn Jr. Elementary
Standard public school
713 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Elephant's Fork Elementary
Standard public school
653 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Southwestern Elementary
Standard public school
579 students 16.1:1 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 (~798 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northern Shores Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Northern Shores Elementary 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 Northern Shores Elementary
How many students attend Northern Shores Elementary?
Northern Shores Elementary has 798 students enrolled. It is a public school in Suffolk, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northern Shores Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Northern Shores Elementary is 16.6:1, which is 19% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northern Shores Elementary?
64.6% of students at Northern Shores Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northern Shores Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Northern Shores Elementary is African American at 42.0% of enrollment, in Suffolk, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northern Shores Elementary?
Northern Shores Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (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 Northern Shores Elementary rank among schools in Suffolk?
By Resource Investment Index, Northern Shores Elementary ranks #1 of 11 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 schools in Suffolk on the city page.
Is Northern Shores Elementary a good school?
Northern Shores Elementary earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% 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 Northern Shores Elementary, 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.