Enrollment
576
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Portsmouth, VA
Waterview Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Waterview Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 510300001253
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Waterview Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #11 of 13
- elementary schools in Portsmouth · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 98.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Waterview Elementary has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Waterview Elementary ranks #11 of 13 elementary schools in Portsmouth, VA.
School address
District: Portsmouth City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510300001253 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.3%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+71% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Waterview Elementary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Waterview Elementary
Waterview Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Portsmouth, Virginia, enrolling 576 students.
At 14:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Virginia median, within a few percentage points of the 13.9:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 98.3% of students qualify for free meals, 71% above the Virginia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 576 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 268 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #207, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (71%) and White (12%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 288 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 156 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 576 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Portsmouth's elementary schools, it stands alongside Churchland Elementary (721 students): Waterview Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14:1 vs 16.8:1).
Portsmouth City Public Schools also operates Churchland High (1,453 students) and Manor High (1,149 students) alongside Waterview 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 Waterview Elementary compares
Waterview 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 | 14:1 | ▲ 1% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.3% | ▲ 71% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 576 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
576
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 53% in Virginia - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
38.0%
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
$13,493
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 288 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 142 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.1 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 71.2%
White 12.3%
Two or More 7.6%
Hispanic or Latino 7.5%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 71.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.6, Waterview Elementary is less mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Portsmouth City Public Schools, which includes Waterview Elementary.
$13,493
Per student
-8%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.7%
State 54.9%
Federal 12.4%
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 Waterview Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Churchland High | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Manor High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| I.C. Norcom High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Churchland Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Churchland Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Waterview Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,453
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 1,149
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,009
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 798
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 721
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar elementary schools in Portsmouth
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Churchland Elementary
Standard public school
721 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Churchland Academy Elementary
Standard public school
626 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Cradock Elementary
Standard public school
616 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Simonsdale Elementary
Standard public school
613 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Victory Elementary
Standard public school
586 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Douglass Park Elementary
Standard public school
510 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~576 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Waterview Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Waterview Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Portsmouth 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 Waterview Elementary
How many students attend Waterview Elementary?
Waterview Elementary has 576 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Portsmouth, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Waterview Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Waterview Elementary is 14:1, which is 1% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Waterview Elementary?
98.3% of students at Waterview Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Waterview Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Waterview Elementary is African American at 71.2% of enrollment, in Portsmouth, VA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Waterview Elementary?
Waterview 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 Waterview Elementary rank among elementary schools in Portsmouth?
By Resource Investment Index, Waterview Elementary ranks #11 of 13 elementary schools in Portsmouth, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Portsmouth on the city page.
Is Waterview Elementary a good school?
Waterview Elementary earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median. 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 Portsmouth City Public Schools?
Besides Waterview Elementary, Portsmouth City Public Schools also operates Churchland High (1,453 students), Manor High (1,149 students), and I.C. Norcom High (1,009 students). See the Portsmouth 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.