Enrollment
326
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Newport News, VA
Watkins Early Childhood Center
Federal NCES profile for Watkins Early Childhood Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510264002471
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Watkins Early Childhood Center earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Virginia schools.
- #27 of 27
- schools in Newport News · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.7:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 92.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Watkins Early Childhood Center has class sizes larger than 99% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Watkins Early Childhood Center ranks #27 of 27 schools in Newport News, VA.
School address
District: Newport News City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510264002471 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.7:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+56% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
92.4%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+60% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Watkins Early Childhood Center compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Watkins Early Childhood Center
Watkins Early Childhood Center is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Newport News, Virginia, enrolling 326 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.7:1 is larger than about 99% of Virginia schools and 56% above the 13.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 92.4% of students qualify for free meals, 60% above the Virginia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 326 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 1,868 Virginia schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 270 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #270, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (49%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%) (diversity index 66/100).
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): Watkins Early Childhood Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.7:1 vs 17.4:1).
Newport News City Public Schools also operates Woodside High (1,723 students) and Menchville High (1,707 students) alongside Watkins Early Childhood Center.
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 Watkins Early Childhood Center compares
Watkins Early Childhood Center on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.7:1 | ▲ 56% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 92.4% | ▲ 60% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 326 | top 82% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.7:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
326
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
92.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 60% 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
21.7:1
students per teacher
- 56% above state mean
Top 99% in Virginia - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 49.1%
Hispanic or Latino 26.4%
White 13.5%
Two or More 8.0%
Asian 2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 49.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.4, Watkins Early Childhood Center is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Newport News City Public Schools, which includes Watkins Early Childhood Center.
$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 Watkins Early Childhood Center 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 | Lower 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 Watkins Early Childhood Center'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 (~326 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Watkins Early Childhood Center's federal record.
- Compare Watkins Early Childhood Center 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 Watkins Early Childhood Center
How many students attend Watkins Early Childhood Center?
Watkins Early Childhood Center has 326 students enrolled. It is a public school in Newport News, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Watkins Early Childhood Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Watkins Early Childhood Center is 21.7:1, which is 56% higher than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Watkins Early Childhood Center?
92.4% of students at Watkins Early Childhood Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Watkins Early Childhood Center?
The largest demographic group at Watkins Early Childhood Center is African American at 49.1% of enrollment, in Newport News, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Watkins Early Childhood Center?
Watkins Early Childhood Center has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Watkins Early Childhood Center rank among schools in Newport News?
By Resource Investment Index, Watkins Early Childhood Center ranks #27 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 Watkins Early Childhood Center a good school?
Watkins Early Childhood Center earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% 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 Watkins Early Childhood Center, 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.