Enrollment
801
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chesapeake, VA
Western Branch Primary
Federal NCES profile for Western Branch Primary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510081001910
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Western Branch Primary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Virginia schools.
- #20 of 20
- schools in Chesapeake · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.7:1
- large classes for Virginia
- 36.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Western Branch Primary has class sizes larger than 88% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Western Branch Primary ranks #20 of 20 schools in Chesapeake, VA.
School address
District: Chesapeake City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510081001910 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.9%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
-36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Western Branch Primary compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Western Branch Primary
Western Branch Primary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Chesapeake, Virginia, enrolling 801 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.7:1 is larger than about 88% of Virginia schools and 20% 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 36.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 801 puts it in the larger third of Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 1,868 Virginia schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 304 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Virginia schools statewide, it ranks #304, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (38%) and White (34%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1001 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
16.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Chesapeake's public schools, it stands alongside Grassfield Elementary (1,306 students): Western Branch Primary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.7:1 vs 18.1:1).
Chesapeake City Public Schools also operates Grassfield High (2,345 students) and Oscar F. Smith High (2,264 students) alongside Western Branch Primary.
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 Western Branch Primary compares
Western Branch Primary on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.7:1 | ▲ 20% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.9% | ▼ 36% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 801 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
801
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.9%
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
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 20% 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
16.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,740
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
Counselors0.8 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 51 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.7 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 38.1%
White 34.0%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%
Two or More 11.5%
Asian 3.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 38.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.9, Western Branch Primary is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chesapeake City Public Schools, which includes Western Branch Primary.
$13,740
Per student
-6%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.1%
State 42.6%
Federal 10.3%
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 Western Branch Primary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grassfield High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Oscar F. Smith High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Western Branch High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Deep Creek High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Indian River High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Western Branch Primary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,345
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 2,264
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,138
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,691
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 1,634
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Similar other schools in Chesapeake
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Grassfield Elementary
Standard public school
1,306 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Cedar Road Elementary
Standard public school
988 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
Deep Creek Central Elementary
Standard public school
888 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Southeastern Elementary
Standard public school
828 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
B.M. Williams Primary
Standard public school
825 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
Georgetown Primary
Standard public school
804 students 14.6:1 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 (~801 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Western Branch Primary's federal record.
- Compare Western Branch Primary against another school. Compare schools
- Chesapeake 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 Western Branch Primary
How many students attend Western Branch Primary?
Western Branch Primary has 801 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chesapeake, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Western Branch Primary?
The student-teacher ratio at Western Branch Primary is 16.7:1, which is 20% 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 Western Branch Primary?
36.9% of students at Western Branch Primary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Western Branch Primary?
The largest demographic group at Western Branch Primary is African American at 38.1% of enrollment, in Chesapeake, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Western Branch Primary?
Western Branch Primary has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower 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 Western Branch Primary rank among schools in Chesapeake?
By Resource Investment Index, Western Branch Primary ranks #20 of 20 schools in Chesapeake, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Chesapeake on the city page.
Is Western Branch Primary a good school?
Western Branch Primary earns 30/100 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 Chesapeake City Public Schools?
Besides Western Branch Primary, Chesapeake City Public Schools also operates Grassfield High (2,345 students), Oscar F. Smith High (2,264 students), and Western Branch High (2,138 students). See the Chesapeake 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.