Enrollment
549
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Portsmouth, VA
William E. Waters Middle
Federal NCES profile for William E. Waters Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 510300001265
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
William E. Waters Middle earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Virginia median.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Portsmouth · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- students per teacher
- 98.9%
- free-lunch eligible
William E. Waters Middle has class sizes near the Virginia median. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, William E. Waters Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Portsmouth, VA.
School address
District: Portsmouth City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510300001265 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
98.9%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How William E. Waters Middle compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at William E. Waters Middle
William E. Waters Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Portsmouth, Virginia, enrolling 549 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 98.9% of students qualify for free meals, 72% above the Virginia average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 549 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.
Against 265 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #123.
Its student body is led by African American (65%) and White (21%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 275 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 256 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 549 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Portsmouth's middle schools, it stands alongside Churchland Middle (798 students): William E. Waters Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.8:1 vs 13.3:1).
Portsmouth City Public Schools also operates Churchland High (1,453 students) and Manor High (1,149 students) alongside William E. Waters Middle.
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 William E. Waters Middle compares
William E. Waters Middle on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.8:1 | ▼ 8% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 98.9% | ▲ 72% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 549 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
549
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
98.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% 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
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 33% in Virginia - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
31.0%
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 275 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
75
in-school suspensions + 181 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 46.6 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 65.2%
White 20.6%
Hispanic or Latino 7.1%
Two or More 6.2%
Asian 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 65.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.4, William E. Waters Middle is about as mixed as 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 William E. Waters Middle.
$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 William E. Waters Middle 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 | Similar 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 William E. Waters Middle'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 middle schools in Portsmouth
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~549 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on William E. Waters Middle's federal record.
- Compare William E. Waters Middle 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 William E. Waters Middle
How many students attend William E. Waters Middle?
William E. Waters Middle has 549 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Portsmouth, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at William E. Waters Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at William E. Waters Middle is 12.8:1, which is 8% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 18% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at William E. Waters Middle?
98.9% of students at William E. Waters Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of William E. Waters Middle?
The largest demographic group at William E. Waters Middle is African American at 65.2% of enrollment, in Portsmouth, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for William E. Waters Middle?
William E. Waters Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 William E. Waters Middle rank among middle schools in Portsmouth?
By Resource Investment Index, William E. Waters Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle 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 middle schools in Portsmouth on the city page.
Is William E. Waters Middle a good school?
William E. Waters Middle earns 47/100 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 William E. Waters Middle, 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.