The brief
The top-rated middle schools in Virginia Beach for 2026 are Old Donation School (8.9/10), Plaza Middle (7.7/10), and Princess Anne Middle (7.7/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 15 middle schools with real test data included in this ranking. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Virginia Beach ranks 15 middle schools across a metro where military families, longtime residents, and newcomers all compete for the same seats. Bayside Middle leads the pack with an 8.5 out of 10, a meaningful gap above the field average of 6.2. Only three schools — 20% of those ranked — clear the 7-point threshold, making that upper tier genuinely competitive. The spread matters here. A 2.3-point difference between the top scorer and the average tells parents that school selection has real consequences, not just marginal ones. Old Donation School and Lynnhaven Middle hold the second and third spots, while Kempsville and Princess Anne round out a tight middle cluster. Use the table below to sort by score, filter by neighborhood, or compare specific schools side by side — the data will do more heavy lifting than any summary can.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
- 18.9
- 27.7
- 37.7
- 47.6
- 57.4
- 67.2
- 76.8
- 86.6
- 96.2
- 106.1
All 15 ranked
Every ranked school on the axis, then the ledger.All 15
Rating · students · student-teacher ratio · grades- 1Old Donation SchoolVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 1,345student-teacher ratio 16.0:1grades 2nd–8th
- 2Plaza MiddleVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 1,055student-teacher ratio 15.5:1grades 6th–8th
- 3Princess Anne MiddleVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 1,332student-teacher ratio 17.5:1grades 6th–8th
- 4Lynnhaven MiddleVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 722student-teacher ratio 10.3:1grades 6th–8th
- 5Bayside MiddleVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 702student-teacher ratio 12.3:1grades 6th–8th
- 6Salem MiddleVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 1,099student-teacher ratio 17.7:1grades 6th–8th
- 7Great Neck MiddleVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 1,059student-teacher ratio 17.1:1grades 6th–8th
- 8Virginia Beach MiddleVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 635student-teacher ratio 17.2:1grades 6th–8th
- 9Landstown MiddleVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 1,265student-teacher ratio 17.1:1grades 6th–8th
- 10Corporate Landing MiddleVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 1,039student-teacher ratio 16.8:1grades 6th–8th
- 11Independence MiddleVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 1,208student-teacher ratio 16.5:1grades 6th–8th
- 12Kempsville MiddleVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 701student-teacher ratio 15.2:1grades 6th–8th
- 13Brandon MiddleVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 1,022student-teacher ratio 16.5:1grades 6th–8th
- 14Larkspur MiddleVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 1,483student-teacher ratio 15.3:1grades 6th–8th
- 15Bayside 6th Grade CampusVirginia Beach City Public Schoolsstudents 316student-teacher ratio 9.9:1grades 6th–6th
Scores are based on 2024-25 data from the NCES Common Core of Data and Virginia education department. Rankings are relative to all public middle schools in Virginia. Learn about our methodology.
The map
The top 15 pinned; open a pin for the campus.Campus by campus
What each of the top ten reports.- 1
Old Donation School
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
1,345 students · 16.0:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 2nd–8th
Top 5% in Virginia
- Academics
- 9.7
- Growth
- 9.4
- Environment
- 6.8
- 2
Plaza Middle
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
1,055 students · 15.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 24% in Virginia
- Academics
- 7.6
- Growth
- 9.2
- Environment
- 5.3
- 3
Princess Anne Middle
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
1,332 students · 17.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 24% in Virginia
- Academics
- 9.0
- Growth
- 9.1
- Environment
- 3.7
- 4
Lynnhaven Middle
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
722 students · 10.3:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 26% in Virginia
- Academics
- 7.4
- Growth
- 8.5
- Environment
- 6.4
- 5
Bayside Middle
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
702 students · 12.3:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 31% in Virginia
- Academics
- 5.7
- Growth
- 9.7
- Environment
- 6.1
- 6
Salem Middle
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
1,099 students · 17.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 36% in Virginia
- Academics
- 7.7
- Growth
- 9.2
- Environment
- 3.2
- 7
Great Neck Middle
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
1,059 students · 17.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 43% in Virginia
- Academics
- 8.4
- Growth
- 7.2
- Environment
- 4.0
- 8
Virginia Beach Middle
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
635 students · 17.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 46% in Virginia
- Academics
- 7.1
- Growth
- 8.5
- Environment
- 2.7
- 9
Landstown Middle
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
1,265 students · 17.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 54% in Virginia
- Academics
- 6.9
- Growth
- 7.2
- Environment
- 3.5
- 10
Corporate Landing Middle
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
1,039 students · 16.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 56% in Virginia
- Academics
- 6.1
- Growth
- 8.0
- Environment
- 2.9
Questions
What is the best middle school in Virginia Beach, Virginia?
According to MySchoolScout's 2026 rankings, Old Donation School is the top-rated middle school in Virginia Beach with a composite score of 8.9/10. The score blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools — with equity shown as context, not scored.
How many middle schools are in Virginia Beach, Virginia?
Virginia Beach has 15 middle schools. Of these, 15 have enough data for a full composite rating on MySchoolScout.
What is the average middle school rating in Virginia Beach?
Among 15 Virginia Beach middle schools with a composite score, the average is 6.6/10. Scores range from 1.0 (bottom of the state) to 10.0 (top 1% in Virginia).
How does MySchoolScout rate middle schools?
Schools with enough data receive a 1-10 composite score that blends Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, with growth counting most in elementary and middle grades. Equity data is shown for context but not scored. All scores are computed within Virginia, so schools are compared to peers in the same state. Data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments.
What is a good school rating on MySchoolScout?
A score of 7 or above means a school is in roughly the top 30% of its state. A 5 is average. Anything above 8 is exceptional. Our ratings are relative to other schools in Virginia, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
How should I use this ranking?
Consider your child's learning style. Some children thrive in smaller settings (look for student-teacher ratios under 14:1), while others do well in larger, more social environments. The schools on this list range widely in size and approach.
Look beyond the composite score. A school ranked #15 might be the best fit if it excels in growth (improving student outcomes year over year) even if its raw academic score is lower. Click into individual school profiles to see the breakdown.
Visit your top choices. Walk the hallways during a school day. Watch how teachers interact with students. Ask about before- and after-school care, transportation, and parent involvement. These details matter more than any dataset.
Explore more
- Best elementary schools in Virginia Beach2026 rankings and ratings
- Best high schools in Virginia Beach2026 rankings and ratings
- All 120 schools in Virginia BeachElementary, middle and high
- Virginia schoolsStatewide rankings and city comparisons
- Our methodologyHow we calculate school ratings