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4.1avg / 10

Portsmouth City Public Schools School District

School District · Portsmouth, Virginia

Students: 13,161
Teachers (FTE): 923
Estimated Scores: 14%

Avg Rating

4.1

out of 10

Schools

22

13 elem, 3 mid, 3 high

Enrollment

13,161

Student-Teacher Ratio

14.3:1

How this district compares

Virginia rank

#125 of 131

districts by avg. composite

Vs. state average

-2.1

below Virginia avg

Per-pupil spending

$14,888

$181 vs Virginia median

District size

13,161 students

Much larger than Virginia median

The short answer

Portsmouth City Public Schools ranks #125 of 131 Virginia districts by overall school rating. Portsmouth City Public Schools's schools with real test data average 3.9/10 across 19 schools. Its top-rated schools are Churchland High (7.2/10), Churchland Elementary (5.7/10), and Manor High (5.3/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Best value · beats the odds
Churchland High

Rates 7.2/10 despite 100% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 3.3 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Portsmouth City Public Schools schools.

Top-Rated Schools in Portsmouth City Public Schools

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (19 of 22). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#SchoolRating
1Churchland High7.2 / 10
2Churchland Elementary5.7 / 10
3Manor High5.3 / 10
4Churchland Middle5.3 / 10
5I.c. Norcom High5.2 / 10
6William E. Waters Middle4.8 / 10
7Churchland Primary & Intermediate4.3 / 10
8Simonsdale Elementary4.0 / 10
9Churchland Academy Elementary3.9 / 10
10Park View Elementary3.8 / 10

See all 22 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

About Portsmouth City Public Schools

Portsmouth City Public Schools is a Portsmouth, Virginia school district serving 22 schools.The district educates 13,161 students with a student-teacher ratio of 14.3:1. District-level spending was $14,888 per student in fiscal year 2023 (NCES F-33).

With an average rating of 4.1/10, Portsmouth City Public Schools demonstrates solid academic performance.

The highest-rated school in the district is Churchland High, which has a composite score of 7.2/10.

In standardized testing, Portsmouth City Public Schools students show an average math proficiency of 61.9% and ELA proficiency of 67.0%.

The district includes 13 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 3 high schools.

District Map

Schools in Portsmouth City Public Schools, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.

District Average Test Scores

Math Proficiency61.9%
School
State
Not reported
ELA Proficiency67.0%
School
State
Not reported

Average proficiency across all schools in Portsmouth City Public Schools with test data.

District Details

State
Virginia
City
Portsmouth
Total Enrollment
13,161
Teachers (FTE)
923
District spending per student
$14,888NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
Child poverty rate
22.5%Census SAIPE · 2024
District directory year
2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Portsmouth City Public Schools?

Portsmouth City Public Schools has 22 schools in total — 13 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.

What is the average rating for Portsmouth City Public Schools?

The average composite rating for Portsmouth City Public Schools is 4.1/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.

What is the district spending per student in Portsmouth City Public Schools?

Portsmouth City Public Schools's district-level spending was $14,888 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Portsmouth City Public Schools?

The average student-teacher ratio in Portsmouth City Public Schools is 14.3:1.

What is the top-rated school in Portsmouth City Public Schools?

Churchland High is the highest-rated school in Portsmouth City Public Schools with a composite score of 7.2/10.

What are the test scores in Portsmouth City Public Schools?

Across schools in Portsmouth City Public Schools with test data, the average math proficiency is 61.9% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 67.0%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.

How does Portsmouth City Public Schools compare to other districts in Virginia?

Portsmouth City Public Schools has an average school rating of 4.1/10 across 22 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Virginia by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools?

MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.

District Averages

Overall Rating
4.1/10
Math Proficiency
61.9%
ELA Proficiency
67.0%

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Other School Districts in VA

Compare Portsmouth City Public Schools with neighboring districts in the state.

See all districts in VA →

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Virginia Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.

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