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Public middle school · Norfolk City Public Schools · Norfolk, Virginia

Academy for Discovery at Lakewood

Academy for Discovery at Lakewood rates 9.2, among the strongest middle schools in Norfolk City Public Schools, where the rated median is 4.7.

Middle schools, 1 to 10This campus against public middle schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
9.2this school

9.2 on a one-to-ten scale; the Norfolk City Public Schools median is 4.7.

#40 of 1,854 schools in Virginia · Norfolk City Public Schools: 6 middle schools rated, median 4.7

The brief

A Norfolk City Public Schools middle school where students score 89 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 40 of 1,854 schools in Virginia and 1 of 44 in Norfolk City Public Schools.

Academy for Discovery at Lakewood is listed in Norfolk City Public Schools, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math87%18 points above the Virginia average of 69%2025 SOL
Reading91%18 points above the Virginia average of 73%2025 SOL
Proficiency has held near 89% across the 11-year record (2015–2025).2025 SOL; 27 test records from VA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
9.6
40% of the rating
Academics
9.1
35% of the rating
Resources & Environment
8.7
25% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2025

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 78% (multi-year average, 2015-2025) · reading/ELA 88% (multi-year average, 2015-2025).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 SOL · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 SOL. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 SOL · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 SOL. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 23509; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2015-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Academy for Discovery at Lakewood and the 20 nearest middle schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$70,715
Median home value
$238,500
Median rent
$1,259/mo
College educated
28.7%
Homeownership
61.9%
Poverty rate
16.9%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 23509; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
64
Somewhat Walkable
Transit Score
41
Some Transit
Bike Score
50
Bikeable
City reported crime
3,557/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Norfolk. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Norfolk), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Academy for Discovery at Lakewoodthis school
    9.2
  2. 4.8Compare →
  3. 4.7Compare →
  4. 4.7Compare →
  5. 4.4Compare →
  6. 3.1Compare →
Five grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Academy for Discovery at Lakewood.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Academy for Discovery at Lakewood serve?

Academy for Discovery at Lakewood serves students in grades 3rd through 8th.

How many students attend Academy for Discovery at Lakewood?

Academy for Discovery at Lakewood has an enrollment of approximately 730 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Academy for Discovery at Lakewood?

The student-teacher ratio at Academy for Discovery at Lakewood is 14.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Academy for Discovery at Lakewood rank in VA?

Academy for Discovery at Lakewood ranks #40 of 1,854 schools in VA.

What is Academy for Discovery at Lakewood's MySchoolScout rating?

Academy for Discovery at Lakewood has a current MySchoolScout rating of 9.2 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Academy for Discovery at Lakewood?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Academy for Discovery at Lakewood has 78% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2015-2025) and 88% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2015-2025).

Is Academy for Discovery at Lakewood a charter school?

No, Academy for Discovery at Lakewood is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Academy for Discovery at Lakewood a Title I school?

No, Academy for Discovery at Lakewood is not currently a Title I school.

School facts

Grades
3rd – 8th
Enrollment
730
Student-teacher ratio
14.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
50
Free or reduced lunch
Not reported
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Midsize City
County
Norfolk city
Rank in district
#1 of 44
Schools in district
49
District spending per student
$16,341
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
22.0%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 23509)
12,912
Area average commute
23.7 min
Area median age
39.4

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

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.