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Average

#1083 of 1,851 schools in VA

Benjamin Syms Middle

Middle School · Hampton City Public Schools · Hampton, VA

A Hampton City Public Schools middle school serving grades 6th – 8th.

170 Fox Hill Rd, Hampton, VA 23669

  • Math 63% vs VA 66% (2025)
  • Reading 68% vs VA 74% (2025)
  • 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.1Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-0.66 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics5.5Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency71% (2025 SOL)
Reading/ELA Proficiency68% (2025 SOL)
Math vs. State Avg-4.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-7.7 pts
Overall Proficiency70% (2025 SOL, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)71% (model expectation from 2025 SOL)
vs. Expected-1.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile37th
Resources & Environment4.6Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.7:1
District spending per student$15,034
Chronic Absenteeism24.3%

Students at Benjamin Syms Middle score 70% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 71%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 SOL proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. VA average.

Math Proficiency63%(2025 SOL)
School
State
66%(2025 SOL)
ELA Proficiency68%(2025 SOL)
School
State
74%(2025 SOL)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 7 points since 2019, to 65% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
80%
ELA
87%
2010
Math
73%
ELA
83%
2011
Math
56%
ELA
85%
2012
Math
65%
ELA
63%
2013
Math
67%
ELA
62%
2014
Math
68%
ELA
68%
2015
Math
71%
ELA
66%
2016
Math
56%
ELA
71%
2017
ELA
71%
2018
Math
77%
ELA
68%
2019
Math
77%
ELA
68%
2020*
Math
62%
ELA
64%
2021*
Math
62%
ELA
64%
2025
Math
63%
ELA
68%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 67% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 70% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 33 test records from VA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

69.4%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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

The neighborhood

Where Benjamin Syms Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 25Car-Dependent
  • Transit 28Some Transit
  • Bike 45Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,140/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Hampton), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$66,999

Median home value

$246,400

Median rent

$1,202/mo

College educated

31.4%

Homeownership

58.7%

Poverty rate

16.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 23669; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Francis W. Jones Magnet MiddleEnrollment path unverified9.16–81.4 mi597Compare →
Victory Baptist SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot rated1–121.5 mi11Compare →
Thomas Eaton MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.46–83.0 mi600Compare →
Rivermont School - HamptonPrivate · tuition6.5private2–124.1 mi82Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Hampton City Public Schools

Schools in district
33
Rank in district
#28 of 30
District spending per student
$15,034NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
20.9%Census SAIPE · 2024

Benjamin Syms Middle is listed in Hampton City Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Benjamin Syms Middle

Benjamin Syms Middle is a public middle school in Hampton, VA, part of Hampton City Public Schools, serving approximately 865 students in grades 6th-8th with a 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.9 out of 10 and ranks #1,083 of 1,851 schools in VA. State assessment records show 67% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 70% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Benjamin Syms Middle

What grades does Benjamin Syms Middle serve?

Benjamin Syms Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Benjamin Syms Middle?

Benjamin Syms Middle has an enrollment of approximately 865 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Benjamin Syms Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Benjamin Syms Middle is 14.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Benjamin Syms Middle rank in VA?

Benjamin Syms Middle ranks #1,083 of 1,851 schools in VA.

What is Benjamin Syms Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Benjamin Syms Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.9 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 Benjamin Syms Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Benjamin Syms Middle has 67% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 70% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Benjamin Syms Middle a charter school?

No, Benjamin Syms Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Benjamin Syms Middle a Title I school?

No, Benjamin Syms Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Benjamin Syms Middle?

69.4% of students at Benjamin Syms Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
865
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
59
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Hampton city
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
24.3%
Area population (ZIP 23669)
39,730
Area average commute
22.5 min
Area median age
36.2
About this school's data

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

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 23669; 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, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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