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Below Average

#1414 of 1,851 schools in VA

Blair Middle

Middle School · Norfolk City Public Schools · Norfolk, VA

A Norfolk City Public Schools middle school where students score 10 points below what's typical for similar communities.

730 Spotswood Ave, Norfolk, VA 23517

  • Math 38% vs VA 66% (2025)
  • Reading 61% vs VA 74% (2025)
  • 13.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.6Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.6 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics3.4Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency49% (2025 SOL)
Reading/ELA Proficiency61% (2025 SOL)
Math vs. State Avg-26.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-14.7 pts
Overall Proficiency55% (2025 SOL, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)65% (model expectation from 2025 SOL)
vs. Expected-9.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile15th
Resources & Environment8.7Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.1:1
District spending per student$16,341
Chronic Absenteeism13.1%

Students at Blair Middle score 55% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 65%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 SOL proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. VA average.

Math Proficiency38%(2025 SOL)
School
State
66%(2025 SOL)
ELA Proficiency61%(2025 SOL)
School
State
74%(2025 SOL)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 15 points since 2019, to 49% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
74%
ELA
77%
2010
Math
71%
ELA
77%
2011
Math
57%
ELA
80%
2012
Math
64%
ELA
63%
2013
Math
57%
ELA
66%
2014
Math
69%
ELA
69%
2015
Math
68%
ELA
67%
2016
Math
48%
ELA
70%
2017
ELA
69%
2018
Math
63%
ELA
66%
2019
Math
63%
ELA
66%
2020*
Math
29%
ELA
57%
2021*
Math
29%
ELA
57%
2025
Math
38%
ELA
61%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 53% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 66% (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

94.8%

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 Blair 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 93Walker's Paradise
  • Transit 53Good Transit
  • Bike 68Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,246/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Norfolk), 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

$63,556

Median home value

$355,800

Median rent

$1,397/mo

College educated

55.3%

Homeownership

25%

Poverty rate

10.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 23517; 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
Park Place SchoolPrivate · tuition4.5private3–80.3 mi69Compare →
Dominion AcademyPrivate · tuition8.2private1–120.4 mi37Compare →
Ruffner SchoolEnrollment path unverified3.13–81.8 mi540Compare →
Harbor Point AcademyPrivate · tuition6.6private4–122.0 mi102Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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

Norfolk City Public Schools

Schools in district
49
Rank in district
#27 of 44
District spending per student
$16,341NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
22.0%Census SAIPE · 2024

Blair Middle is listed in Norfolk City Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Blair Middle

Blair Middle is a public middle school in Norfolk, VA, part of Norfolk City Public Schools, serving approximately 1,072 students in grades 6th-8th with a 13.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.8 out of 10 and ranks #1,414 of 1,851 schools in VA. State assessment records show 53% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 66% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Blair Middle

What grades does Blair Middle serve?

Blair Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Blair Middle?

Blair Middle has an enrollment of approximately 1,072 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Blair Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Blair Middle is 13.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Blair Middle rank in VA?

Blair Middle ranks #1,414 of 1,851 schools in VA.

What is Blair Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Blair Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.8 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 Blair Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Blair Middle has 53% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 66% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Blair Middle a charter school?

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

Is Blair Middle a Title I school?

No, Blair Middle is not currently a Title I school.

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

94.8% of students at Blair 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
1,072
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
82
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Norfolk city
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
13.1%
Area population (ZIP 23517)
4,550
Area average commute
19.1 min
Area median age
33.4
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 23517; 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

Related reading

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