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Below Average

#1518 of 1,851 schools in VA

James Monroe Elementary

Elementary School · Norfolk City Public Schools · Norfolk, VA

A Norfolk City Public Schools elementary school where students score 6 points below what's typical for similar communities.

520 W 29th St, Norfolk, VA 23508

  • Math 56% vs VA 74% (2025)
  • Reading 58% vs VA 72% (2025)
  • 9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.6Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.1 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics4.0Below Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency56% (2025 SOL)
Reading/ELA Proficiency58% (2025 SOL)
Math vs. State Avg-17.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-17.7 pts
Overall Proficiency57% (2025 SOL, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)63% (model expectation from 2025 SOL)
vs. Expected-6.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile20th
Resources & Environment9.5Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio9:1
District spending per student$16,341
Chronic Absenteeism11.5%

Students at James Monroe Elementary score 57% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 63%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 SOL proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. VA average.

Math Proficiency56%(2025 SOL)
School
State
74%(2025 SOL)
ELA Proficiency58%(2025 SOL)
School
State
72%(2025 SOL)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 17 points since 2019, reaching 57% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
72%
ELA
72%
2010
Math
77%
ELA
82%
2011
Math
47%
ELA
82%
2012
Math
47%
ELA
47%
2013
Math
37%
ELA
32%
2014
Math
52%
ELA
42%
2015
Math
32%
ELA
37%
2016
Math
27%
ELA
37%
2017
ELA
27%
2018
Math
42%
ELA
37%
2019
Math
42%
ELA
37%
2020*
Math
8%
ELA
22%
2021*
Math
8%
ELA
22%
2025
Math
56%
ELA
58%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 45% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 48% (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

100%

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 James Monroe Elementary 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 81Very Walkable
  • Transit 47Some Transit
  • Bike 57Bikeable
  • 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

$74,524

Median home value

$384,800

Median rent

$1,381/mo

College educated

55.6%

Homeownership

50.9%

Poverty rate

17.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 23508; 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
Dominion AcademyPrivate · tuition8.2private1–120.3 mi37Compare →
Ghent K-8Enrollment path unverified6.8K–80.8 mi501Compare →
Mcdonald Montessori SchoolPrivate · tuition4.9privateK–30.8 mi34Compare →
Walter Herron Taylor ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.2PK–50.9 mi343Compare →

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
#36 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

James Monroe Elementary is listed in Norfolk City Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About James Monroe Elementary

James Monroe Elementary is a public elementary school in Norfolk, VA, part of Norfolk City Public Schools, serving approximately 262 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.4 out of 10 and ranks #1,518 of 1,851 schools in VA. State assessment records show 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about James Monroe Elementary

What grades does James Monroe Elementary serve?

James Monroe Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend James Monroe Elementary?

James Monroe Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 262 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at James Monroe Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at James Monroe Elementary is 9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does James Monroe Elementary rank in VA?

James Monroe Elementary ranks #1,518 of 1,851 schools in VA.

What is James Monroe Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

James Monroe Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.4 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 James Monroe Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, James Monroe Elementary has 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is James Monroe Elementary a charter school?

No, James Monroe Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is James Monroe Elementary a Title I school?

No, James Monroe Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for James Monroe Elementary?

100.0% of students at James Monroe Elementary 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
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
262
Student-Teacher Ratio
9:1
Teachers (FTE)
29
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Norfolk city
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
11.5%
Area population (ZIP 23508)
20,119
Area average commute
23 min
Area median age
23.9
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 23508; 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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