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Needs Improvement

#1731 of 1,851 schools in VA

St. Helena Elementary

Elementary School · Norfolk City Public Schools · Norfolk, VA

A Norfolk City Public Schools elementary school where students score 15 points below what's typical for similar communities.

903 S Main St, Norfolk, VA 23523

  • Math 42% vs VA 74% (2025)
  • Reading 55% vs VA 72% (2025)
  • 11.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress1.8Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.52 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics2.5Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency42% (2025 SOL)
Reading/ELA Proficiency54% (2025 SOL)
Math vs. State Avg-31.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-21.7 pts
Overall Proficiency48% (2025 SOL, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)63% (model expectation from 2025 SOL)
vs. Expected-15.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile8th
Resources & Environment8.1Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.5:1
District spending per student$16,341
Chronic Absenteeism24.3%

Students at St. Helena Elementary score 48% 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 Proficiency42%(2025 SOL)
School
State
74%(2025 SOL)
ELA Proficiency55%(2025 SOL)
School
State
72%(2025 SOL)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 6 points since 2019, reaching 48% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
82%
ELA
77%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2011
Math
42%
ELA
82%
2012
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2013
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2014
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2015
Math
47%
ELA
52%
2016
Math
62%
ELA
57%
2017
ELA
42%
2018
Math
42%
ELA
42%
2019
Math
42%
ELA
42%
2020*
Math
8%
ELA
27%
2021*
Math
8%
ELA
27%
2025
Math
42%
ELA
55%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 46% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 52% (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

99.6%

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 St. Helena 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 59Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 40Some Transit
  • Bike 47Somewhat Bikeable
  • 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

$37,189

Median home value

$222,000

Median rent

$986/mo

College educated

12.7%

Homeownership

34.1%

Poverty rate

37.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 23523; 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
Court Street AcademyPrivate · tuitionNot ratedPK–11.0 mi13Compare →
Berkley/campostella Early Childhood Education CenterEnrollment path unverified4.6PK1.1 mi172Compare →
Harbor Point AcademyPrivate · tuition6.6private4–121.4 mi102Compare →
Harbor Point Behavior Health CenterPrivate · tuition6.6private4–121.4 mi97Compare →

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
#39 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

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

About St. Helena Elementary

St. Helena Elementary is a public elementary school in Norfolk, VA, part of Norfolk City Public Schools, serving approximately 230 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 11.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.3 out of 10 and ranks #1,731 of 1,851 schools in VA.

State assessment records show 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 52% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about St. Helena Elementary

What grades does St. Helena Elementary serve?

St. Helena Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend St. Helena Elementary?

St. Helena Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 230 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at St. Helena Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at St. Helena Elementary is 11.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does St. Helena Elementary rank in VA?

St. Helena Elementary ranks #1,731 of 1,851 schools in VA.

What is St. Helena Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

St. Helena Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.3 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 St. Helena Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, St. Helena Elementary has 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 52% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is St. Helena Elementary a charter school?

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

Is St. Helena Elementary a Title I school?

No, St. Helena Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for St. Helena Elementary?

99.6% of students at St. Helena 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
230
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
20
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Norfolk city
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
24.3%
Area population (ZIP 23523)
7,698
Area median age
32.2
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 23523; 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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