Skip to main content

Very Good

#702 of 1,851 schools in VA

Top 38% in state

Western Branch Middle

Middle School · Chesapeake City Public Schools · Chesapeake, VA

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

4201 Hawksley Dr, Chesapeake, VA 23321

  • Math 68% vs VA 66% (2025)
  • Reading 79% vs VA 74% (2025)
  • 14.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.3Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-0.59 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics6.6Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency72% (2025 SOL)
Reading/ELA Proficiency79% (2025 SOL)
Math vs. State Avg-3.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+3.3 pts
Overall Proficiency76% (2025 SOL, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)75% (model expectation from 2025 SOL)
vs. Expected+0.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile51th
Resources & Environment7.0Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.6:1
District spending per student$15,274
Chronic Absenteeism12%

Students at Western Branch Middle score 76% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 75%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 SOL proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. VA average.

Math Proficiency68%(2025 SOL)
School
State
66%(2025 SOL)
ELA Proficiency79%(2025 SOL)
School
State
74%(2025 SOL)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 9 points since 2019, to 74% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
90%
2010
Math
77%
ELA
88%
2011
Math
62%
ELA
91%
2012
Math
75%
ELA
74%
2013
Math
78%
ELA
73%
2014
Math
82%
ELA
78%
2015
Math
82%
ELA
84%
2016
Math
73%
ELA
82%
2017
ELA
83%
2018
Math
83%
ELA
82%
2019
Math
83%
ELA
82%
2020*
Math
53%
ELA
78%
2021*
Math
53%
ELA
78%
2025
Math
68%
ELA
79%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 73% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 81% (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

57.7%

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 Western Branch 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 12Car-Dependent
  • Transit 0Minimal Transit
  • Bike 34Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,087/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$98,257

Median home value

$352,000

Median rent

$1,434/mo

College educated

39.1%

Homeownership

77.3%

Poverty rate

8.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 23321; 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
Sweethaven Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition4.9privatePK–121.9 mi124Compare →
Churchland MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.37–82.4 mi840Compare →
Colonel Fred Cherry MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.36–82.5 mi728Compare →
Stonebridge SchoolPrivate · tuition6.6privatePK–123.8 mi388Compare →

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.

Chesapeake City Public Schools

Schools in district
48
Rank in district
#26 of 45
District spending per student
$15,274NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Western Branch Middle is listed in Chesapeake City Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Western Branch Middle

Western Branch Middle is a public middle school in Chesapeake, VA, part of Chesapeake City Public Schools, serving approximately 903 students in grades 6th-8th with a 14.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 out of 10 and ranks #702 of 1,851 schools in VA. State assessment records show 73% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 81% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Western Branch Middle

What grades does Western Branch Middle serve?

Western Branch Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Western Branch Middle?

Western Branch Middle has an enrollment of approximately 903 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Western Branch Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Western Branch Middle 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 Western Branch Middle rank in VA?

Western Branch Middle ranks #702 of 1,851 schools in VA.

What is Western Branch Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Western Branch Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 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 Western Branch Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Western Branch Middle has 73% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 81% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Western Branch Middle a charter school?

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

Is Western Branch Middle a Title I school?

No, Western Branch Middle is not currently a Title I school.

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

57.7% of students at Western Branch 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
903
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
62
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Chesapeake city
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
12.0%
Area population (ZIP 23321)
39,469
Area average commute
25.5 min
Area median age
37.6
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 23321; 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

Get school insights in your inbox

New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.