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Average

#778 of 1,851 schools in VA

Top 42% in state

Willard Elementary

Elementary School · Norfolk City Public Schools · Norfolk, VA

A Norfolk City Public Schools elementary school where students score 8 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1511 Willow Wood Dr, Norfolk, VA 23509

  • Math 71% vs VA 74% (2025)
  • Reading 69% vs VA 72% (2025)
  • 10.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.1Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-0.89 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics6.7Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency71% (2025 SOL)
Reading/ELA Proficiency69% (2025 SOL)
Math vs. State Avg-2.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-6.7 pts
Overall Proficiency70% (2025 SOL, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)62% (model expectation from 2025 SOL)
vs. Expected+7.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile53th
Resources & Environment8.6Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio10.2:1
District spending per student$16,341
Chronic Absenteeism20.5%

Students at Willard Elementary score 70% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 62%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 SOL proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. VA average.

Math Proficiency71%(2025 SOL)
School
State
74%(2025 SOL)
ELA Proficiency69%(2025 SOL)
School
State
72%(2025 SOL)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 7 points since 2019, to 70% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
88%
ELA
87%
2010
Math
81%
ELA
85%
2011
Math
51%
ELA
83%
2012
Math
55%
ELA
58%
2013
Math
65%
ELA
61%
2014
Math
78%
ELA
73%
2015
Math
77%
ELA
78%
2016
Math
80%
ELA
82%
2017
ELA
70%
2018
Math
82%
ELA
72%
2019
Math
82%
ELA
72%
2020*
Math
27%
ELA
52%
2021*
Math
27%
ELA
52%
2025
Math
71%
ELA
69%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 67% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 71% (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

103.1%

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 Willard 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 53Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 35Some Transit
  • Bike 42Somewhat 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

$70,715

Median home value

$238,500

Median rent

$1,259/mo

College educated

28.7%

Homeownership

61.9%

Poverty rate

16.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 23509; 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
Norfolk Collegiate SchoolPrivate · tuition7.1PK–120.3 mi516Compare →
Christ the King Catholic SchoolPrivate · tuition7.0PK–80.5 mi188Compare →
Mcdonald Montessori SchoolPrivate · tuition4.9K–30.8 mi34Compare →
Norfolk Christian SchoolsPrivate · tuition6.2PK–121.2 mi609Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Norfolk City Public Schools

Schools in district
49
Rank in district
#7 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

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

About Willard Elementary

Willard Elementary is a public elementary school in Norfolk, VA, part of Norfolk City Public Schools, serving approximately 449 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 10.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.8 out of 10 and ranks #778 of 1,851 schools in VA. State assessment records show 67% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 71% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Willard Elementary

What grades does Willard Elementary serve?

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

How many students attend Willard Elementary?

Willard Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 449 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Willard Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Willard Elementary is 10.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Willard Elementary rank in VA?

Willard Elementary ranks #778 of 1,851 schools in VA.

What is Willard Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Willard Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.8 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 Willard Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Willard Elementary has 67% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 71% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Willard Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Willard Elementary a Title I school?

No, Willard Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

103.1% of students at Willard 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
449
Student-Teacher Ratio
10.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
44
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Norfolk city
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
20.5%
Area population (ZIP 23509)
12,912
Area average commute
23.7 min
Area median age
39.4
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 23509; 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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