Public schools in Newport News, VA
47 open public schools with an address in Newport News, operated by 5 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
47
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
25,452
39 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
17.5:1
Virginia median 13.7:1
Charter schools
0
10 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Newport News public schools
The federal directory lists 47 public schools in Newport News, VA: 23 elementary, 7 middle, 6 high, 11 combined or other. The 39 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 25,452 students, an average of 653 per school. The largest campus is Woodside High (1,723 students), and the largest elementary school is Joseph H. Saunders Elementary (660).
Newport News City Public Schools operates the most schools here (42), plus 4 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 17.5:1, higher than the statewide school median of 13.7:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 10 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 10 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 7 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 5 of 11 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 97% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Newport News
Newport News City Public Schools
Public school district
42 schools in Newport News · 43 total
New Horizons Regional Education Center - Special Education
Specialized public school district
2 schools in Newport News
Department of Education State-Operated Educ Prgms
State operated agency
1 school in Newport News · 23 total
Enterprise Academy/Newport News City
Specialized public school district
1 school in Newport News
New Horizons Career and Technical Center
Specialized public school district
1 school in Newport News · 3 total
Elementary schools in Newport News
23| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achievable Dream Academy Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 641 | 19.4:1 | |
| B.C. Charles Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 388 | 20.4:1 | |
| Carver Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 634 | 17.1:1 | |
| David A. Dutrow Elementary Newport News City Public Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 341 | 17.1:1 | |
| Deer Park Elementary Newport News City Public Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 433 | 18:1 | |
| Discovery STEM Academy Newport News City Public Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 561 | 17.5:1 | |
| George J. McIntosh Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 446 | 17.8:1 | |
| Hidenwood Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 476 | 14.9:1 | |
| Hilton Elementary Newport News City Public Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 368 | 17.5:1 | |
| Joseph H. Saunders Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 660 | 18.9:1 | |
| Katherine Johnson Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 553 | 18.4:1 | |
| Kiln Creek Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 553 | 21.3:1 | |
| Knollwood Meadows Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 460 | 20:1 | |
| L.F. Palmer Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 465 | 17.9:1 | |
| Newsome Park Elementary Newport News City Public Schools · Magnet | PK–05 | 386 | 15.4:1 | |
| Oliver C. Greenwood Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 549 | 17.7:1 | |
| Richard T. Yates Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 448 | 22.4:1 | |
| Richneck Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 502 | 19.3:1 | |
| Riverside Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 506 | 20.2:1 | |
| Sedgefield Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 425 | 15.7:1 | |
| Stoney Run Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 453 | 17.4:1 | |
| T. Ryland Sanford Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 498 | 18.4:1 | |
| Willis A. Jenkins Elementary Newport News City Public Schools | PK–05 | 507 | 18.8:1 |
Middle schools in Newport News
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.T. Washington Middle Newport News City Public Schools · Magnet | 06–08 | 413 | — | |
| Crittenden Middle Newport News City Public Schools · Magnet | 06–08 | 781 | — | |
| Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle Newport News City Public Schools | 06–08 | 988 | — | |
| Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle Newport News City Public Schools | 06–08 | 1,087 | — | |
| Homer L. Hines Middle Newport News City Public Schools | 06–08 | 846 | — | |
| Huntington Middle Newport News City Public Schools | 06–07 | 292 | 7.7:1 | |
| Mary Passage Middle Newport News City Public Schools | 06–08 | 931 | — |
High schools in Newport News
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achievable Dream Middle/High Newport News City Public Schools | 06–12 | 498 | 10:1 | |
| Denbigh High Newport News City Public Schools · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,269 | 14.3:1 | |
| Heritage High Newport News City Public Schools · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,106 | 14:1 | |
| Menchville High Newport News City Public Schools | 09–12 | 1,707 | 13.6:1 | |
| Warwick High Newport News City Public Schools | 09–12 | 1,622 | 14.8:1 | |
| Woodside High Newport News City Public Schools · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,723 | 15:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Newport News
11| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center for Autism New Horizons Regional Education Center - Special Education · Special Education School | Not reported | — | — | |
| Denbigh Early Childhood Center Newport News City Public Schools | PK–PK | 397 | 15.3:1 | |
| Enterprise Academy/Newport News City Enterprise Academy/Newport News City · Alternative School | Not reported | — | — | |
| Heritage High School Governor's STEM Academy Newport News City Public Schools · Career and Technical School | Not reported | — | — | |
| John Marshall Early Childhood Center Newport News City Public Schools | PK–PK | 213 | 14.2:1 | |
| New Horizons Woodside Campus New Horizons Career and Technical Center · Career and Technical School | Not reported | — | — | |
| Newport Academy New Horizons Regional Education Center - Special Education · Special Education School | Not reported | — | — | |
| Newport News & York County Governor's Health Science Academy Newport News City Public Schools · Career and Technical School | Not reported | — | — | |
| Newport News Juvenile Detention Home Department of Education State-Operated Educ Prgms · Alternative School | Not reported | — | — | |
| Point Option Alternative School Newport News City Public Schools · Alternative School | Not reported | — | — | |
| Watkins Early Childhood Center Newport News City Public Schools | PK–PK | 326 | 14.2:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White18.1%
- Hispanic18%
- Black53.2%
- Asian1.8%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial8.3%
Enrollment-weighted across 39 Newport News schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (25,452 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Newport News
How many public schools are in Newport News, VA?
The current NCES directory lists 47 open public schools with a location address in Newport News: 23 elementary, 7 middle, 6 high, 11 combined or other. Together they reported 25,452 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Newport News?
Schools with an address in Newport News belong to 5 education agencies, led by Newport News City Public Schools (42 schools), New Horizons Regional Education Center - Special Education (2 schools), Department of Education State-Operated Educ Prgms (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Newport News?
Woodside High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Newport News, with 1,723 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Newport News?
No school with an address in Newport News is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Virginia.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Newport News schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Newport News public schools is 17.5:1, higher than the Virginia school median of 13.7:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Newport News guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Virginia cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Virginia cities