Public schools in Portsmouth, VA
23 open public schools with an address in Portsmouth, operated by 1 education agency. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
23
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
12,905
22 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
14.4:1
Virginia median 13.7:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Portsmouth public schools
The federal directory lists 23 public schools in Portsmouth, VA: 13 elementary, 3 middle, 3 high, 4 combined or other. The 22 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 12,905 students, an average of 587 per school. The largest campus is Churchland High (1,453 students), and the largest elementary school is Churchland Elementary (721).
Every listed school belongs to Portsmouth City Public Schools. 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 14.4:1, 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.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 3 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 99% 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 Portsmouth
Elementary schools in Portsmouth
13| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton Elementary Portsmouth City Public Schools | KG–06 | 483 | 15.6:1 | |
| Churchland Academy Elementary Portsmouth City Public Schools | KG–06 | 626 | 15.7:1 | |
| Churchland Elementary Portsmouth City Public Schools | KG–06 | 721 | 16.4:1 | |
| Churchland Primary & Intermediate Portsmouth City Public Schools | KG–06 | 503 | 14:1 | |
| Cradock Elementary Portsmouth City Public Schools | KG–06 | 616 | 19.3:1 | |
| Douglass Park Elementary Portsmouth City Public Schools | KG–06 | 510 | 15.5:1 | |
| Hodges Manor Elementary Portsmouth City Public Schools | KG–06 | 466 | 15:1 | |
| Lakeview Elementary Portsmouth City Public Schools | KG–06 | 439 | 13.7:1 | |
| Park View Elementary Portsmouth City Public Schools | KG–06 | 400 | 11.8:1 | |
| Simonsdale Elementary Portsmouth City Public Schools | KG–06 | 613 | 15.3:1 | |
| Victory Elementary Portsmouth City Public Schools | KG–06 | 586 | 15.8:1 | |
| Waterview Elementary Portsmouth City Public Schools | KG–06 | 576 | 15.2:1 | |
| Westhaven Elementary Portsmouth City Public Schools | KG–06 | 401 | 11.5:1 |
Middle schools in Portsmouth
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Churchland Middle Portsmouth City Public Schools | 07–08 | 798 | 14.8:1 | |
| Cradock Middle Portsmouth City Public Schools | 07–08 | 516 | 13.6:1 | |
| William E. Waters Middle Portsmouth City Public Schools | 07–08 | 549 | 11.9:1 |
High schools in Portsmouth
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Churchland High Portsmouth City Public Schools | 09–12 | 1,453 | 14.8:1 | |
| I.C. Norcom High Portsmouth City Public Schools | 09–12 | 1,009 | 13.5:1 | |
| Manor High Portsmouth City Public Schools | 09–12 | 1,149 | 11.5:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Portsmouth
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Churchland Preschool Center Portsmouth City Public Schools | PK–PK | 112 | 10.2:1 | |
| Mount Hermon Preschool Center Portsmouth City Public Schools | PK–PK | 208 | 10.4:1 | |
| New Directions Center Portsmouth City Public Schools · Alternative School | Not reported | — | — | |
| Olive Branch Preschool Center Portsmouth City Public Schools | PK–PK | 171 | 8.6:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White14.8%
- Hispanic7.7%
- Black69.4%
- Asian0.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.4%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.3%
- Multiracial6.9%
Enrollment-weighted across 22 Portsmouth schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (12,905 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Portsmouth
How many public schools are in Portsmouth, VA?
The current NCES directory lists 23 open public schools with a location address in Portsmouth: 13 elementary, 3 middle, 3 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 12,905 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Portsmouth?
All listed public schools with an address in Portsmouth belong to Portsmouth City Public Schools. Mailing cities do not always match district boundaries, so confirm the district for a specific home address.
What is the largest public high school in Portsmouth?
Churchland High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Portsmouth, with 1,453 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Portsmouth?
No school with an address in Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Portsmouth public schools is 14.4:1, 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 Portsmouth 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