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Best Public Schools in Suffolk, VA

At a glance

Schools

14,565

Students

Top rankedJohn Yeates Middle61^st of 416 Virginia middle schools

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Biggest riser

Booker T. Washington Elementary up 196 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

John F. Kennedy Middle 9 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

4★

3★

2★

1★

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Summary:

Suffolk City Public Schools serves 19 public schools—11 elementary, 5 middle, and 3 high schools—enrolling 14,565 students in Suffolk, Virginia, and ranks 72nd of 131 Virginia districts (45th percentile) with about 69% of students qualifying for free/reduced-price lunch. The district's chronic absenteeism rate averages 16.2%, slightly above the state's 14.8%. Despite this uniform poverty level, school performance varies dramatically: John Yeates Middle reaches the 85th percentile, the district's highest ranking, while Elephant's Fork Elementary and King's Fork Middle sit at just the 21st percentile.

Among high schools, Nansemond River High is the clear standout with a 96.9% graduation rate, a 1.4% dropout rate, and 93.57% proficiency in 11th-grade Reading, compared with King's Fork High (93.8% graduation, 27th percentile) and Lakeland High (85.9% graduation, 7.7% dropout, and a district-high 28.6% chronic absenteeism). John Yeates Middle also excels with 90.63% proficiency in 7th-grade Reading, 88.13% in Civics, and 100% in Algebra I and Geometry. At the elementary level, Northern Shores Elementary has the district's lowest chronic absenteeism (7.6%) and strong 5th-grade scores, while Oakland Elementary posts exceptional 3rd-grade Math (93.33%) and 5th-grade Reading (86.57%). Southwestern Elementary is the most improved school, climbing from the 42nd to the 67th percentile over three years.

Chronic absenteeism is the clearest differentiator: top schools all have rates below 9.3%, while struggling schools exceed 21%. Higher spending doesn't guarantee results—Booker T. Washington Elementary spends $12,312 per pupil yet ranks in the 31st percentile, while Northern Shores Elementary spends just $7,174 and is one of the district's best. Middle schools show a sharp divide between advanced math (93–100% proficiency) and general math (as low as 30.52% at King's Fork Middle). History and social studies are a district-wide weakness, and 3rd-grade reading lags in most elementary schools except Oakland Elementary (81.36%) and Kilby Shores Elementary (80%). The gap between Nansemond River High (70th percentile) and King's Fork High (27th percentile)—nearly identical in size and poverty—shows that success is achievable across Suffolk.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				SOL Writing (2026)			SOL Geometry (2026)					SOL Algebra I (2026)							SOL Algebra II (2026)				SOL Mathematics (2026)						SOL Chemistry (2026)			SOL Biology (2026)				SOL Science (2026)		SOL Earth Science (2026)					SOL English Reading (2026)										SOL Geography (2026)	SOL VA and US History (2026)				SOL World History I (2026)				SOL World History II (2026)				SOL Civics and Economics (2026)	SOL VA Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SOL Writing 10th Grade	SOL Writing 11th Grade	SOL Writing 12th Grade	SOL Geometry 8th Grade	SOL Geometry 9th Grade	SOL Geometry 10th Grade	SOL Geometry 11th Grade	SOL Geometry 12th Grade	SOL Algebra I 6th Grade	SOL Algebra I 7th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 9th Grade	SOL Algebra I 10th Grade	SOL Algebra I 11th Grade	SOL Algebra I 12th Grade	SOL Algebra II 9th Grade	SOL Algebra II 10th Grade	SOL Algebra II 11th Grade	SOL Algebra II 12th Grade	SOL Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Chemistry 10th Grade	SOL Chemistry 11th Grade	SOL Chemistry 12th Grade	SOL Biology 9th Grade	SOL Biology 10th Grade	SOL Biology 11th Grade	SOL Biology 12th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL Science 8th Grade	SOL Earth Science 8th Grade	SOL Earth Science 9th Grade	SOL Earth Science 10th Grade	SOL Earth Science 11th Grade	SOL Earth Science 12th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL English Reading 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 9th Grade	SOL English Reading 10th Grade	SOL English Reading 11th Grade	SOL English Reading 12th Grade	SOL Geography 12th Grade	SOL VA and US History 9th Grade	SOL VA and US History 10th Grade	SOL VA and US History 11th Grade	SOL VA and US History 12th Grade	SOL World History I 9th Grade	SOL World History I 10th Grade	SOL World History I 11th Grade	SOL World History I 12th Grade	SOL World History II 9th Grade	SOL World History II 10th Grade	SOL World History II 11th Grade	SOL World History II 12th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 7th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Northern Shores Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6701 Respass Beach Rd	Suffolk	23435	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 923-4169	798	41	19.4	69.0%	249 (31.2%)	335 (42.0%)	95 (11.9%)	36 (4.5%)	7 (0.9%)	2 (0.3%)	74 (9.3%)	71.9	323^rd of 1111 public elementary schools	70.9%		75.2	285^th of 1110 public elementary schools	74.3%	38																				82.4	78.1	86.1											83.5							77.4	75.0	82.0																						81.3	$7,666	$423	$7,243
Booker T. Washington Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	204 Walnut Street	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 934-6226	362	25	14.4	70.4%	39 (10.8%)	277 (76.5%)	21 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (6.6%)	37.3	764^th of 1111 public elementary schools	31.2%		17.1	960^th of 1110 public elementary schools	13.5%	196																				65.0	63.1	72.5											60.9							55.0	73.9	71.0																						64.6	$12,143	$2,001	$10,143
Florence Bowser Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4540 Nansemond Pkwy	Suffolk	23435	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 923-4106	926	44	21.0	69.3%	350 (37.8%)	358 (38.7%)	128 (13.8%)	12 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	77 (8.3%)	54.5	564^th of 1111 public elementary schools	49.2%		66.4	401^st of 1110 public elementary schools	63.9%	163																				70.1	76.7	76.9											71.4							60.5	76.7	77.4																						74.1	$6,438	$160	$6,278
Forest Glen Middle	Public	6-8	200 Forest Glen Dr	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 925-5780	433	35	12.3	67.2%	207 (47.8%)	176 (40.6%)	22 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (5.5%)	44.1	268^th of 416 public middle schools	35.6%		41.5	268^th of 419 public middle schools	36.0%					100.0						100.0	93.6												66.3	37.5	51.8									57.1									73.8	70.9	70.7																		63.9		$10,893	$512	$10,381
John F. Kennedy Middle	Public	6-8	2325 E Washington St	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 934-6212	498	55	9.0	68.7%	75 (15.1%)	348 (69.9%)	47 (9.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	25 (5.0%)	37.6	297^th of 416 public middle schools	28.6%		32.1	315^th of 419 public middle schools	24.8%	18				466.0						100.0	93.3												55.9	53.2	68.9									56.4									67.1	59.7	76.4																		49.4		$10,813	$482	$10,331
John Yeates Middle	Public	6-8	4901 Bennetts Pasture Rd	Suffolk	23435	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 923-4105	509	51	9.9	69.5%	215 (42.2%)	183 (36.0%)	40 (7.9%)	14 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	55 (10.8%)	76.7	61^st of 416 public middle schools	85.3%		71	113^th of 419 public middle schools	73.0%	52				100.0					≥ 50%	100.0	100.0												80.3	50.0	58.2									77.3									78.3	90.6	85.6																		88.1		$10,677	$280	$10,398
Oakland Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5505 Godwin Blvd	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 923-5248	464	26	17.8	68.8%	137 (29.5%)	245 (52.8%)	34 (7.3%)	4 (0.9%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (8.4%)	71.5	329^th of 1111 public elementary schools	70.4%		77.3	258^th of 1110 public elementary schools	76.8%	71																				93.3	79.4	89.6											79.1							81.4	76.2	86.6																						61.9	$9,197	$657	$8,540
Southwestern Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	150 Pioneer Rd	Suffolk	23437	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 925-5782	579	31	18.6	69.4%	324 (56.0%)	153 (26.4%)	53 (9.2%)	3 (0.5%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	42 (7.3%)	68.1	372^nd of 1111 public elementary schools	66.5%		64.8	423^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	61.9%	51																				71.8	81.5	92.7											81.5							63.1	87.0	78.1																						85.7	$8,416	$542	$7,874
Elephant's Fork Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2316 William Reid Dr	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 923-5250	653	36	18.1	69.1%	140 (21.4%)	408 (62.5%)	56 (8.6%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (6.9%)	26.9	877^th of 1111 public elementary schools	21.1%		21.1	916^th of 1110 public elementary schools	17.5%	39																				72.9	60.2	43.4											49.1							64.7	69.9	63.2																						59.2	$8,032	$811	$7,221
Kilby Shores Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	111 Kilby Shores Dr	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 934-6214	494	29	17.0	69.2%	179 (36.2%)	211 (42.7%)	52 (10.5%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.6%)	45 (9.1%)	39.6	738^th of 1111 public elementary schools	33.6%		52.1	573^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	48.4%	165																				80.0	71.3	62.1											59.1							64.3	75.5	62.1																						56.4	$9,378	$813	$8,565
Nansemond Parkway Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3012 Nansemond Pkwy	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 923-4167	456	29	15.7	69.3%	135 (29.6%)	245 (53.7%)	31 (6.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	43 (9.4%)	48.6	622^nd of 1111 public elementary schools	44.0%		53.3	562^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	49.4%	60																				59.2	82.7	76.4											65.5							46.7	80.0	74.6																						77.3	$9,974	$968	$9,006
Mack Benn Junior Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1253 Nansemond Pkwy	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 934-6224	713	44	16.2	69.3%	105 (14.7%)	480 (67.3%)	72 (10.1%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	50 (7.0%)	32.6	814^th of 1111 public elementary schools	26.7%		35.4	766^th of 1110 public elementary schools	31.0%	48																				60.2	76.3	57.1											58.1							50.4	77.4	64.8																						66.7	$8,672	$996	$7,676
Nansemond River High	Public, Magnet	9-12	3301 Nansemond Pkwy	Suffolk	23435	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(757) 923-4101	1,683	109	15.4	68.9%	509 (30.2%)	831 (49.4%)	160 (9.5%)	43 (2.6%)	5 (0.3%)	6 (0.4%)	129 (7.7%)	67.8	99^th of 331 public high schools	70.1%		59.7	150^th of 328 public high schools	54.3%	51	401.0	86.3	88.0		88.7	15.4	360.0	≥ 50%				87.4	65.0	405.0	90.0	100.0	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	≥ 50%							< 50%	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	93.3	66.4	400.0	63.2				70.0	71.1	52.9	63.6								436.0	93.6	72.4	< 50%		382.0	25.9	384.0	80.8	69.2	392.0	405.0	< 50%	44.2	382.0				$7,776	$30	$7,747
Lakeland High	Public, Magnet	9-12	214 Kenyon Road	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(757) 925-5790	1,045	86	12.2	69.1%	344 (32.9%)	585 (56.0%)	58 (5.6%)	4 (0.4%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (4.9%)	39.5	247^th of 331 public high schools	25.4%		42.4	240^th of 328 public high schools	26.8%	7	339.0	72.3	87.9		66.0	20.0	361.0	< 50%				79.4	419.0	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	94.4	< 50%	≥ 50%	< 50%										76.7	57.6	91.7	399.0				≥ 50%	381.0	388.0	≥ 50%								372.0	86.0	87.5		< 50%	369.0	16.3	403.0	69.2	424.0	84.6	≥ 50%	< 50%	9.7					$9,548	$279	$9,269
King's Fork Middle	Public	6-8	350 Kings Fork Rd.	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 923-5246	986	72	13.6	68.8%	170 (17.2%)	670 (68.0%)	78 (7.9%)	11 (1.1%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	52 (5.3%)	29.6	330^th of 416 public middle schools	20.7%		31	320^th of 419 public middle schools	23.6%	10				100.0						100.0	97.5												62.2	44.0	30.5									42.7	≥ 50%								64.5	72.7	61.5																		59.8		$8,300	$198	$8,102
King's Fork High	Public	9-12	351 Kings Fork Road	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 923-5240	1,686	104	16.2	67.4%	262 (15.5%)	1,172 (69.5%)	111 (6.6%)	16 (0.9%)	5 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	118 (7.0%)	40.8	242^nd of 331 public high schools	26.9%		49.3	203^rd of 328 public high schools	38.1%	39	374.0	79.2	83.3		87.5	29.6	354.0	< 50%				82.5	76.5	92.9	100.0	100.0	≥ 50%	< 50%	≥ 50%							416.0	374.0	≥ 50%	77.2	49.7	44.4	44.4				50.0	47.2	48.8	54.2							≥ 50%	385.0	85.9	59.6			372.0	23.5	35.9	66.2	38.1	374.0	42.3	< 50%	17.4	< 50%	< 50%			$7,880	$139	$7,742
Creekside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 Bennetts Creek Park Road	Suffolk	23435	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 923-4251	764	47	16.2	69.4%	175 (22.9%)	403 (52.7%)	89 (11.6%)	17 (2.2%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	76 (9.9%)	58.5	499^th of 1111 public elementary schools	55.1%		49.1	612^th of 1110 public elementary schools	44.9%	113																				69.1	78.9	84.2											75.6							60.9	77.2	78.3																						73.0	$7,835	$626	$7,209
Hillpoint Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1101 Hillpoint Rd	Suffolk	23434	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 925-6750	780	39	20.0	69.2%	143 (18.3%)	479 (61.4%)	81 (10.4%)	13 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	62 (7.9%)	27.9	869^th of 1111 public elementary schools	21.8%		28.3	846^th of 1110 public elementary schools	23.8%	23																				57.3	67.5	68.6											48.6							52.9	68.8	62.3																						65.1	$6,734	$675	$6,059
Colonel Fred Cherry Middle	Public	6-8	7401 Burbage Drive	Suffolk	23435	Suffolk city	Suffolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 925-6752	736	63	11.7	68.8%	165 (22.4%)	408 (55.4%)	69 (9.4%)	20 (2.7%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	70 (9.5%)	56.7	190^th of 416 public middle schools	54.3%		55.3	201^st of 419 public middle schools	52.0%	11				100.0						100.0	99.0												70.0	56.0	57.0									69.4									66.4	74.8	76.4																		72.7		$8,394	$203	$8,191

Cities Near Suffolk

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Carrollton	4.75 mi	1
Smithfield	5.66 mi	4	105^th
Chesapeake	8.31 mi	53	127^th
Portsmouth	9.47 mi	23	331^st
Windsor	10.15 mi	3	77^th

See the top VA Virginia cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Virginia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.