Summary
Richneck Elementary is a PK–5 school in Newport News, VA, serving 502 students as part of Newport News City Public Schools. The school currently ranks 812th out of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools (27th percentile, 1 star) — an improvement from last year's 904th-place finish. Nearly all students (99.6%) qualify for free or reduced lunch, and per-pupil spending is $8,202.
Academically, Richneck generally outperforms its district average in most subjects and grade levels. For example, 3rd grade math proficiency was 74.3% versus the district's 66.1%, and reading scores exceeded district averages in grades 3, 4, and 5. The main weakness is 5th grade math, where only 52.7% of students are proficient — well below the district (59.8%) and state (72.4%). One of the school's standout strengths is attendance: the chronic absenteeism rate is 11.1%, far better than the district's 18.5% and the state's 14.8%. Nearby General Stanford Elementary, with a nearly identical poverty rate, ranks 321st and posts much higher scores, showing that high poverty doesn't have to limit achievement.
Richneck appears to be on an upward trajectory, with big one-year gains in 4th grade math, 5th grade science, and 4th grade Virginia Studies. Hispanic students are the strongest subgroup, scoring at the 50th percentile statewide, and military-connected students improved from the 10th to the 29th percentile in two years. The school also spends less per pupil than every nearby school — yet achieves better results than several that spend thousands more, such as George J. McIntosh Elementary ($12,275 per pupil).
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