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Ghent K-8

Q: Is Ghent K-8 a good school?

Ghent K-8 ranks 234 th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-8

234^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 79% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Ghent K-8 is a public school in Norfolk, VA, serving 501 students in kindergarten through 8th grade. It belongs to Norfolk City Public Schools, a district that ranks in the bottom 15% of Virginia districts, yet Ghent itself is a clear standout: it ranked 234th out of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools in 2025-2026 (79th percentile), earning 4 stars. It is the highest-ranked school in its immediate area, outperforming nearby Larchmont Elementary, Walter Herron Taylor Elementary, Willard Elementary, Lindenwood Elementary, Richard Bowling Elementary, St. Helena Elementary, and Jacox Elementary by wide margins.

Despite serving a student body where 99.4% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, Ghent posts proficiency rates well above the district and often above the state. For example, 5th grade math proficiency is 93.6% vs. the district's 58.3%; 5th grade reading is 93.6% vs. 61.4%; and 5th grade science is 87.1% vs. 52.2%. Ghent also shines in middle school: 7th grade reading at 91.1%, 8th grade science at 71.4% vs. the district's 29.9%, and perfect proficiency in 7th grade Algebra I, Civics, and 8th grade Geography. Chronic absenteeism is remarkably low at 4.8%, compared to the district's 17.9% and rates at nearby P.B. Young Senior Elementary (34.9%) and Jacox Elementary (35.6%).

Ghent also achieves efficiency: it spends about $9,894 per student, less than several lower-performing neighbors like Lindenwood Elementary ($15,075) and James Monroe Elementary ($14,228). Subgroup results are strong, with African American, white, and low-income students all ranking in the 81st–88th percentile statewide. Areas for improvement include 8th grade Civics (29.2% proficient vs. the state's 74.7%) and support for disabled students. Overall, Ghent K-8 is a high-poverty, high-performing school whose K-8 structure helps sustain achievement into the middle grades, making it a model school in a challenging district context.

501

Students ?

13.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,894

Per pupil spending ?

99.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

200 Shirley Ave
Norfolk, VA 23517

(757) 628-2565

District: Norfolk City Public Schools

Racial breakdown:

African American:

42.9%

White:

42.5%

Two or more races:

7.6%

See top rated Virginia elementary schools

Compare Ghent K-8 to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 70th percentile in 2016 → 79th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Virginia average (83% vs 71% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 21% of Virginia elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 9 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Civics and Economics scores 11 pts below the Virginia average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school83%

District avg54%

Virginia avg71%

Elementary school

234^th of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Top 21%▲ up 9 pts since 2016

From top 30% (2016) to top 21% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

170^th of 416

Virginia public middle schools ?

Top 41%▼ down 2 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 29Elementary Schools in the Norfolk City Public Schools

112^th of 131Norfolk City Public Schools among Virginia districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	77.9	234 of 1111	78.9%	★★★★☆
2025	70.5	347 of 1110	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	76.7	261 of 1114	76.6%	★★★★☆
2023	68.4	366 of 1114	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	76.8	252 of 1109	77.3%	★★★★☆
2021	60.2	466 of 1103	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	63.5	448 of 1105	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	65.3	391 of 1097	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2017	55.2	543 of 1099	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	68.2	333 of 1096	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2015	72.3	263 of 1100	76.1%	★★★★☆
2014	71.3	270 of 1110	75.7%	★★★★☆
2013	65.0	378 of 1120	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2012	56.7	500 of 1117	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2011	56.6	513 of 1117	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2010	69.1	291 of 1113	73.9%	★★★★☆
2009	68.6	292 of 1082	73.0%	★★★★☆
2008	67.6	316 of 1081	70.8%	★★★★☆
2007	81.5	103 of 1083	90.5%	★★★★★
2006	76.0	183 of 1071	82.9%	★★★★☆
2005	86.4	39 of 1062	96.3%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	76.0	110 of 591	81.4%	★★★★☆
2025	75.4	108 of 579	81.3%	★★★★☆
2024	81.2	74 of 588	87.4%	★★★★☆
2023	70.2	145 of 579	75.0%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	62.2	152 of 420	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.0	79 of 355	77.7%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	77.5	220 of 1100	80.0%	★★★★☆
2025	68.9	343 of 1096	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	74.3	274 of 1098	75.0%	★★★★☆
2023	67.8	349 of 1100	68.3%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	72.8	202 of 1040	80.6%	★★★★☆
2025	65.5	319 of 1046	69.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	77.9	152 of 1036	85.3%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	75.0	255 of 1099	76.8%	★★★★☆
2025	69.2	344 of 1093	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	76.3	247 of 1101	77.6%	★★★★☆
2023	65.7	380 of 1093	65.2%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	80.5	114 of 974	88.3%	★★★★☆
2025	71.4	260 of 973	73.3%	★★★★☆
2024	74.1	206 of 979	79.0%	★★★★☆
2023	74.6	189 of 984	80.8%	★★★★☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	59.8	170 of 416	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	71.3	112 of 419	73.3%	★★★★☆
2024	82.5	37 of 417	91.1%	★★★★★
2023	74.3	103 of 422	75.6%	★★★★☆
2022	72.0	82 of 415	80.2%	★★★★☆
2021	39.6	248 of 419	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	51.5	217 of 424	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	56.0	170 of 413	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2017	47.6	223 of 415	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2016	57.1	157 of 409	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2015	55.7	163 of 412	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2014	63.1	109 of 416	73.8%	★★★★☆
2013	53.1	165 of 416	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2012	60.3	115 of 413	72.2%	★★★★☆
2011	71.7	59 of 413	85.7%	★★★★☆
2010	76.6	31 of 408	92.4%	★★★★★
2009	69.8	61 of 390	84.4%	★★★★☆
2008	78.2	23 of 391	94.1%	★★★★★
2007	78.7	25 of 387	93.5%	★★★★★
2006	89.1	6 of 383	98.4%	★★★★★
2005	87.4	11 of 340	96.8%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	62.3	105 of 297	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	78.1	37 of 297	87.5%	★★★★☆
2024	84.9	26 of 299	91.3%	★★★★★
2023	73.1	62 of 298	79.2%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	63.1	150 of 409	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	68.2	117 of 403	71.0%	★★★★☆
2024	86.1	16 of 407	96.1%	★★★★★
2023	61.6	159 of 411	61.3%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	52.0	191 of 401	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	68.7	102 of 403	74.7%	★★★★☆
2024	86.2	24 of 402	94.0%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	61.0	154 of 410	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	73.2	91 of 404	77.5%	★★★★☆
2024	76.6	74 of 407	81.8%	★★★★☆
2023	79.7	59 of 409	85.6%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	68.9	104 of 400	74.0%	★★★★☆
2025	85.1	9 of 400	97.8%	★★★★★
2024	85.3	11 of 396	97.2%	★★★★★
2023	74.9	64 of 402	84.1%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

White (2026)88th percentile+9 vs school

African American (2026)81st percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)81st percentile~ school

Female (2026)80th percentile~ school

Male (2026)77th percentile~ school

Disabled (2026)64th percentile-15 vs school

Middle school

White (2026)74th percentile+15 vs school

African American (2026)65th percentile+6 vs school

Female (2026)63rd percentile+4 vs school

Male (2026)62nd percentile+3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)52nd percentile-7 vs school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

Geography100%+32 vs state

VA Studies93%+22 vs state

Algebra I91%-4 vs state

English Reading82%+10 vs state

Science82%+15 vs state

Mathematics81%+15 vs state

Civics and Economics62%-11 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a citizen
Wednesday, September 19, 2012

I know several parents who have sent children to Ghent School and all have been more than pleased. Close Quote

Schools Near Ghent K-8

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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 Geometry (2026)	SOL Algebra I (2026)		SOL Mathematics (2026)						SOL Science (2026)		SOL English Reading (2026)						SOL Geography (2026)	SOL Civics and Economics (2026)		SOL VA Studies (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	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 Geometry 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 7th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th 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 Science 5th Grade	SOL Science 8th 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 Geography 8th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 7th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 8th Grade	SOL VA Studies 4th Grade	SOL VA Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ghent K-8	Public	K-8	200 Shirley Ave	Norfolk	23517	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 628-2565	501	36	13.9	99.4%	213 (42.5%)	215 (42.9%)	28 (5.6%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (7.6%)	77.9	234^th of 1111 public elementary schools	78.9%		70.5	347^th of 1110 public elementary schools	68.7%	113	≥ 50%	100.0	88.6	78.3	80.4	93.6	67.6	375.0	366.0	87.1	71.4	75.0	84.3	93.6	78.6	91.1	70.2	100.0	100.0	29.2	88.2	96.8	$9,894	$204	$9,690
P.B. Young Senior Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	543 E. Olney Rd	Norfolk	23510	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 628-2588	241	19	12.6	101.2%	2 (0.8%)	217 (90.0%)	11 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.3%)								(n/a)																							$13,538	$1,957	$11,581
James Monroe Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	520 W 29th St	Norfolk	23508	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 628-3500	299	27	11.0	99.7%	33 (11.0%)	205 (68.6%)	27 (9.0%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (9.7%)	17.5	969^th of 1111 public elementary schools	12.8%		21.6	911^th of 1110 public elementary schools	17.9%	58				64.0	39.4	72.2				50.0		48.0	34.4	66.7							36.4	54.3	$14,228	$1,564	$12,664
Lindenwood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2700 Ludlow St	Norfolk	23504	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 628-2577	243	22	11.0	99.6%	21 (8.6%)	170 (70.0%)	35 (14.4%)	2 (0.8%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.3%)	23.6	911^th of 1111 public elementary schools	18.0%		20.9	919^th of 1110 public elementary schools	17.2%	8				71.1	51.4	48.0				44.0		60.5	62.2	52.0							71.4	52.2	$15,075	$2,293	$12,782
Walter Herron Taylor Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1122 W. Princess Anne Road	Norfolk	23507	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 628-2525	403	26	15.5	101.5%	160 (39.7%)	172 (42.7%)	34 (8.4%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	28 (6.9%)	65.4	406^th of 1111 public elementary schools	63.5%		65.4	410^th of 1110 public elementary schools	63.1%	4				81.0	80.9	72.2				64.8		81.0	77.9	79.6							80.9	79.6	$9,783	$186	$9,596
Jacox Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1300 Marshall Ave	Norfolk	23504	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 628-2433	596	44	13.5	99.3%	18 (3.0%)	521 (87.4%)	38 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	16 (2.7%)	4.6	1079^th of 1111 public elementary schools	2.9%		3.5	1084^th of 1110 public elementary schools	2.3%	5				48.5	28.8	49.4				35.8		46.3	36.4	51.9							33.3	44.4	$9,796	$1,811	$7,985
Richard Bowling Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2700 E. Princess Anne Rd.	Norfolk	23504	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 628-2515	492	42	11.7	99.8%	14 (2.8%)	432 (87.8%)	26 (5.3%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.5%)	15.5	983^rd of 1111 public elementary schools	11.5%		10.6	1020^th of 1110 public elementary schools	8.1%	37				56.7	55.0	44.4				31.5		48.3	63.3	51.9							71.7	48.2	$10,778	$1,951	$8,827
Larchmont Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1145 Bolling Ave	Norfolk	23508	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 451-4180	455	28	16.2	99.8%	247 (54.3%)	116 (25.5%)	39 (8.6%)	19 (4.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (7.0%)	74	293^rd of 1111 public elementary schools	73.6%		73.4	304^th of 1110 public elementary schools	72.6%	11				86.4	77.8	73.7				80.7		81.4	88.9	87.7							73.0	87.5	$8,302	$43	$8,258
Willard Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1511 Willow Wood Dr	Norfolk	23509	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 628-2721	441	39	11.3	101.8%	61 (13.8%)	251 (56.9%)	79 (17.9%)	5 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (10.0%)	33.2	810^th of 1111 public elementary schools	27.1%		45.3	664^th of 1110 public elementary schools	40.2%	146				66.7	57.6	60.9				62.5		64.9	66.7	64.1							64.2	70.3	$9,910	$743	$9,167
Park View Elementary	Public	K-6	260 Elm Ave	Portsmouth	23704	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 393-8647	400	34	11.7	101.0%	37 (9.3%)	303 (75.8%)	30 (7.5%)	2 (0.5%)	5 (1.3%)	2 (0.5%)	21 (5.3%)	20.6	935^th of 1111 public elementary schools	15.8%		22.2	898^th of 1110 public elementary schools	19.1%	37				53.2	44.4	65.5	76.3			63.8		44.4	50.0	55.2	64.4						48.6		$11,253	$2,948	$8,305

Frequently Asked Questions about Ghent K-8

Is Ghent K-8 a good school?

Ghent K-8 ranks 234^th of 1111 Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Ghent K-8?

In the 2024-25 school year, 501 students attended Ghent K-8.

What is the racial makeup of Ghent K-8?

Students at Ghent K-8 are 43% African American, 43% White, 8% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

What district is Ghent K-8 in?

Norfolk City Public Schools

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Latest Virginia data All new data »

2025–26 SOL test scoresAug 25, 2026

2021–22 school spending dataFeb 16, 2026

2022–23 through 2023–24 school spending dataFeb 10, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJan 6, 2026

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.