Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its Virginia rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

St. Helena Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1045^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 6% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

St. Helena Elementary is a small pre-K through grade 5 school in Norfolk, VA, serving 229 students in the Norfolk City Public Schools district, where nearly all students (99.6%) come from low-income households. The school has consistently ranked near the bottom of Virginia elementary schools — placing in the 6th percentile statewide for 2025-2026 — though it has improved from its absolute lowest years, when it ranked at the 0th percentile in 2020-2021.

One of the most striking challenges at St. Helena is chronic absenteeism, which stood at 27.0% in 2024-2025 — nearly double the state average of 14.8% and well above the Norfolk district average of 17.9%. Nearby high-poverty schools like Ghent K-8 and Brighton Elementary have dramatically lower absenteeism rates (below 6%), showing that poverty alone doesn't explain this pattern. Academically, proficiency rates trail district and state averages in nearly every subject and grade. Reading is a relative bright spot — 5th grade reading nearly matched the district average in 2025-2026 — while math and science gaps are consistently larger. Despite its low statewide ranking, St. Helena actually outperforms several nearby Norfolk peers, including Chesterfield Elementary and Jacox Elementary, which rank at the 0th and 3rd percentiles, respectively.

St. Helena spends $13,366 per student — more than Ghent K-8 ($9,894) and Jacox Elementary ($9,796) — and has a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.0. Yet outcomes remain low, suggesting that factors like attendance and student mobility play a larger role than funding or class size. The school's small enrollment of 229 students also causes proficiency rates to swing sharply from year to year, making it difficult to distinguish genuine improvement from normal variation. Still, the trend is cautiously positive: after hitting the very bottom of statewide rankings a few years ago, St. Helena has stabilized in the 6th–10th percentile range, and addressing chronic absenteeism and STEM instruction appear to be the most promising paths forward.

229

Students ?

12.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,366

Per pupil spending ?

99.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

903 S Main St
Norfolk, VA 23523

(757) 494-3884

District: Norfolk City Public Schools

Students who attend St. Helena Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Blair Middle
High:	Matthew Fontaine Maury High

Racial breakdown:

African American:

87.8%

Two or more races:

7.0%

Hispanic:

3.9%

See top rated Virginia elementary schools

Compare St. Helena Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 1st percentile in 2016 → 6th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 5 percentile points since 2016

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Virginia average (48% vs 72% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (6th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (27% vs 15% Virginia)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school48%

District avg58%

Virginia avg72%

1,045^th of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 6%▲ up 5 pts since 2016

From bottom 1% (2016) to bottom 6% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

23^rd 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	7.9	1045 of 1111	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	12.6	1002 of 1110	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.0	1046 of 1114	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	9.0	1036 of 1114	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	4.3	1080 of 1109	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	1.7	1101 of 1103	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	0.4	1099 of 1105	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	2.3	1082 of 1097	1.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	18.1	994 of 1099	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	3.6	1081 of 1096	1.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	1.9	1093 of 1100	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	7.0	1082 of 1110	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	6.2	1097 of 1120	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	22.0	1011 of 1117	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	39.7	808 of 1117	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	17.1	1055 of 1113	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	45.0	706 of 1082	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2008	44.8	707 of 1081	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2007	54.1	531 of 1083	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2006	65.3	343 of 1071	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2005	71.4	247 of 1062	76.7%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	18.3	528 of 591	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	19.4	510 of 579	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	18.4	531 of 588	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	26.1	473 of 579	18.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	17.0	971 of 1100	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	33.4	784 of 1096	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	42.1	707 of 1098	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	22.7	917 of 1100	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	18.2	940 of 1040	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	18.7	928 of 1046	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	16.9	932 of 1036	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	8.8	1037 of 1099	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	18.4	941 of 1093	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	13.7	983 of 1093	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Female (2026)12th percentile+6 vs school

African American (2026)11th percentile+5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)10th percentile+4 vs school

Male (2026)6th percentile~ school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

English Reading53%-18 vs state

VA Studies47%-24 vs state

Mathematics46%-27 vs state

Science35%-33 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate St. Helena Elementary and help other families decide.

Rate St. Helena Elementary

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near St. Helena Elementary

Load more schools when map is moved

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
St. Helena Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	903 S Main St	Norfolk	23523	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 494-3884	229	19	12.0	99.6%	3 (1.3%)	201 (87.8%)	9 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (7.0%)	7.9	1045^th of 1111 public elementary schools	5.9%		12.6	1002^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	9.7%	43				50.0	47.4	39.4				35.3		47.7	55.3	58.8							42.1	52.9	$13,366	$1,541	$11,825
Rena B. Wright Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	600 Park Ave	Chesapeake	23324	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 494-7585	300	24	12.5	74.7%	48 (16.0%)	182 (60.7%)	39 (13.0%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (9.3%)								(n/a)																							$16,494	$2,538	$13,956
Southside Stem Academy At Campostella	Public	PK, KG-8	1106 Campostella Rd.	Norfolk	23523	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 628-2555	686	57	12.0	98.4%	10 (1.5%)	600 (87.5%)	47 (6.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.9%)	3.2	1088^th of 1111 public elementary schools	2.1%		9.4	1033^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	6.9%	55	≥ 50%	≥ 50%	100.0	30.3	34.3	19.4	32.0	18.8	7.4	27.1	42.9	32.5	53.5	38.0	61.3	65.8	58.8	96.0	100.0	50.0	25.7	32.4	$10,986	$1,357	$9,629
Truitt Intermediate	Public	3-5	1100 Holly Ave	Chesapeake	23324	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 494-8014	256	16	16.1	75.0%	46 (18.0%)	155 (60.5%)	27 (10.5%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (10.2%)	25.6	887^th of 1111 public elementary schools	20.2%		27	861^st of 1110 public elementary schools	22.4%	26				74.4	64.4	61.5				40.7		65.4	65.1	56.7							43.0	63.3	$15,318	$2,065	$13,253
Brighton Elementary	Public	K-6	1100 Portsmouth Blvd.	Portsmouth	23704	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 393-8870	483	31	15.5	99.4%	15 (3.1%)	401 (83.0%)	33 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.4%)	23.9	905^th of 1111 public elementary schools	18.5%		16.4	967^th of 1110 public elementary schools	12.9%	62				56.7	56.3	83.9	71.7			60.7		45.9	52.8	60.7	48.3						50.0		$11,238	$3,029	$8,208
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
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
Thurgood Marshall Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2706 Border Road	Chesapeake	23324	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 494-7515	395	32	12.2	74.9%	26 (6.6%)	313 (79.2%)	29 (7.3%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.6%)	10.9	1019^th of 1111 public elementary schools	8.3%		20.1	927^th of 1110 public elementary schools	16.5%	92				54.8	60.3	46.4				35.7		41.7	59.4	52.7							52.2	51.8	$14,573	$2,844	$11,730
Chesterfield Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2915 Westminster Ave	Norfolk	23504	Norfolk city	Norfolk City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 628-2544	325	28	11.6	100.6%	5 (1.5%)	280 (86.2%)	21 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	2 (0.6%)	14 (4.3%)	1.3	1106^th of 1111 public elementary schools	0.5%		4.3	1078^th of 1110 public elementary schools	2.9%	28				41.9	31.3	39.0				31.7		30.2	43.8	36.6							29.2	36.6	$11,841	$2,032	$9,809
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

Frequently Asked Questions about St. Helena Elementary

What schools do graduates of St. Helena Elementary attend?

Students who attend St. Helena Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Blair Middle
High : Matthew Fontaine Maury High

How many students attend St. Helena Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 229 students attended St. Helena Elementary.

Is St. Helena Elementary a good school?

St. Helena Elementary ranks in the bottom 5.9% of Virginia elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of St. Helena Elementary?

Students at St. Helena Elementary are 88% African American, 7% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 1% White.

What district is St. Helena Elementary in?

Norfolk City Public Schools

Rate St. Helena Elementary!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

VAVirginia Elementary School Rankings

VAVirginia District Rankings

Schools in Norfolk, VA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for St. Helena Elementary!

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.