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Waterview Elementary

Public Grades K-6

1025^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,111 Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 8% of Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Waterview Elementary is a K-6 school in Portsmouth, VA, serving 576 students in a high-poverty area where nearly all students (99.65%) qualify for free/reduced lunch. As part of Portsmouth City Public Schools, Waterview Elementary has ranked in the bottom 5–10% of Virginia elementary schools for the past decade, currently sitting at the 8th percentile statewide, with test scores in most subjects trailing both district and state averages.

The school's most pressing challenge is chronic absenteeism. In 2024-2025, 28.0% of students were chronically absent — double the district average of 14.8% and far above nearby Churchland Elementary's 5.8% rate. This pattern has persisted for years, with rates above 36% during the 2020-2022 period. However, there are bright spots: 5th grade math proficiency jumped from 35.62% to 65.71% in one year, beating the district average and nearly matching the state. Sixth grade math also matched district and state averages, suggesting upper-grade math instruction is a relative strength.

Despite serving one of the highest-poverty populations in the area, Waterview spends less per student ($9,034) than comparable Portsmouth schools like Westhaven Elementary ($11,875). The encouraging news? Nearby Walter Herron Taylor Elementary in Norfolk City Public Schools serves a similarly high-poverty population yet ranks in the 63rd percentile, with a chronic absenteeism rate of just 13.5%. This shows that Waterview's outcomes are not inevitable — improving attendance and building on the 5th grade math success could move the school in the right direction.

576

Students ?

15.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,034

Per pupil spending ?

99.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3649 Hartford St
Portsmouth, VA 23707-1205

(757) 393-8879

District: Portsmouth City Public Schools

Students who attend Waterview Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Churchland Middle
High:	Churchland High

Racial breakdown:

African American:

71.2%

White:

12.3%

Two or more races:

7.6%

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Compare Waterview Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 14th percentile in 2016 → 8th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Virginia average (45% vs 71% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (8th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (28% vs 15% Virginia)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school45%

District avg56%

Virginia avg71%

1,025^th of 1,111

Virginia public elementary schools ?

Bottom 8%▼ down 6 pts since 2016

From bottom 14% (2016) to bottom 8% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

11^th of 13Elementary Schools in the Portsmouth City Public Schools

114^th of 131Portsmouth 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	10.4	1025 of 1111	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	6.6	1058 of 1110	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	7.4	1057 of 1114	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	7.6	1050 of 1114	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	6.2	1062 of 1109	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	7.3	1037 of 1103	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	9.9	1046 of 1105	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	15.8	995 of 1097	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	17.8	995 of 1099	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	23.4	944 of 1096	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	19.2	984 of 1100	10.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	21.6	993 of 1110	10.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	34.6	823 of 1120	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	31.6	918 of 1117	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	41.0	787 of 1117	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	33.3	920 of 1113	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	42.1	756 of 1082	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2008	46.3	685 of 1081	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2007	37.8	785 of 1083	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	40.3	761 of 1071	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	30.6	862 of 1062	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	13.6	548 of 591	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	9.9	556 of 579	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	12.6	555 of 588	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	11.1	542 of 579	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	9.7	1029 of 1100	6.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	5.3	1060 of 1096	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.4	1034 of 1098	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	6.8	1052 of 1100	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	23.3	882 of 1040	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	8.6	1014 of 1046	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	12.3	976 of 1036	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	12.1	1010 of 1099	8.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	8.8	1028 of 1093	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	7.3	1060 of 1101	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	10.1	1020 of 1093	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Virginia percentile	Rating
2025	42.9	627 of 973	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	14.9	902 of 979	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	23.9	847 of 984	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

White (2025)36th percentile+31 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)15th percentile+7 vs school

Male (2026)8th percentile~ school

African American (2026)7th percentile~ school

Female (2026)6th percentile~ school

By subject vs Virginia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics51%-20 vs state

Science48%-21 vs state

English Reading43%-29 vs state

VA Studies31%-40 vs state

5.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, July 13, 2023

The best school I have a non verbal child and when I say they the best and the only place I feel she is safe at Close Quote

by a citizen
Thursday, December 22, 2011

My grand-daughter Olivia goes to JT, she has been there since kindergarden and is now in 4th grade. She has had nothing but excellant teachers. Dr. Williams and his staff are without a doubt one of the finest in this School System. They have a wonderful PTA and Gifted and Talented program also. I am proud to call this school one of the best in Portsmouth. Close Quote

Schools Near Waterview Elementary

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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 Mathematics (2026)				SOL Science (2026)	SOL English Reading (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 Mathematics 3rd Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 3rd Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th 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
Waterview Elementary	Public	K-6	3649 Hartford St	Portsmouth	23707	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 393-8879	576	38	15.1	99.7%	71 (12.3%)	410 (71.2%)	43 (7.5%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.5%)	44 (7.6%)	10.4	1025^th of 1111 public elementary schools	7.7%		6.6	1058^th of 1110 public elementary schools	4.7%	33	43.5	32.9	65.7	62.9	47.8	46.4	35.7	42.9	44.3	30.9		$9,034	$2,451	$6,582
Westhaven Elementary	Public	K-6	3701 Clifford St	Portsmouth	23707	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 393-8855	401	35	11.4	100.0%	64 (16.0%)	268 (66.8%)	31 (7.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	35 (8.7%)	14.2	996^th of 1111 public elementary schools	10.4%		8.2	1043^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	6.0%	47	66.1	59.3	51.1	52.8	44.4	50.0	47.5	57.8	48.1	49.2		$11,875	$2,810	$9,065
Simonsdale Elementary	Public	K-6	4841 Clifford Street	Portsmouth	23701	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 465-2917	613	40	15.3	99.5%	250 (40.8%)	258 (42.1%)	46 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	4 (0.7%)	53 (8.6%)	18.3	959^th of 1111 public elementary schools	13.7%		21.9	902^nd of 1110 public elementary schools	18.7%	57	49.4	57.9	46.6	55.2	64.4	48.2	65.3	57.5	58.2	56.0		$8,887	$1,900	$6,987
Douglass Park Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-6	34 Grand St	Portsmouth	23701	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(757) 393-8646	510	33	15.4	102.9%	8 (1.6%)	436 (85.5%)	46 (9.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	18 (3.5%)	6.6	1054^th of 1111 public elementary schools	5.1%		1.9	1101^st of 1110 public elementary schools	0.8%	47	52.6	32.4	37.9	41.7	45.6	44.7	38.0	39.7	66.7	43.7		$9,237	$2,293	$6,943
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
Churchland Elementary	Public	K-6	5601 Michael Ln	Portsmouth	23703	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 686-2523	721	44	16.3	99.6%	196 (27.2%)	351 (48.7%)	77 (10.7%)	13 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	83 (11.5%)	40.1	734^th of 1111 public elementary schools	33.9%		51.3	583^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	47.5%	151	66.0	67.3	76.5	79.0	63.3	56.0	60.0	69.4	84.0	54.6		$9,406	$1,438	$7,969
Victory Elementary	Public	K-6	2828 Greenwood Drive	Portsmouth	23701	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 393-8806	586	37	15.8	100.5%	107 (18.3%)	360 (61.4%)	49 (8.4%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	63 (10.8%)	27.9	868^th of 1111 public elementary schools	21.9%		17.7	953^rd of 1110 public elementary schools	14.1%	85	73.8	67.9	67.1	52.0	51.3	65.5	63.0	51.9	57.1	58.0		$10,658	$2,577	$8,081
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
Hodges Manor Elementary	Public	K-6	1201 Cherokee Rd	Portsmouth	23701	Portsmouth city	Portsmouth City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(757) 465-2921	466	31	15.0	101.3%	68 (14.6%)	315 (67.6%)	39 (8.4%)	3 (0.6%)	6 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (7.3%)	26.7	879^th of 1111 public elementary schools	20.9%		15.6	976^th of 1110 public elementary schools	12.1%	97	50.0	59.4	64.1	69.7	51.6	50.0	62.5	65.6	67.7	60.9		$11,018	$2,750	$8,268
Western Branch Intermediate	Public	3-5	4013 Terry Dr	Chesapeake	23321	Chesapeake city	Chesapeake City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(757) 638-7941	795	46	17.2	73.7%	306 (38.5%)	286 (36.0%)	78 (9.8%)	33 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.5%)	88 (11.1%)	59.8	480^th of 1111 public elementary schools	56.8%		59.2	485^th of 1110 public elementary schools	56.3%	5	80.1	79.2	77.4		69.6	75.6	75.5	72.8		71.2	76.2	$9,546	$684	$8,862

Frequently Asked Questions about Waterview Elementary

Is Waterview Elementary a good school?

Waterview Elementary ranks in the bottom 7.7% of Virginia elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Waterview Elementary attend?

Students who attend Waterview Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Churchland Middle
High : Churchland High

What district is Waterview Elementary in?

Portsmouth City Public Schools

How many students attend Waterview Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 576 students attended Waterview Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Waterview Elementary?

Students at Waterview Elementary are 71% African American, 12% White, 8% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic.

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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.