Summary
Frank W. Cox High is a large public high school in Virginia Beach, VA, serving 1,631 students in grades 9–12 as part of Virginia Beach City Public Schools. Ranked 27th out of 331 Virginia high schools in 2025–2026, Cox has climbed steadily from 82nd a decade ago and now earns a 5-star rating. It is the highest-ranked school in its immediate area, outpacing Salem High (#38), Kempsville High (#59), and First Colonial High (#90), located less than two miles away. Roughly 26% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, making the student body relatively affluent compared with neighboring schools.
Cox's academic reputation is built on standout test scores, especially in STEM. In 2025–2026, 10th-grade Chemistry and Algebra I proficiency each reached 100%, and 9th-grade Biology hit 100%—well above district and state averages. World History II proficiency was 90%, compared with a 36.7% district average. The school also posts striking results for historically underserved groups: English Language Learners rank #2 statewide, and low-income students rank #17 (95th percentile), up from #104 two years earlier. Disabled students improved from #130 to #59. These gains help explain why Cox outperforms demographically similar First Colonial High, even though the two schools sit just 1.5 miles apart.
Still, a few concerns stand out. Cox's graduation rate of 93.8% falls below the district average of 96.8%, and the dropout rate rose to 4.3% in 2024–25, more than double the district's 2.1%. Chronic absenteeism has been cut in half since 2021–22 but remains at 12.4%, above the district's 10.1% and far higher than First Colonial's 5.8%. In 10th-grade English Reading and 9th-grade Geometry, Cox trails district averages. The Asian student subgroup's statewide ranking also fell sharply, from #5 to #89 over two years. Families will find a rigorous, upwardly mobile school with strong equity outcomes, but it's worth asking how the school plans to address graduation support and attendance.
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