Best Public Schools in Zip Code 23325

Schools in zip code 23325 include five schools in Chesapeake City Public Schools — Georgetown Primary (PK–3), Norfolk Highlands Primary (PK–3), Sparrow Road Intermediate (4–5), Indian River Middle (6–8), and Indian River High (9–12) — serving roughly 3,888 students, all with free/reduced-price lunch rates above 72%, making this a high-poverty cluster within a district ranked 34th out of 131 in Virginia. While the district is a 4-star system, most of these schools perform below district averages, creating an uneven academic landscape.

The clear academic standout is Norfolk Highlands Primary, which outperforms state averages in 3rd-grade reading and math despite having the highest poverty rate in the zip code (73.47%). Its 3rd-grade math proficiency reached 73.75% in 2025–2026, nearly matching the state's 74.04%, while reading hit 70.51% versus the state's 67.61%. By contrast, Georgetown Primary, a similar PK–3 school, trails dramatically: 3rd-grade reading is 56.55% and math 65.07%, well below district and state averages. Norfolk Highlands also spends $16,155 per student versus Georgetown's $10,504, with a better student-teacher ratio. Indian River Middle is a study in contrasts: advanced math students excel — 100% in 8th-grade Geometry and 96.55% in Algebra I — but grade-level math proficiency is alarmingly low (37.21% of 6th graders, 40.63% of 8th graders). Sparrow Road Intermediate has the best attendance (8.8% chronic absenteeism) but weak academics, with 4th-grade math at 62.10% versus the district's 80.25%.

Indian River High, the only high school, serves 1,634 students and posts strong math results — 9th-grade Algebra I proficiency is 91.97% and Geometry is 53.85%, both above state averages — but serious humanities gaps: 12th-grade writing proficiency is just 32% versus the state's 64.97%, and 11th-grade VA/US History is 27.42%. Its graduation rate of 90.0% trails the district's 93.3%. Rankings are trending downward, with Indian River Middle falling to the 20th percentile and Indian River High to the 37th percentile. The big takeaway: Norfolk Highlands Primary proves high poverty does not prevent strong results, while Indian River Middle needs grade-level math support and Indian River High needs literacy and humanities support.