Best High Schools in Zip Code 23454

ZIP code 23454 in Virginia Beach, VA, is home to three large public high schools—Ocean Lakes High, First Colonial High, and Frank W. Cox High—all serving grades 9 through 12 as part of Virginia Beach City Public Schools, a district ranked 29th out of 131 in Virginia. With enrollments ranging from about 1,630 to 1,830 students, these schools offer a mix of academic strengths, attendance patterns, and student outcomes that parents should weigh carefully.

Frank W. Cox High is the clear academic leader, ranking 27th among 331 Virginia high schools in 2025-26 with a 5-star rating and an average SOL proficiency of 88.1%—well ahead of Ocean Lakes (77.4%) and First Colonial (78.2%). Cox has climbed from #69 to #27 over two years, posting perfect scores on several 9th and 10th grade SOL tests. However, it has the lowest graduation rate (93.8%) and highest dropout rate (4.3%) in the group. Ocean Lakes High excels at keeping students on track, with a 97.0% graduation rate and just 1.6% dropout rate—both the best among the three—though its state rank slipped from #37 to #69 over the same period. First Colonial High stands out for attendance, with chronic absenteeism of only 5.8%, far below the district average of 10.1% and less than half the state average; its students also outperform state averages on most SOL tests, but it trails both neighboring schools on test scores and overall rank.

One of the most striking divides is in World History II, where Cox scores 90% proficiency versus just 29.2% at Ocean Lakes and 53.3% at First Colonial—a 60-point gap on the same test. Across all three schools, 9th-grade test scores tend to be far stronger than upper-grade scores, likely reflecting course timing and retakes, while VA/US History remains a universal weak spot, with even Cox at only 40.5% proficiency. Spending is similar across schools ($13,450–$14,114 per student) and does not clearly drive outcomes. In short, Cox offers the strongest academics, Ocean Lakes the best graduation and dropout numbers, and First Colonial the best attendance—so parents should decide what matters most for their student.