Summary:
Zip code 23507 in Norfolk, Virginia, contains just one school: Walter Herron Taylor Elementary, a PK–5 elementary school with 403 students. Because there are no middle or high schools in this zip code, students move on to schools outside the area after 5th grade, making this school the sole educational anchor for the community’s youngest learners. It operates under Norfolk City Public Schools, a district that ranks 112th out of 131 Virginia districts, but the school itself is a bright spot within that system.
Walter Herron Taylor Elementary is a clear standout compared with its district. In 2025–2026, the school ranked 406th out of 1,111 Virginia elementary schools (63rd percentile, 3 stars), while its district sits near the bottom of the state. The school outperforms the district in every reported subject and grade level, often by wide margins — for example, 3rd grade math at 81.0% vs. 58.4% districtwide, and 4th grade VA Studies at 80.9% vs. 53.4%. Its average proficiency of 77.6% also exceeds the state average of 71.9%. The school has slipped from an 80th-percentile, 4-star ranking in 2023–2024, but it remains a strong performer overall, especially given that its reported free/reduced lunch rate of 101.49% reflects very high economic need across the student body.
Attendance is a relative strength, with a 13.5% chronic absenteeism rate that beats both the district (17.9%) and state (14.8%) averages. The main areas to watch are 5th grade science (64.8% vs. 68.8% statewide) and a notable 14-point drop in 5th grade math from 86.3% to 72.2% year over year. Positive trends include big gains in 3rd grade math and reading and a jump in 5th grade VA Studies from 61.7% to 79.6%. For parents, Walter Herron Taylor Elementary offers a solid, above-average education within a struggling district, with strong early-grade results and a supportive attendance culture — just keep an eye on 5th grade performance as the transition to middle school approaches.
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