Best Public Schools in Zip Code 23603

Zip code 23603 in Newport News, Virginia contains exactly one school: Katherine Johnson Elementary, a PK-5 elementary school serving 553 students as part of Newport News City Public Schools. This high-poverty school serves a predominantly low-income population, with 98.55% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school has shown meaningful academic improvement recently, climbing from the 15th percentile statewide in 2023-24 and 2024-25 to the 22nd percentile in 2025-26.

Katherine Johnson Elementary demonstrated strong momentum in the 2025-26 school year, improving in 6 of 8 tested grade-subject combinations. The most dramatic gain came in 5th grade reading, which jumped from 52% proficient to 68.24% proficient, a +16.24 percentage-point increase. The school also made solid gains in 3rd grade math (+10.14 points), 3rd grade reading (+9.61 points), and 5th grade math (+7.38 points). In 2025-26, the school outperformed its district in 5 of 8 tested areas, including all three 5th-grade subjects (math, science, and reading) and 3rd grade reading. Chronic absenteeism stands at 12.3%, which is better than both the district average of 18.5% and the state average of 14.8% — a notable achievement given the high level of economic need.

Despite these bright spots, challenges remain. The school still trails the state average in every subject, and 4th grade math is a particular weakness, with only 52% proficiency compared to 60.01% in the district and 73.29% statewide — a decline of 4.10 points from the prior year. The student-teacher ratio is relatively high at 18.4 to 1, and with no other schools in zip code 23603, families have no choice of elementary school within the zip code and no middle or high school options at all. The school retains a 1-star rating and remains in the bottom quarter of Virginia elementary schools. However, with continued momentum — especially in upper-elementary grades — and targeted attention to 4th grade math, Katherine Johnson Elementary has the potential to keep climbing the statewide rankings.