Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle Schools

Best Middle Schools
in Norfolk City Public Schools

This page covers 6 middle schools in Norfolk City Public Schools. Rankings use a composite of neighborhood opportunity, class sizes, and per-student investment — signals available consistently from federal data across all US public schools. Schools in this district score below the national median on neighborhood opportunity. Use these rankings as a starting point; pair them with school visits and conversations with local parents before making any enrollment decision.

6
Schools Ranked
Virginia
State
None
Charter Schools
RankingsHow We RankFAQAbout Data

Middle Schools Rankings

Showing 6 of 6
1
rank
William H. Ruffner Middle
Grades 06–08436 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (10.4:1)
46
/100
Student:Teacher
10.4:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
31/100
Below nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,957
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
87%
High economic need
2
rank
NORTHSIDE MIDDLE
Grades 06–08763 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (12.7:1)
45
/100
Student:Teacher
12.7:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
38/100
Below nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,957
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
93%
High economic need
3
rank
BLAIR MIDDLE
Grades 06–081,149 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
44
/100
Student:Teacher
13.8:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
40/100
Near nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,957
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
92%
High economic need
4
rank
Azalea Gardens Middle
Grades 06–08848 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
42
/100
Student:Teacher
16.0:1
Near nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
35/100
Below nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,957
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
83%
High economic need
5
rank
NORVIEW MIDDLE
Grades 06–081,259 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
42
/100
Student:Teacher
15.0:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
35/100
Below nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,957
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
89%
High economic need
6
rank
ACADEMY FOR DISCOVERY AT LAKEWOOD
Grades 03–08719 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
42
/100
Student:Teacher
14.4:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
38/100
Below nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$15,957
Above nat'l avg
Free Lunch
98%
High economic need
How We Rank Middle Schools

Each school receives a composite score (0–100) built from 4 federal data signals, weighted to reflect what matters most at the middle school level. All signals are normalised against national benchmarks so a school's score reflects its standing across the entire US, not just within this district.

Neighborhood Opportunity
35%
Harvard Opportunity Atlas score for the school's neighbourhood. Reflects long-run economic outcomes for children raised in this area.
Student-Teacher Ratio
30%
Lower ratio = smaller classes. Particularly important during the middle years when academic and social needs are at their most complex.
Per-Pupil Expenditure
20%
Annual district spending per enrolled student from the NCES F-33 Finance Survey. Compared against national average.
Free Lunch Rate
15%
Percentage of students qualifying for free/reduced-price lunch. Reflects the economic profile of the community the school serves.
Test scores are excluded: they are not published as consistent open federal data across all states, making reliable cross-district comparison impossible with this signal alone.
District at a Glance
6
Middle Schools
45
Total Schools
46
#1 Score
44
Avg Score
Top Ranked Middle School
Other School Levels
Compare Norfolk City Public Schools with neighbouring districts
⇄ Compare districts
Frequently Asked Questions
About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets: NCES Common Core of Data (enrollment, school characteristics, student-teacher ratios), NCES F-33 Finance Survey (per-pupil expenditure), Harvard Opportunity Atlas (neighbourhood opportunity scores). Federal data is published on an annual cycle and may not reflect the very latest school-year changes. Rankings reflect available data and should be used as a starting point — not a substitute for visiting schools or consulting district resources directly. What this ranking does not measure: teacher quality, classroom culture, extracurricular programmes, school safety, or parent and student satisfaction.