Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 40 schools in district

HERITAGE HIGH

5800 Marshall Ave, Newport News, VA 23605Newport News City Public Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,111
Students
Total enrolled
84%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$16,495
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 15% vs nat'l
13.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 10% vs nat'l
35/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 31% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,111 students in grades 09–12 in Newport News, Virginia.
15% above average funding
District spends $16,495 per pupil, 15% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 35th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

HERITAGE HIGH is a very large high in Newport News, Virginia, serving grades 09–12 with 1,111 students. The district invests $16,495 per student — 15% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 85% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 35/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at HERITAGE HIGH

1,111
Total Students
13.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
85%
Free Lunch
80
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution590 male · 521 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility85%
National avg 52% · 945 students
Student Composition
9%
77%
Asian1%
White6%
Hispanic / Latino9%
Black77%
Multiracial6%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 510264001451

Academic Outcomes at HERITAGE HIGH

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
84
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
84%
State avg
87%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
35
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 35th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 9th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 23605

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,495Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,495
State avg
$16,302
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,258
Student Support$3,134
Administration$1,979
Operations$2,474
Other$1,650
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,495 spent per student, an estimated $7,307 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
51%
32%
State government
50.6%
Local (property tax)
31.8%
Federal programs
17.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 84% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (35/100) — national median is 50
  • 85% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Joseph H. Saunders ElementaryKiln Creek ElementaryCarver ElementaryACHIEVABLE DREAM ACADEMY
+16 more
↓
Middle
ETHEL M. GILDERSLEEVE MIDDLEELLA J. FITZGERALD MIDDLEMARY PASSAGE MIDDLEHOMER L. HINES MIDDLE
+1 more
↓
High School
WOODSIDE HIGHMENCHVILLE HIGHWARWICK HIGHDENBIGH HIGH
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyNewport News city
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictNewport News City Public Schools →
Phone: (757)928-6100
NCES ID: 510264001451
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Newport News seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Newport News City Public Schools
High
WOODSIDE HIGH
1,807 students · 09–12
● 40 opp88% FRL
High
MENCHVILLE HIGH
1,788 students · 09–12
● 38 opp87% FRL
High
WARWICK HIGH
1,645 students · 09–12
● 42 opp86% FRL
High
DENBIGH HIGH
1,225 students · 09–12
● 40 opp65% FRL
Mid
ETHEL M. GILDERSLEEVE MIDDLE
1,130 students · 06–08
● 34 opp89% FRL
Mid
ELLA J. FITZGERALD MIDDLE
1,060 students · 06–08
● 40 opp87% FRL
Mid
MARY PASSAGE MIDDLE
944 students · 06–08
● 40 opp87% FRL
Mid
HOMER L. HINES MIDDLE
877 students · 06–08
● 42 opp85% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
5800 Marshall Ave, Newport News, VA 23605
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.