NHP is not a weak school being rescued by rezoning.
Official VDOE SOL trend data shows that in 2024-25, Norfolk Highlands Primary outperformed Georgetown Primary, Sparrow Road Intermediate, and Thurgood Marshall Elementary in both English/Reading and Mathematics.
That does not mean test scores are the only measure of a school. They are not. But they are a public, comparable warning sign. Before CPS removes students from NHP, CPS should prove that the receiving-school plan protects academic quality, teacher continuity, class sizes, IEP supports, transportation, and family stability.
Short Summary
The three graphs show that Norfolk Highlands Primary is doing strong work. The school is close to full, its enrollment has gone back up since the COVID drop, and its 2024-25 Math score is above the 80% mark.
Norfolk Highlands also scored higher than the comparison schools in both Math and English/Reading in 2024-25. That means this school should not be treated like a weak school that needs to be closed. It should be kept open as an example of what is working.
Instead of breaking up the school team, CPS should study what Norfolk Highlands is doing well. The effective teacher team and task force there could help mentor teachers at other schools. That gives strong teachers a reason to stay, grow, and lead inside CPS, instead of facing the unknown and possibly leaving for another school system.
2024-25 summary
| School | Reading 2024-25 | Math 2024-25 | Reading gap vs NHP | Math gap vs NHP | Reading 5-year change | Math 5-year change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk Highlands Primary | 69.2% | 84.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 11.2% | 29.6% |
| Georgetown Primary | 58.8% | 62.3% | -10.4% | -22.3% | -7.2% | 2.3% |
| Sparrow Road Intermediate | 64.4% | 67.8% | -4.9% | -16.8% | 11.4% | 21.8% |
| Thurgood Marshall Elementary | 53.2% | 64.2% | -16.1% | -20.5% | -4.8% | 22.2% |
Why these schools are being compared
These are not random schools. They are the schools named in the CPS attendance-zone plan. The plan would close Norfolk Highlands Primary as a neighborhood K-3 school and move its students elsewhere. It would also change nearby school grade levels: Georgetown Primary would move from K-3 to K-2, and Sparrow Road Intermediate would move from grades 4-5 to grades 3-5.
That is why the comparison matters. If CPS is asking families to give up Norfolk Highlands Primary, the public should be able to see how Norfolk Highlands is doing compared with the schools that would receive students or be affected by the same plan.
STUDENTS Attendance rezoning
Approx. 300 as of Sept. 30, 2025
Interactive trend dashboard
Use the shared toggles to show or hide each school across all three charts at once. Norfolk Highlands is drawn thicker so the comparison stays focused on how NHP is performing against the proposed receiving-school group and Chesapeake overall.
The exact source tables remain below for backup, download, and citation purposes.
What this data can and cannot prove
What it can show: NHP’s publicly reported SOL results are strong compared with the likely receiving schools. It is reasonable for parents to ask why students should be moved out of a school that is performing well.
What it cannot show by itself: It does not prove causation, and it does not capture every part of school quality. Grade configuration, student mix, special education needs, teacher assignments, and cohort differences all matter.
Why it still matters: Because CPS is proposing a major student reassignment, the burden should be on CPS to show that the change will not reduce academic quality or disrupt student supports.
The missing numbers CPS should publish
Teacher transfer / retention
CPS has not published what percentage of current NHP teachers would transfer with students, move into the preschool program, transfer elsewhere, or leave CPS. This matters because school quality is not just a building. It is also teachers, relationships, routines, and institutional knowledge.
Family alternatives
CPS has not published what percentage of NHP families would choose homeschooling, private school, moving, or another alternative if NHP is removed as a neighborhood school. Public testimonials already show that some parents are considering alternatives rather than sending their children elsewhere.
Class-size impact
CPS has not published classroom-by-classroom projections showing what happens to class sizes at the receiving schools after NHP students are rezoned.
IEP and student-support continuity
CPS has not published a continuity plan showing how IEP services, related services, transportation, pickup routines, and therapy schedules would be protected for affected families.
Careful language on homeschooling and alternatives
We should not claim a percentage of families will homeschool or leave CPS unless we collect that data. The accurate statement is:
“Based on parent testimonials, there is a real risk that some families will pursue homeschooling, private school, moving, or other alternatives rather than accept the reassignment. CPS should survey affected families and publish the results before making a final decision.”
Source data tables
English / Reading trend table
| School | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 | 2020-21 to 2024-25 change | 2024-25 gap vs NHP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk Highlands Primary | 58.0% | 70.0% | 75.9% | 66.2% | 69.2% | 11.2% | 0.0% |
| Georgetown Primary | 66.0% | 54.0% | 63.3% | 55.6% | 58.8% | -7.2% | -10.4% |
| Sparrow Road Intermediate | 53.0% | 66.0% | 65.2% | 66.0% | 64.4% | 11.4% | -4.9% |
| Thurgood Marshall Elementary | 58.0% | 70.0% | 75.1% | 59.3% | 53.2% | -4.8% | -16.1% |
Mathematics trend table
| School | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 | 2020-21 to 2024-25 change | 2024-25 gap vs NHP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk Highlands Primary | 55.0% | 68.0% | 75.9% | 77.1% | 84.6% | 29.6% | 0.0% |
| Georgetown Primary | 60.0% | 64.0% | 70.5% | 62.5% | 62.3% | 2.3% | -22.3% |
| Sparrow Road Intermediate | 46.0% | 53.0% | 56.8% | 59.2% | 67.8% | 21.8% | -16.8% |
| Thurgood Marshall Elementary | 42.0% | 75.0% | 82.3% | 65.6% | 64.2% | 22.2% | -20.5% |
Download the source files
- Download the VDOE trend comparison workbook
- Download the English / Reading CSV
- Download the Math CSV
Note: These are school-level subject-area results for All Students. The 2020-21 school year should be interpreted carefully because SOL participation was affected by COVID. 2019-20 SOL results are not available because state assessments were cancelled.