Benjamin Syms Middle

Summary:

Benjamin Syms Middle is a public middle school in Hampton, Virginia, serving 897 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Hampton City Public Schools district, which is ranked 56 out of 130 school districts in Virginia and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Benjamin Syms Middle has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, with a higher percentage of African American (53.18%) and Hispanic (7.13%) students. The school generally performs better than the Hampton City Public Schools district average and the state average on SOL tests, particularly in Geometry, Algebra I, and Earth Science, but struggles in Mathematics with proficiency rates below the district and state averages. Benjamin Syms Middle also ranks highly (4 out of 5 stars) for its military-connected student population, indicating strong support and performance for this student group.

When compared to other nearby middle schools, Benjamin Syms Middle performs better than the lower-performing schools in the Newport News City Public Schools district, such as Crittenden Middle and Huntington Middle. However, it lags behind the higher-performing schools in the York County Public Schools district, such as Tabb Middle, and the Poquoson City Public Schools district, such as Poquoson Middle. The nearby Francis W. Jones Magnet Middle School also outperforms Benjamin Syms Middle across multiple metrics, highlighting the potential benefits of a magnet school model.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 170 Fox Hill Rd
       Hampton, VA  23669


(757) 850-5050

District: Hampton City Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
255th of 417 Virginia Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,984 Help


Students who attend Benjamin Syms Middle usually attend:

High:    Kecoughtan High

Feeder schools for Benjamin Syms Middle:

Elementary:    Albert W. Patrick III Elementary
    Francis Asbury Elementary
    Jane H. Bryan Elementary
    Mary T. Christian Elementary
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  13.9 Help
Number of students:  897

Racial breakdown:

African American:
53.2%
White:
27.4%
Two or more races:
10.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  68.7% Help


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 Compare Benjamin Syms Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Benjamin Syms Middle ranks worse than 61.2% of middle schools in Virginia. It also ranks 3rd among 5 ranked middle schools in the Hampton City Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 43.99. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Benjamin Syms Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Hampton City Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Benjamin Syms Middle is $6,984, which is the lowest among 5 middle schools in the Hampton City Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Benjamin Syms Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Benjamin Syms Middle 255th of 417 Virginia public middle schools. (See Benjamin Syms Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Hampton City Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Hampton City Public Schools 56th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Benjamin Syms Middle.

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Rank History for Benjamin Syms Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Benjamin Syms Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 59.69 154th 340 54.7%
2006 61.82 106th 383 72.3%
2007 63.46 107th 387 72.4%
2008 51.76 186th 391 52.4%
2009 39.84 258th 390 33.8%
2010 39.51 280th 408 31.4%
2011 30.36 337th 413 18.4%
2012 29.68 338th 413 18.2%
2013 30.94 313th 416 24.8%
2014 34.19 291st 416 30.0%
2015 27.27 332nd 412 19.4%
2016 27.57 332nd 409 18.8%
2017 30.34 324th 415 21.9%
2018 24.14 355th 413 14.0%
2019 23.49 360th 424 15.1%
2021 40.59 243rd 419 42.0%
2022 39.06 256th 415 38.3%
2023 44.86 247th 422 41.5%
2024 43.99 255th 417 38.8%
See the entire list of Virginia Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Benjamin Syms Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 52.56 105th 231 54.5%
2024 53.44 104th 237 56.1%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Benjamin Syms Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 52.21 192nd 402 52.2%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Benjamin Syms Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 44.79 246th 411 40.1%
2024 50.01 221st 407 45.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Benjamin Syms Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 45.17 135th 278 51.4%
2024 35.89 170th 281 39.5%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Benjamin Syms Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 64.45 33rd 114 71.1%
2024 65.90 33rd 123 73.2%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Benjamin Syms Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 44.31 237th 409 42.1%
2024 37.92 267th 407 34.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Benjamin Syms Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 46.55 167th 298 44.0%
2024 47.20 167th 299 44.1%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Benjamin Syms Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 57.45 104th 275 62.2%
2024 57.30 108th 272 60.3%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Benjamin Syms Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 65.04 132nd 402 67.2%
2024 54.96 182nd 396 54.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Virginia Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Benjamin Syms Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.3)
33%

33%

0%

0%

33%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Monday, September 12, 2016

Open Quote The administration and staff are committed to the academic, emotional, and social well-being of the students. Yes it is a tough job , but I have witnessed that the care and concern for our children is genuine. Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Open Quote I do not recommend Syms Middle School for any child. It is over crowded and bullying problems are out of control (not just with children). Administration talks down to parents and they are not helpful at all. It's all together an unpleasant experience. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Benjamin Syms Middle

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1041 1041
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1040 1040
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 1119 1119
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1148 1148
1993 698 556 20 24 1 n/a n/a 0 1299
1994 703 570 15 22 3 n/a n/a 0 1313
1995 690 523 22 21 5 n/a n/a 0 1261
1996 690 523 22 21 5 n/a n/a 0 1261
1997 650 582 15 26 5 n/a n/a 0 1278
1998 704 586 9 22 3 n/a n/a 0 1324
1999 593 461 11 15 4 n/a n/a 0 1084
2000 622 450 13 17 5 n/a n/a -4 1103
2001 590 455 20 17 6 n/a n/a 0 1088
2002 599 459 22 26 4 n/a n/a 0 1110
2003 599 459 22 26 4 n/a n/a 0 1110
2004 579 496 18 23 3 n/a n/a 0 1119
2005 602 531 21 30 11 n/a n/a 0 1195
2006 600 504 19 39 10 n/a n/a 0 1172
2007 596 495 26 36 8 n/a n/a 0 1161
2008 578 528 25 49 5 n/a n/a 0 1185
2009 531 498 24 36 3 n/a n/a 0 1092
2010 481 464 21 50 2 n/a n/a 9 1027
2011 429 570 16 65 7 4 64 0 1155
2012 434 526 21 69 5 3 63 0 1121
2013 416 498 21 59 1 2 52 0 1049
2014 351 537 18 57 3 4 56 0 1026
2015 339 554 15 50 4 3 54 0 1019
2016 290 533 12 65 3 2 62 0 967
2017 287 535 13 63 3 6 54 0 961
2018 279 479 15 76 3 2 81 0 935
2019 294 492 14 74 2 2 76 0 954
2020 283 514 10 81 3 1 82 0 974
2021 260 531 14 74 6 1 92 0 978
2022 258 512 18 71 3 1 110 0 973
2023 246 477 14 64 2 1 93 0 897

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Benjamin Syms Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 1041 66.5 15.6 n/a
1990 1040 65.3 15.9 n/a
1991 1119 61.5 18.1 n/a
1992 1148 62.6 18.3 n/a
1993 1299 83.4 15.6 n/a
1994 1313 72.3 n/a 30
1995 1261 n/a 0.0 30.4
1996 1261 n/a 0.0 30.4
1997 1278 n/a 0.0 32.8
1998 1324 n/a 0.0 31.9
1999 1084 81.0 13.4 38.6
2000 1103 n/a 0.0 38.8
2001 1088 79.0 13.8 37.8
2002 1110 93.0 11.9 42
2003 1110 93.0 11.9 42
2004 1119 82.0 13.6 41.5
2005 1195 80.0 14.9 42.1
2006 1172 80.0 14.7 35.7
2007 1161 73.9 15.7 36.2
2008 1185 55.4 21.4 36.3
2009 1092 55.8 19.6 42.2
2010 1027 56.1 18.3 41.7
2011 1155 49.0 23.5 47.9
2012 1121 72.6 15.4 55.8
2013 1049 77.0 13.6 58.2
2014 1026 68.3 15.0 61.8
2015 1019 77.0 13.2 62.3
2016 967 74.0 13.0 72.7
2017 961 67.8 14.1 71.8
2018 935 65.4 14.2 69.6
2019 954 61.8 15.4 71.4
2020 974 68.7 14.1 68.1
2021 978 62.7 15.5 n/a
2022 973 59.0 16.4 68.1
2023 897 64.5 13.9 68.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Benjamin Syms Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 1041 66.5 15.6 n/a
1990 1040 65.3 15.9 n/a
1991 1119 61.5 18.1 n/a
1992 1148 62.6 18.3 n/a
1993 1299 83.4 15.6 n/a
1994 1313 72.3 n/a 30
1995 1261 n/a 0.0 30.4
1996 1261 n/a 0.0 30.4
1997 1278 n/a 0.0 32.8
1998 1324 n/a 0.0 31.9
1999 1084 81.0 13.4 38.6
2000 1103 n/a 0.0 38.8
2001 1088 79.0 13.8 37.8
2002 1110 93.0 11.9 42
2003 1110 93.0 11.9 42
2004 1119 82.0 13.6 41.5
2005 1195 80.0 14.9 42.1
2006 1172 80.0 14.7 35.7
2007 1161 73.9 15.7 36.2
2008 1185 55.4 21.4 36.3
2009 1092 55.8 19.6 42.2
2010 1027 56.1 18.3 41.7
2011 1155 49.0 23.5 47.9
2012 1121 72.6 15.4 55.8
2013 1049 77.0 13.6 58.2
2014 1026 68.3 15.0 61.8
2015 1019 77.0 13.2 62.3
2016 967 74.0 13.0 72.7
2017 961 67.8 14.1 71.8
2018 935 65.4 14.2 69.6
2019 954 61.8 15.4 71.4
2020 974 68.7 14.1 68.1
2021 978 62.7 15.5 n/a
2022 973 59.0 16.4 68.1
2023 897 64.5 13.9 68.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Benjamin Syms Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,189 (15.8%) $6,337 (84.2%) $7,526
2020 $772 (10.0%) $6,924 (90.0%) $7,696
2021 $778 (11.1%) $6,207 (88.9%) $6,984

Data source: Virginia Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Benjamin Syms Middle

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 360th of 424 Middle schoolsRanks 247th of 422 Middle schools
 26.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Benjamin Syms Middle)6955.9
 13.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Hampton City Public Schools)7459.8
 14.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7857.8
 20.2%
6th Grade English Reading (Benjamin Syms Middle)6661
 5%
   6th Grade English Reading (Hampton City Public Schools)7563.7
 11.3%
   6th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7770.4
 6.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Benjamin Syms Middle)5446.3
 7.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Hampton City Public Schools)6338.6
 24.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7851.4
 26.6%
7th Grade English Reading (Benjamin Syms Middle)7069.8
 0.2%
   7th Grade English Reading (Hampton City Public Schools)7868.4
 9.6%
   7th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7970.3
 8.7%
8th Grade Writing (Benjamin Syms Middle)5339.9
 13.1%
   8th Grade Writing (Hampton City Public Schools)6653.1
 12.9%
   8th Grade Writing (Virginia)7055.5
 14.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Benjamin Syms Middle)8065.2
 14.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Hampton City Public Schools)8756
 31%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7748.4
 28.6%
8th Grade Science (Benjamin Syms Middle)6358.8
 4.2%
   8th Grade Science (Hampton City Public Schools)7662.4
 13.6%
   8th Grade Science (Virginia)7860.7
 17.3%
8th Grade English Reading (Benjamin Syms Middle)6966.8
 2.2%
   8th Grade English Reading (Hampton City Public Schools)7773.4
 3.6%
   8th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7670.7
 5.3%
End of Course Geometry (Benjamin Syms Middle)9897
 1%
   End of Course Geometry (Hampton City Public Schools)8080
   End of Course Geometry (Virginia)8380
 3%
End of Course Algebra I (Benjamin Syms Middle)9799
 2%
   End of Course Algebra I (Hampton City Public Schools)8688
 2%
   End of Course Algebra I (Virginia)8680
 6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students954897
 6%
African American492477
 3%
American Indian22
Asian1414
Hispanic7464
 13.5%
Pacific Islander21
 50%
White294246
 16.3%
Two or More Races7693
 22.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients71.4%68.7%
 2.7%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Benjamin Syms Middle

In the 2022-23 school year, 897 students attended Benjamin Syms Middle.

Students who attend Benjamin Syms Middle usually go on to attend Kecoughtan High

Benjamin Syms Middle ranks 255th of 417 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Benjamin Syms Middle are 53% African American, 27% White, 10% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic, 2% Asian.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Virginia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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