Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

Summary:

Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle is a public middle school located in Newport News, Virginia, serving grades 6-8 with an enrollment of 1,060 students. The school has a diverse student population, with a high percentage of students from low-income families eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

Academically, Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle faces significant challenges. The school's performance on SOL (Standards of Learning) tests is generally lower than the Newport News City Public Schools district and the state of Virginia averages, with proficiency rates in Mathematics and English Reading well below the benchmarks. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of Virginia middle schools, placing it in the bottom 20% statewide. Additionally, the school's performance varies greatly across different student subgroups, with some groups performing significantly better than others.

When compared to nearby middle schools, Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle generally underperforms. For example, Crittenden Middle and Ethel M. Gildersleeve Middle, both within the Newport News City Public Schools district, have higher proficiency rates in Mathematics and English Reading. Interestingly, Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle is located relatively close to several higher-performing middle schools in the York County Public Schools district, such as Queens Lake Middle, Tabb Middle, and Yorktown Middle, which have significantly higher academic performance and statewide rankings.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 432 Industrial Park Dr
       Newport News, VA  23608


(757) 888-3300

District: Newport News City Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
371st of 417 Virginia Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,419 Help


Students who attend Ella J. FitzGerald Middle usually attend:

High:    Woodside High

Feeder schools for Ella J. FitzGerald Middle:

Elementary:    Oliver C. Greenwood Elementary
    Richneck Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  15.1 Help
Number of students:  969

Racial breakdown:

African American:
47.7%
Hispanic:
24.1%
White:
15.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  93.8% Help


 See top rated Virginia middle schools

 Compare Ella J. FitzGerald Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Ella J. FitzGerald Middle ranks worse than 89% of middle schools in Virginia. It also ranks 4th among 7 ranked middle schools in the Newport News City Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.56. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a 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 Student population at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (47.7%), Hispanic (24.1%), White (15.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 93.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Newport News City Public Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle is 15.1. 3 middle schools in the Newport News City Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Ella J. FitzGerald Middle employs 64 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle is $7,419, which is the lowest among 7 middle schools in the Newport News City Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ella J. FitzGerald Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Ella J. FitzGerald Middle 371st of 417 Virginia public middle schools. (See Ella J. FitzGerald Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Newport News City Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Newport News City Public Schools 110th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 27.94 308th 340 9.4%
2006 41.95 252nd 383 34.2%
2007 53.14 178th 387 54.0%
2008 37.10 280th 391 28.4%
2009 22.35 346th 390 11.3%
2010 31.75 326th 408 20.1%
2011 26.91 351st 413 15.0%
2012 31.86 329th 413 20.3%
2013 40.72 251st 416 39.7%
2014 36.08 279th 416 32.9%
2015 26.63 338th 412 18.0%
2016 25.76 344th 409 15.9%
2017 22.47 357th 415 14.0%
2018 19.05 374th 413 9.4%
2019 16.09 387th 424 8.7%
2021 20.38 353rd 419 15.8%
2022 21.86 347th 415 16.4%
2023 28.37 332nd 422 21.3%
2024 18.56 371st 417 11.0%
See the entire list of Virginia Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 32.68 168th 231 27.3%
2024 27.17 188th 237 20.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 31.04 73rd 100 27.0%
2024 31.95 79th 122 35.2%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 22.01 335th 402 16.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 31.29 310th 411 24.6%
2024 20.61 350th 407 14.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 20.10 235th 278 15.5%
2024 23.83 217th 281 22.8%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 25.92 98th 114 14.0%
2024 9.20 122nd 123 0.8%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 25.67 323rd 409 21.0%
2024 16.80 366th 407 10.1%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 32.71 103rd 132 22.0%
2024 5.83 124th 128 3.1%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 42.73 180th 298 39.6%
2024 30.07 224th 299 25.1%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 29.02 207th 275 24.7%
2024 29.18 209th 272 23.2%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 30.15 316th 402 21.4%
2024 13.42 374th 396 5.6%
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.

Ella J. FitzGerald Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1.5)
0%

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50%

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Reviews:
by a student
Monday, November 4, 2013

Open Quote I currently attend this school and I have not liked in the year and a half I've been here. Last year, one of my teachers was extremely rude and inconsiderate. She did not seem to care about any of the students and because of her, I almost failed Math. This year however, seems to be going in the correct direction if it continues this way. My History teacher is out at the moment, and we've had a substitute for several weeks, and she is not exactly nice. She will not let you leave the room or ask you questions in the first 20 minutes of class (apparently it's "too early" to ask. WTH????). The other teachers are pretty nice but you do have some bad apples in there.

Another thing that really ticks me off is that we have to be there by 7: 20, meaning most of the time I'm getting up at 5: 30 to catch a bus, and I am an insomniac, so I get less sleep than the average kid... It really doesn't help. It's only the third month of school and I look like Zombie Summer from the Walking Dead. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Ella J. FitzGerald 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 1207 1207
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1082 1082
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 1096 1096
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1124 1124
1993 702 352 51 51 4 n/a n/a 0 1160
1994 695 430 52 53 4 n/a n/a 0 1234
1995 593 448 48 51 9 n/a n/a 0 1149
1996 593 448 48 51 9 n/a n/a 0 1149
1997 596 438 67 78 9 n/a n/a 0 1188
1998 566 403 47 66 12 n/a n/a 0 1094
1999 516 453 52 50 18 n/a n/a 0 1089
2000 504 477 46 47 16 n/a n/a -4 1086
2001 505 488 62 54 9 n/a n/a 0 1118
2002 397 504 36 57 4 n/a n/a 0 998
2003 397 504 36 57 4 n/a n/a 0 998
2004 382 520 35 82 6 n/a n/a 0 1025
2005 351 520 50 93 8 n/a n/a 5 1027
2006 328 507 44 78 9 n/a n/a 4 970
2007 301 409 42 82 7 n/a n/a 4 845
2008 286 438 41 83 3 n/a n/a 8 859
2009 272 403 32 91 1 n/a n/a 10 809
2010 330 530 43 118 7 n/a n/a 24 1052
2011 310 569 55 175 4 2 8 0 1123
2012 322 573 55 176 4 1 14 0 1145
2013 321 626 48 158 3 3 32 0 1191
2014 297 594 50 163 1 2 36 0 1143
2015 281 550 49 191 1 2 39 0 1113
2016 274 513 57 186 1 5 58 0 1094
2017 274 530 46 178 3 9 73 0 1113
2018 234 519 51 174 6 7 83 0 1074
2019 232 571 43 182 4 7 104 0 1143
2020 223 592 40 221 5 7 111 0 1199
2021 220 545 32 241 1 8 121 0 1168
2022 197 528 31 248 2 7 101 0 1114
2023 185 489 34 247 2 6 97 0 1060
2024 150 462 28 234 4 4 87 0 969

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 Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 1207 74.7 16.1 n/a
1990 1082 69.8 15.5 n/a
1991 1096 69.9 15.6 n/a
1992 1124 71.2 15.7 n/a
1993 1160 75.7 15.3 n/a
1994 1234 60.7 n/a 22.3
1995 1149 n/a 0.0 27.9
1996 1149 n/a 0.0 27.9
1997 1188 n/a 0.0 26.9
1998 1094 n/a 0.0 30.2
1999 1089 67.0 16.3 37.6
2000 1086 n/a 0.0 42.9
2001 1118 70.0 16.0 41.7
2002 998 69.5 14.4 39.4
2003 998 69.5 14.4 39.4
2004 1025 64.5 15.9 44.3
2005 1027 65.5 15.7 44.8
2006 970 70.0 13.9 40.7
2007 845 65.7 12.9 39.7
2008 859 42.9 20.0 41.7
2009 809 39.1 20.7 46.1
2010 1052 55.3 19.0 46.8
2011 1123 56.1 19.9 52
2012 1145 69.5 16.4 52.6
2013 1191 72.3 16.4 53.9
2014 1143 75.2 15.1 53.8
2015 1113 76.0 14.6 58
2016 1094 68.0 16.0 57.7
2017 1113 72.1 15.4 59.1
2018 1074 73.4 14.6 61.6
2019 1143 70.6 16.1 83.3
2020 1199 75.0 15.9 75.5
2021 1168 79.4 14.6 n/a
2022 1114 77.3 14.3 81.2
2023 1060 67.0 15.8 87.4
2024 969 64.0 15.1 93.8

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 Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 1207 74.7 16.1 n/a
1990 1082 69.8 15.5 n/a
1991 1096 69.9 15.6 n/a
1992 1124 71.2 15.7 n/a
1993 1160 75.7 15.3 n/a
1994 1234 60.7 n/a 22.3
1995 1149 n/a 0.0 27.9
1996 1149 n/a 0.0 27.9
1997 1188 n/a 0.0 26.9
1998 1094 n/a 0.0 30.2
1999 1089 67.0 16.3 37.6
2000 1086 n/a 0.0 42.9
2001 1118 70.0 16.0 41.7
2002 998 69.5 14.4 39.4
2003 998 69.5 14.4 39.4
2004 1025 64.5 15.9 44.3
2005 1027 65.5 15.7 44.8
2006 970 70.0 13.9 40.7
2007 845 65.7 12.9 39.7
2008 859 42.9 20.0 41.7
2009 809 39.1 20.7 46.1
2010 1052 55.3 19.0 46.8
2011 1123 56.1 19.9 52
2012 1145 69.5 16.4 52.6
2013 1191 72.3 16.4 53.9
2014 1143 75.2 15.1 53.8
2015 1113 76.0 14.6 58
2016 1094 68.0 16.0 57.7
2017 1113 72.1 15.4 59.1
2018 1074 73.4 14.6 61.6
2019 1143 70.6 16.1 83.3
2020 1199 75.0 15.9 75.5
2021 1168 79.4 14.6 n/a
2022 1114 77.3 14.3 81.2
2023 1060 67.0 15.8 87.4
2024 969 64.0 15.1 93.8

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 Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $27 (0.9%) $2,875 (99.1%) $2,902
2020 $112 (1.6%) $6,879 (98.4%) $6,991
2021 $126 (1.7%) $7,292 (98.3%) $7,419

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Ella J. FitzGerald 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 387th of 424 Middle schoolsRanks 332nd of 422 Middle schools
 12.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Ella J. FitzGerald Middle)7250.7
 21.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Newport News City Public Schools)6950.8
 18.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7857.8
 20.2%
6th Grade English Reading (Ella J. FitzGerald Middle)6354.1
 8.9%
   6th Grade English Reading (Newport News City Public Schools)6255.5
 6.5%
   6th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7770.4
 6.6%
7th Grade English Reading (Ella J. FitzGerald Middle)6854.3
 13.7%
   7th Grade English Reading (Newport News City Public Schools)6656.3
 9.8%
   7th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7970.3
 8.7%
8th Grade Writing (Ella J. FitzGerald Middle)5843.6
 14.4%
   8th Grade Writing (Newport News City Public Schools)5339.8
 13.2%
   8th Grade Writing (Virginia)7055.5
 14.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Ella J. FitzGerald Middle)5545.7
 9.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Newport News City Public Schools)4337.4
 5.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7748.4
 28.6%
8th Grade Science (Ella J. FitzGerald Middle)6448.2
 15.8%
   8th Grade Science (Newport News City Public Schools)6545.7
 19.3%
   8th Grade Science (Virginia)7860.7
 17.3%
8th Grade English Reading (Ella J. FitzGerald Middle)6459.3
 4.7%
   8th Grade English Reading (Newport News City Public Schools)6259.1
 2.9%
   8th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7670.7
 5.3%
End of Course Geometry (Ella J. FitzGerald Middle)9595
   End of Course Geometry (Newport News City Public Schools)7762
 15%
   End of Course Geometry (Virginia)8380
 3%
End of Course Algebra I (Ella J. FitzGerald Middle)9696
   End of Course Algebra I (Newport News City Public Schools)8180
 1%
   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 Students11431060
 7.3%
African American571489
 14.4%
American Indian42
 50%
Asian4334
 20.9%
Hispanic182247
 35.7%
Pacific Islander76
 14.3%
White232185
 20.3%
Two or More Races10497
 6.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients83.3%87.4%
 4.1%


Schools Near Ella J. FitzGerald Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Ella J. FitzGerald Middle

In the 2023-24 school year, 969 students attended Ella J. FitzGerald Middle.

Students who attend Ella J. FitzGerald Middle usually go on to attend Woodside High

Students at Ella J. FitzGerald Middle are 48% African American, 24% Hispanic, 15% White, 9% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

Ella J. FitzGerald Middle ranks in the bottom 11.0% of Virginia middle schools.


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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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