Vernon Johns Middle

Summary:

Vernon Johns Middle is a public middle school located in Petersburg, Virginia, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 921 students, the majority of whom are African American.

Despite having a relatively low student-teacher ratio and higher per-student spending compared to the state average, Vernon Johns Middle consistently ranks among the lowest-performing middle schools in Virginia, significantly underperforming on state assessments compared to the state and district averages. The school has an extremely high percentage of students from low-income families, with 98.7% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, which is much higher than the state and district averages. When compared to nearby schools like Bailey Bridge Middle, Falling Creek Middle, and J.E.J. Moore Middle, the differences in academic performance, socioeconomic status, and other key metrics are quite stark, with Vernon Johns Middle lagging significantly behind.

The combination of low academic performance, high poverty rates, and the school's isolation within the Petersburg City Public Schools district suggests that Vernon Johns Middle may face significant challenges in improving student outcomes. However, the relatively low student-teacher ratio and higher per-student spending could also present opportunities for targeted interventions and support if implemented effectively.

Detail:

Public 6-8

3101 Homestead Drive
Petersburg, VA 23805

(804) 862-7020

District: Petersburg City Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
408^th of 417 Virginia Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,038

Students who attend Vernon Johns Middle usually attend:

High:

Petersburg High

Feeder schools for Vernon Johns Middle:

Elementary:	Cool Spring Elementary
	Lakemont Elementary
	Pleasants Lane Elementary
	Walnut Hill Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 14.2

Number of students: 921

Racial breakdown:

African American:

86.8%

Hispanic:

9.3%

White:

2.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 98.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Vernon Johns Middle ranks worse than 97.8% of middle schools in Virginia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 4.34. (See more...)

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

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Vernon Johns Middle is $8,038.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Vernon Johns Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Vernon Johns Middle 408^th of 417 Virginia public middle schools. (See Vernon Johns Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Petersburg City Public Schools:

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

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Rank History for Vernon Johns Middle

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Rank History for all students at Vernon Johns Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile
2010	18.10	383^rd	408	6.1%
2011	19.51	378^th	413	8.5%
2012	22.01	370^th	413	10.4%
2013	19.83	367^th	416	11.8%
2014	26.54	325^th	416	21.9%
2015	18.21	363^rd	412	11.9%
2016	17.39	371^st	409	9.3%
2017	1.21	411^th	415	1.0%
2018	2.58	409^th	413	1.0%
2019	9.44	404^th	424	4.7%
2021	7.68	407^th	419	2.9%
2022	3.62	405^th	415	2.4%
2023	4.03	411^th	422	2.6%
2024	4.34	408^th	417	2.2%

See the entire list of Virginia Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Vernon Johns Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	9.63	384^th	402	4.5%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Vernon Johns Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	4.42	399^th	411	2.9%
2024	3.53	399^th	407	2.0%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Vernon Johns Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	7.47	277^th	278	0.4%
2024	12.76	259^th	281	7.8%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Vernon Johns Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	4.42	399^th	409	2.4%
2024	5.52	395^th	407	2.9%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Vernon Johns Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	14.16	272^nd	298	8.7%
2024	13.48	279^th	299	6.7%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Vernon Johns Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	7.79	274^th	275	0.4%
2024	5.60	270^th	272	0.7%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Vernon Johns Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	7.25	382^nd	396	3.5%

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.

Data source: Virginia Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Vernon Johns Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2009	9	572	1	18	0	n/a	n/a	2	602
2010	5	535	4	24	0	n/a	n/a	0	568
2011	6	514	5	20	1	0	2	0	548
2012	11	578	3	16	1	0	2	0	611
2013	13	541	2	22	2	0	0	0	580
2014	9	549	2	30	0	0	0	0	590
2015	1	519	1	31	0	0	1	0	553
2016	9	473	5	29	0	0	2	0	518
2017	12	675	6	36	0	0	4	0	733
2018	15	666	5	32	0	0	5	0	723
2019	13	721	1	51	0	0	5	0	791
2020	20	736	6	57	0	2	8	0	829
2021	26	777	4	76	0	1	7	0	891
2022	25	799	7	76	2	2	6	0	917
2023	27	799	2	86	2	1	4	0	921

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 Vernon Johns Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	602	34.0	17.7	76.2
2010	568	41.0	13.8	96.7
2011	548	39.0	14.0	75.9
2012	611	43.0	14.2	84.8
2013	580	35.0	16.5	78.4
2014	590	45.0	13.1	85.6
2015	553	43.0	12.8	98.7
2016	518	38.0	13.6	99.4
2017	733	55.0	13.3	97
2018	723	56.0	12.9	99.6
2019	791	54.8	14.4	99.6
2020	829	66.0	12.5	98.7
2021	891	59.0	15.0	n/a
2022	917	59.8	15.3	89.2
2023	921	64.5	14.2	98.7

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 Vernon Johns Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	602	34.0	17.7	76.2
2010	568	41.0	13.8	96.7
2011	548	39.0	14.0	75.9
2012	611	43.0	14.2	84.8
2013	580	35.0	16.5	78.4
2014	590	45.0	13.1	85.6
2015	553	43.0	12.8	98.7
2016	518	38.0	13.6	99.4
2017	733	55.0	13.3	97
2018	723	56.0	12.9	99.6
2019	791	54.8	14.4	99.6
2020	829	66.0	12.5	98.7
2021	891	59.0	15.0	n/a
2022	917	59.8	15.3	89.2
2023	921	64.5	14.2	98.7

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 Vernon Johns Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,181 (15.1%)	$6,621 (84.9%)	$7,802
2020	$1,357 (16.6%)	$6,824 (83.4%)	$8,182
2021	$1,510 (18.8%)	$6,528 (81.2%)	$8,038

Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Vernon Johns 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 404^th of 424 Middle schools	Ranks 411^th of 422 Middle schools	2.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Vernon Johns Middle)	21	17.8	3.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Petersburg City Public Schools)	22	17.7	4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	78	57.8	20.2%
6th Grade English Reading (Vernon Johns Middle)	49	42.3	6.7%
6th Grade English Reading (Petersburg City Public Schools)	49	42.2	6.8%
6th Grade English Reading (Virginia)	77	70.4	6.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Vernon Johns Middle)	40	11.1	28.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Petersburg City Public Schools)	40	11	29%
7th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	78	51.4	26.6%
7th Grade English Reading (Vernon Johns Middle)	58	35.8	22.2%
7th Grade English Reading (Petersburg City Public Schools)	57	35.8	21.2%
7th Grade English Reading (Virginia)	79	70.3	8.7%
8th Grade Writing (Vernon Johns Middle)	34	18	16%
8th Grade Writing (Petersburg City Public Schools)	34	17.9	16.1%
8th Grade Writing (Virginia)	70	55.5	14.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Vernon Johns Middle)	52	28.9	23.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Petersburg City Public Schools)	52	28.7	23.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	77	48.4	28.6%
8th Grade Science (Vernon Johns Middle)	43	26.7	16.3%
8th Grade Science (Petersburg City Public Schools)	43	26.5	16.5%
8th Grade Science (Virginia)	78	60.7	17.3%
8th Grade English Reading (Vernon Johns Middle)	43	44.9	1.9%
8th Grade English Reading (Petersburg City Public Schools)	43	44.7	1.7%
8th Grade English Reading (Virginia)	76	70.7	5.3%
End of Course Algebra I (Vernon Johns Middle)	79	64	15%
End of Course Algebra I (Petersburg City Public Schools)	69	63	6%
End of Course Algebra I (Virginia)	86	80	6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	791	921	16.4%
African American	721	799	10.8%
American Indian	0	2
Asian	1	2	100%
Hispanic	51	86	68.6%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	13	27	107.7%
Two or More Races	5	4	20%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	99.6%	98.7%	0.9%

Schools Near Vernon Johns Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SOL Geometry (2024)	SOL Algebra I (2024)		SOL Algebra II (2024)	SOL Mathematics (2024)			SOL Science (2024)	SOL Earth Science (2024)	SOL English Reading (2024)			SOL Civics and Economics (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SOL Geometry 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 7th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Algebra II 8th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Science 8th Grade	SOL Earth Science 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL English Reading 8th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 7th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Vernon Johns Middle	Public	6-8	3101 Homestead Drive	Petersburg	23805	Petersburg city	Petersburg City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 862-7020	921	65	14.2	98.7%	27 (2.9%)	799 (86.8%)	86 (9.3%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.4%)	4.3	408^th of 417 public middle schools	2.2%		4	411^th of 422 public middle schools	2.6%	3			69.2		20.7	11.2	24.2	32.1		43.0	42.2	38.4		54.3	$8,038	$1,510	$6,528
Colonial Heights Middle	Public	6-8	500 Conduit Rd	Colonial Heights	23834	Colonial Heights city	Colonial Heights City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 524-3420	598	52	11.5	85.5%	296 (49.5%)	155 (25.9%)	70 (11.7%)	18 (3.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (9.7%)	36.2	288^th of 417 public middle schools	30.9%		46.1	245^th of 422 public middle schools	41.9%	43			94.0		47.2	53.3	42.4	60.1		57.7	56.1	62.7		83.4	$9,556	$793	$8,763
Matoaca Middle	Public	6-8	6001 Hickory Road	Petersburg	23803	Petersburg city	Chesterfield County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(804) 590-3130	865	59	14.6	45.1%	417 (48.2%)	332 (38.4%)	50 (5.8%)	9 (1.0%)	3 (0.3%)	3 (0.3%)	51 (5.9%)	20.3	361^st of 417 public middle schools	13.4%		28.9	328^th of 422 public middle schools	22.3%	33		100.0	69.8		37.1			31.0	81.6	64.4	58.1	59.7		65.5	$7,348	$124	$7,224
J.E.J. Moore Middle	Public	6-8	11455 Prince George Dr	Disputanta	23842	Prince George County	Prince George County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(804) 733-2740	1,393	109	12.9	32.6%	629 (45.2%)	413 (29.6%)	216 (15.5%)	17 (1.2%)	5 (0.4%)	8 (0.6%)	105 (7.5%)	61.8	161^st of 417 public middle schools	61.4%		55.2	197^th of 422 public middle schools	53.3%	36	100.0	100.0	98.9		70.7	69.5	56.9	58.2		76.1	81.2	74.1		70.9	$8,688	$519	$8,169
Carver Middle	Public	6-8	3800 Cougar Trail	Chester	23831	Chesterfield County	Chesterfield County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(804) 524-3620	1,022	71	14.3	80.3%	290 (28.4%)	527 (51.6%)	140 (13.7%)	12 (1.2%)	6 (0.6%)	6 (0.6%)	41 (4.0%)	7.8	400^th of 417 public middle schools	4.1%		12.4	389^th of 422 public middle schools	7.8%	11	77.3	100.0	64.4		27.1		19.2	28.5	82.4	49.8	51.8	52.4		49.5	$6,948	$363	$6,585
Carter G. Woodson Middle	Public	6-8	1000 Winston Churchill Drive	Hopewell	23860	Hopewell city	Hopewell City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 541-6404	826	70	11.8	101.6%	138 (16.7%)	542 (65.6%)	111 (13.4%)	5 (0.6%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.0%)	9.8	392^nd of 417 public middle schools	6.0%		8	404^th of 422 public middle schools	4.3%	12		100.0	98.0	100.0	32.9	26.8	21.1	21.9	84.0	45.9	47.5	46.1		51.9	$8,100	$951	$7,150
Elizabeth Davis Middle	Public	6-8	601 Corvus Court	Chester	23836	Chesterfield County	Chesterfield County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(804) 541-4700	1,337	88	15.2	44.0%	503 (37.6%)	379 (28.3%)	341 (25.5%)	39 (2.9%)	3 (0.2%)	6 (0.4%)	66 (4.9%)	45.9	243^rd of 417 public middle schools	41.7%		54.3	201^st of 422 public middle schools	52.4%	42	92.3	100.0	92.3		54.6			45.0	96.1	68.6	69.3	73.7		74.2	$6,984	$58	$6,927
Dinwiddie County Middle	Public	6-8	11608 Courthouse Road	Dinwiddie	23841	Dinwiddie County	Dinwiddie County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(804) 469-5430	958	65	14.8	83.5%	478 (49.9%)	334 (34.9%)	72 (7.5%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	3 (0.3%)	66 (6.9%)	20.7	359^th of 417 public middle schools	13.9%		20.4	365^th of 422 public middle schools	13.5%	6			93.8		41.6	36.0	42.8	59.9		56.0	50.0	59.5	47.2		$7,717	$252	$7,465
Salem Church Middle	Public	6-8	9700 Salem Church Rd.;	Richmond	23237	Chesterfield County	Chesterfield County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(804) 768-6225	910	62	14.6	79.6%	254 (27.9%)	284 (31.2%)	309 (34.0%)	13 (1.4%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	46 (5.1%)	7.7	401^st of 417 public middle schools	3.8%		9	400^th of 422 public middle schools	5.2%	1			73.6		31.9		13.3	39.1	82.8	45.6	45.4	49.8		54.8	$6,955	$115	$6,840
Falling Creek Middle	Public	6-8	4724 Hopkins Rd.	Richmond	23234	Chesterfield County	Chesterfield County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(804) 743-3640	1,419	87	16.3	80.1%	61 (4.3%)	537 (37.8%)	768 (54.1%)	19 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	32 (2.3%)	4.4	406^th of 417 public middle schools	2.6%		6.4	406^th of 422 public middle schools	3.8%				66.9		16.6		3.9	24.8	63.2	37.9	40.0	44.8		62.2	$6,497	$611	$5,886

Frequently Asked Questions about Vernon Johns Middle

Is Vernon Johns Middle a good school?

Vernon Johns Middle ranks in the bottom 2.2% of Virginia middle schools.

What district is Vernon Johns Middle in?

Petersburg City Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Vernon Johns Middle?

Students at Vernon Johns Middle are 87% African American, 9% Hispanic, 3% White.

What high school do graduates of Vernon Johns Middle attend?

Students who attend Vernon Johns Middle usually go on to attend Petersburg High

How many students attend Vernon Johns Middle?

In the 2022-23 school year, 921 students attended Vernon Johns Middle.

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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.