Independence Middle

Summary:

Independence Middle is a public middle school located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 1,189. The school is part of the Virginia Beach City Public Schools district, which is ranked 27th out of 130 districts in Virginia and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Independence Middle has a relatively diverse student population, with 50.29% White, 21.53% African American, 11.61% Hispanic, and 5.05% Asian students. This diversity is higher compared to some of the nearby schools like Larkspur Middle, Lynnhaven Middle, and Kempsville Middle. The school has consistently ranked in the top half of Virginia middle schools, with a statewide ranking between 136-172 over the past several years. Its performance on SOL (Standards of Learning) tests is generally on par with or slightly above the Virginia Beach City Public Schools district and the state averages, particularly in subjects like Geometry, Algebra I, and Earth Science.

Independence Middle has a relatively high percentage of students (48.36%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a higher proportion of students from lower-income families compared to some of the nearby schools like Great Neck Middle (29.29%) and Kempsville Middle (38.08%). The school's performance on SOL tests varies across different student subgroups, ranking highly for Asian and Hispanic students but relatively lower for African American and low socioeconomic status students compared to their peers in the state. Additionally, Independence Middle is located less than a mile from Old Donation School, a highly-ranked public magnet school, which may create opportunities for collaboration and resource-sharing between the two schools.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1370 Dunstan Ln
       Virginia Beach, VA  23455-4960


(757) 648-4600

District: Virginia Beach City Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
146th of 417 Virginia Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,923 Help


Feeder schools for Independence Middle:

Elementary:    Hermitage Elementary
    Malibu Elementary
    Pembroke Elementary
    Pembroke Meadows Elementary
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  15.6 Help
Number of students:  1,189

Racial breakdown:

White:
50.3%
African American:
21.5%
Hispanic:
11.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  48.4% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Independence Middle ranks better than 65% of middle schools in Virginia. It also ranks 8th among 14 ranked middle schools in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 65.07. (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 Independence Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Independence Middle is $10,923. 9 middle schools in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Independence Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence Middle 146th of 417 Virginia public middle schools. (See Independence 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:


Virginia Beach City Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Virginia Beach City Public Schools 27th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Independence Middle.

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Rank History for Independence Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Independence Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 63.40 130th 340 61.8%
2006 59.11 129th 383 66.3%
2007 52.09 186th 387 51.9%
2008 54.75 170th 391 56.5%
2009 51.50 181st 390 53.6%
2010 49.98 205th 408 49.8%
2011 48.18 221st 413 46.5%
2012 58.13 133rd 413 67.8%
2013 52.20 174th 416 58.2%
2014 53.81 174th 416 58.2%
2015 60.74 141st 412 65.8%
2016 61.52 122nd 409 70.2%
2017 65.10 97th 415 76.6%
2018 59.03 143rd 413 65.4%
2019 61.52 146th 424 65.6%
2021 59.39 136th 419 67.5%
2022 56.67 172nd 415 58.6%
2023 59.80 168th 422 60.2%
2024 65.07 146th 417 65.0%
See the entire list of Virginia Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Independence Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 53.99 100th 231 56.7%
2024 61.92 81st 237 65.8%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Independence Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 96.01 4th 122 96.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Independence Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 65.70 123rd 402 69.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Independence Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 54.89 187th 411 54.5%
2024 63.07 158th 407 61.2%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Independence Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 48.63 123rd 278 55.8%
2024 59.19 105th 281 62.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Independence Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 49.75 63rd 114 44.7%
2024 53.13 61st 123 50.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Independence Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 63.14 145th 409 64.5%
2024 66.35 128th 407 68.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Independence Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 35.80 97th 132 26.5%
2024 81.47 3rd 128 97.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Independence Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 49.56 154th 298 48.3%
2024 57.11 134th 299 55.2%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Independence Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 67.80 67th 275 75.6%
2024 73.55 61st 272 77.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Independence Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 53.46 192nd 402 52.2%
2024 60.49 152nd 396 61.6%
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.

Independence 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: 2)
0%

0%

50%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Saturday, March 19, 2022

Open Quote Special needs services are lacking Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, May 28, 2018

Open Quote Removed my child from public school due to the negligence of the Principals, and teachers at this school. Several teachers were proven to have lied about behaviors of children, investigations were not done properly, and the overall principal was proven to have lied about actions that he said he would take. Anytime you have a face to face meeting with anyone at this school, ensure that you send a follow up e-mail writing exactly what was discussed, because if you ever need to take up issues higher, the staff inherits a sudden case of amnesia. There is currently a petition that parents are getting signed that state that they do not feel safe with current administration at that school. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Independence Middle

Help
Compare
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 1196 1196
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1187 1187
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 1242 1242
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1266 1266
1993 1005 167 44 26 1 n/a n/a 0 1243
1994 1041 226 47 27 0 n/a n/a 0 1341
1995 1081 278 37 22 2 n/a n/a 0 1420
1996 1081 278 37 22 2 n/a n/a 0 1420
1997 1047 243 32 25 2 n/a n/a 0 1349
1998 1073 248 31 33 0 n/a n/a 0 1385
1999 1034 277 30 41 0 n/a n/a 0 1382
2000 974 303 34 46 0 n/a n/a -4 1353
2001 918 285 44 42 0 n/a n/a 0 1289
2002 1078 325 50 67 1 n/a n/a 0 1521
2003 1078 325 50 67 1 n/a n/a 0 1521
2004 1075 368 50 60 5 n/a n/a 5 1563
2005 1025 358 61 69 10 n/a n/a 19 1542
2006 952 305 48 75 14 n/a n/a 38 1432
2007 912 307 48 80 14 n/a n/a 54 1415
2008 857 304 50 78 12 n/a n/a 49 1350
2009 783 286 43 87 7 n/a n/a 56 1262
2010 760 308 61 89 5 n/a n/a 47 1270
2011 701 292 43 122 6 7 83 0 1254
2012 771 281 57 117 6 7 72 0 1311
2013 756 268 60 111 8 8 65 0 1276
2014 761 290 68 108 9 7 69 0 1312
2015 729 290 59 125 7 5 90 0 1305
2016 727 268 49 131 4 5 101 0 1285
2017 673 258 45 124 7 2 100 0 1209
2018 667 256 45 152 5 2 104 0 1231
2019 683 259 58 168 7 0 117 0 1292
2020 659 282 54 178 5 2 122 0 1302
2021 637 264 58 160 4 3 132 0 1258
2022 590 266 50 159 3 3 126 0 1197
2023 598 256 60 138 3 1 133 0 1189

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 Independence Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 1196 70.6 16.9 n/a
1990 1187 73.4 16.1 n/a
1991 1242 74.4 16.6 n/a
1992 1266 75.8 16.7 n/a
1993 1243 84.3 14.7 n/a
1994 1341 71.5 n/a 14.1
1995 1420 n/a 0.0 18
1996 1420 n/a 0.0 18
1997 1349 n/a 0.0 19.8
1998 1385 n/a 0.0 17.3
1999 1382 89.8 15.4 25.3
2000 1353 n/a 0.0 24.3
2001 1289 91.0 14.2 23.1
2002 1521 83.0 18.3 30.3
2003 1521 83.0 18.3 30.3
2004 1563 94.0 16.6 33.1
2005 1542 95.0 16.2 30.8
2006 1432 92.0 15.6 25.4
2007 1415 95.1 14.9 30.1
2008 1350 68.4 19.7 26.7
2009 1262 64.1 19.7 29.5
2010 1270 64.9 19.5 33.2
2011 1254 64.6 19.3 31.7
2012 1311 74.8 17.5 38.7
2013 1276 73.4 17.3 30.6
2014 1312 72.8 18.0 38.9
2015 1305 76.0 17.1 40.4
2016 1285 69.0 18.6 37.8
2017 1209 73.1 16.5 39.2
2018 1231 73.7 16.6 41
2019 1292 76.8 16.8 40.7
2020 1302 76.3 17.0 40.9
2021 1258 78.6 15.9 n/a
2022 1197 76.7 15.6 44.4
2023 1189 76.0 15.6 48.4

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 Independence Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 1196 70.6 16.9 n/a
1990 1187 73.4 16.1 n/a
1991 1242 74.4 16.6 n/a
1992 1266 75.8 16.7 n/a
1993 1243 84.3 14.7 n/a
1994 1341 71.5 n/a 14.1
1995 1420 n/a 0.0 18
1996 1420 n/a 0.0 18
1997 1349 n/a 0.0 19.8
1998 1385 n/a 0.0 17.3
1999 1382 89.8 15.4 25.3
2000 1353 n/a 0.0 24.3
2001 1289 91.0 14.2 23.1
2002 1521 83.0 18.3 30.3
2003 1521 83.0 18.3 30.3
2004 1563 94.0 16.6 33.1
2005 1542 95.0 16.2 30.8
2006 1432 92.0 15.6 25.4
2007 1415 95.1 14.9 30.1
2008 1350 68.4 19.7 26.7
2009 1262 64.1 19.7 29.5
2010 1270 64.9 19.5 33.2
2011 1254 64.6 19.3 31.7
2012 1311 74.8 17.5 38.7
2013 1276 73.4 17.3 30.6
2014 1312 72.8 18.0 38.9
2015 1305 76.0 17.1 40.4
2016 1285 69.0 18.6 37.8
2017 1209 73.1 16.5 39.2
2018 1231 73.7 16.6 41
2019 1292 76.8 16.8 40.7
2020 1302 76.3 17.0 40.9
2021 1258 78.6 15.9 n/a
2022 1197 76.7 15.6 44.4
2023 1189 76.0 15.6 48.4

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 Independence Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $305 (3.2%) $9,304 (96.8%) $9,609
2020 $368 (3.6%) $9,750 (96.4%) $10,118
2021 $584 (5.3%) $10,339 (94.7%) $10,923

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence 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 146th of 424 Middle schoolsRanks 168th of 422 Middle schools
 5.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Independence Middle)7959.2
 19.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Virginia Beach City Public Schools)7968.7
 10.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7857.8
 20.2%
6th Grade English Reading (Independence Middle)8180.8
 0.2%
   6th Grade English Reading (Virginia Beach City Public Schools)8481.2
 2.8%
   6th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7770.4
 6.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Independence Middle)6755.5
 11.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Virginia Beach City Public Schools)6649.3
 16.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7851.4
 26.6%
7th Grade English Reading (Independence Middle)8682.2
 3.8%
   7th Grade English Reading (Virginia Beach City Public Schools)8580.5
 4.5%
   7th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7970.3
 8.7%
8th Grade Writing (Independence Middle)7657.1
 18.9%
   8th Grade Writing (Virginia Beach City Public Schools)7563.8
 11.2%
   8th Grade Writing (Virginia)7055.5
 14.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Independence Middle)9038
 52%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Virginia Beach City Public Schools)8850.9
 37.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7748.4
 28.6%
8th Grade Science (Independence Middle)8447.3
 36.7%
   8th Grade Science (Virginia Beach City Public Schools)8456.2
 27.8%
   8th Grade Science (Virginia)7860.7
 17.3%
8th Grade English Reading (Independence Middle)8476
 8%
   8th Grade English Reading (Virginia Beach City Public Schools)8381.7
 1.3%
   8th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7670.7
 5.3%
End of Course Geometry (Independence Middle)10096
 4%
   End of Course Geometry (Virginia Beach City Public Schools)8789
 2%
   End of Course Geometry (Virginia)8380
 3%
End of Course Algebra I (Independence Middle)10099
 1%
   End of Course Algebra I (Virginia Beach City Public Schools)9489
 5%
   End of Course Algebra I (Virginia)8680
 6%
End of Course Earth Science (Independence Middle)10097
 3%
   End of Course Earth Science (Virginia Beach City Public Schools)8892
 4%
   End of Course Earth Science (Virginia)8172
 9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students12921189
 8%
African American259256
 1.2%
American Indian73
 57.1%
Asian5860
 3.4%
Hispanic168138
 17.9%
Pacific Islander01
White683598
 12.4%
Two or More Races117133
 13.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients40.7%48.4%
 7.6%


Schools Near Independence Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Independence Middle

Independence Middle ranks 146th of 417 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,189 students attended Independence Middle.

Students at Independence Middle are 50% White, 22% African American, 12% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races, 5% 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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