Norfolk Public Schools, Virginia
| Norfolk Public Schools |
|---|
 |
| Norfolk, Virginia |
| District details |
| Superintendent: Sharon Byrdsong |
| # of school board members: 7 |
| Website: Link |
Norfolk Public Schools is a school district in Virginia.
Click on the links below to learn more about the school district's...
- Superintendent
- School board
- Elections
- Budget
- Teacher salaries
- Academic performance
- Students
- Staff
- Schools
- Contact information
Superintendent
 |
This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates. |
Sharon Byrdsong is the superintendent of Norfolk Public Schools. Byrdsong began serving as acting superintendent of Norfolk Public Schools on June 19, 2019, and was appointed full superintendent on July 6, 2019. Byrdsong's previous career experience includes working as a high school teacher, senior director of alternative options, and executive director of secondary schools.[1]
Past superintendents
- Melinda Boone was the superintendent of Norfolk Public Schools from 2015 to 2019.[2] Boone's previous career experience included working as the superintendent of Worcester Public Schools in Massachusetts.[3]
School board
The School Board of the City of Norfolk consists of seven members elected to four-year terms. Members are elected by district.[4]
| Office | Name | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk Public Schools, Superward 6 | Sarah DiCalogero | January 1, 2025 |
| Norfolk Public Schools, Superward 7 | Alfreda Thomas | January 1, 2025 |
| Norfolk Public Schools, Ward 1 | Adale Martin | July 1, 2018 |
| Norfolk Public Schools, Ward 2 | Tanya Bhasin | July 1, 2015 |
| Norfolk Public Schools, Ward 3 | Jason Inge | |
| Norfolk Public Schools, Ward 4 | Tiffany Moore-Buffaloe | January 1, 2023 |
| Norfolk Public Schools, Ward 5 | Ken Paulson | January 1, 2025 |
Elections
Members of the School Board of the City of Norfolk are elected to four-year terms. Elections are held in November. Prior to 2022, they were held in May.[5]
One seat on the Norfolk Public Schools school board in Virginia is up for special election on November 4, 2025. The filing deadline for this election was August 15, 2025.
Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 367 school districts in 29 states in 2024. Those school districts had a total student enrollment of 12,203,404 students. Click here to read an analysis of those elections.
Join the conversation about school board politics
Public participation in board meetings
The School Board of the City of Norfolk maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[6]
District map
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[7]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $90,040,000 | $3,277 | 19% |
| Local: | $161,380,000 | $5,873 | 34% |
| State: | $216,220,000 | $7,869 | 46% |
| Total: | $467,640,000 | $17,019 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $435,065,000 | $15,833 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $415,980,000 | $15,138 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $250,391,000 | $9,112 | 58% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $52,589,000 | $1,913 | 12% |
| Administration: | $41,403,000 | $1,506 | 10% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $71,597,000 | $2,605 | 16% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $11,324,000 | $412 | |
| Construction: | $9,416,000 | $342 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $2,195,000 | $79 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $0 | $0 |
Teacher salaries
The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.
| Year | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2025[8] | $53,024 | $116,647 |
| 2023-2024[9] | $48,524 | $113,293 |
| 2021-2022[10] | $42,932 | $108,129 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[11]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 27 | 63 | 17 | 27 | 11-19 | 32 | 47 |
| 2018-2019 | 71 | 90 | 64 | 71 | 70-79 | 82 | 86 |
| 2016-2017 | 62 | 76 | 56 | 67 | 55-59 | 69 | 73 |
| 2015-2016 | 71 | 91 | 63 | 76 | 85-89 | 80 | 84 |
| 2014-2015 | 71 | 89 | 64 | 76 | 80-84 | 80 | 84 |
| 2013-2014 | 61 | 82 | 52 | 65 | 65-69 | 71 | 78 |
| 2012-2013 | 56 | 78 | 47 | 62 | 60-64 | 67 | 75 |
| 2011-2012 | 53 | 75 | 44 | 59 | 55-59 | 65 | 73 |
| 2010-2011 | 77 | 89 | 71 | 80 | 85-89 | 82 | 88 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 56 | 81 | 46 | 56 | 60-69 | 72 | 78 |
| 2018-2019 | 66 | 85 | 57 | 69 | 70-79 | 78 | 84 |
| 2017-2018 | 70 | 87 | 62 | 71 | 70-79 | 79 | 86 |
| 2016-2017 | 71 | 87 | 63 | 73 | 75-79 | 81 | 85 |
| 2015-2016 | 69 | 85 | 61 | 72 | 75-79 | 78 | 84 |
| 2014-2015 | 67 | 83 | 59 | 70 | 70-74 | 76 | 83 |
| 2013-2014 | 60 | 79 | 51 | 64 | 65-69 | 68 | 78 |
| 2012-2013 | 60 | 79 | 50 | 66 | 75-79 | 71 | 80 |
| 2011-2012 | 80 | 90 | 75 | 83 | 85-89 | 87 | 91 |
| 2010-2011 | 79 | 89 | 74 | 83 | 80-84 | 84 | 90 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 82 | >=95 | 81 | 65-69 | >=50 | 85-89 | 90 |
| 2018-2019 | 79 | 90-94 | 75 | 70-74 | >=50 | 80-84 | 87 |
| 2017-2018 | 78 | 90-94 | 73 | 75-79 | >=50 | 80-84 | 88 |
| 2016-2017 | 77 | >=90 | 72 | 70-74 | >=50 | 75-79 | 87 |
| 2015-2016 | 80 | >=90 | 76 | 75-79 | 89 | ||
| 2014-2015 | 76 | 80-89 | 70 | 70-74 | 87 | ||
| 2013-2014 | 75 | >=90 | 69 | 75-79 | 84 | ||
| 2012-2013 | 73 | 80-89 | 66 | 80-84 | 82 | ||
| 2011-2012 | 71 | >=90 | 65 | 80-84 | 81 | ||
| 2010-2011 | 68 | 64 | 80-84 | 74 |
Students
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | 26,882 | -1.6 |
| 2022-2023 | 27,306 | -0.6 |
| 2021-2022 | 27,478 | -1.7 |
| 2020-2021 | 27,955 | -6.7 |
| 2019-2020 | 29,837 | -0.8 |
| 2018-2019 | 30,087 | -2.3 |
| 2017-2018 | 30,776 | -2.1 |
| 2016-2017 | 31,425 | -2.3 |
| 2015-2016 | 32,148 | -0.4 |
| 2014-2015 | 32,290 | -1.0 |
| 2013-2014 | 32,597 | -0.8 |
| 2012-2013 | 32,862 | -1.8 |
| 2011-2012 | 33,461 | -1.0 |
| 2010-2011 | 33,787 | -0.7 |
| 2009-2010 | 34,011 | -1.2 |
| 2008-2009 | 34,431 | -1.8 |
| 2007-2008 | 35,063 | -1.6 |
| 2006-2007 | 35,610 | -1.1 |
| 2005-2006 | 36,014 | -0.7 |
| 2004-2005 | 36,250 | -1.3 |
| 2003-2004 | 36,724 | -0.1 |
| 2002-2003 | 36,745 | -0.7 |
| 2001-2002 | 37,006 | -0.9 |
| 2000-2001 | 37,349 | -0.3 |
| 1999-2000 | 37,465 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Norfolk Public Schools (%) | Virginia K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.8 | 7.7 |
| Black | 56.1 | 21.5 |
| Hispanic | 14.5 | 19.4 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Two or More Races | 7.0 | 6.9 |
| White | 20.0 | 44.2 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
As of the 2023-2024 school year, Norfolk Public Schools had 2,120.00 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 12.68.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 109.00 |
| Kindergarten: | 121.00 |
| Elementary: | 809.00 |
| Secondary: | 1,081.00 |
| Total: | 2,120.00 |
Norfolk Public Schools employed 98.00 district administrators and 109.00 school administrators as of the 2023-2024 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 98.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 109.00 |
| School Administrators: | 109.00 |
| School Administrative Support: | 163.00 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 621.00 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 266.00 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 94.00 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 40.00 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 54.00 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 50.00 |
| Library/Media Support: | 21.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 26.00 |
| Other Support Services: | 0.00 |
Schools
Noteworthy events
2014-2018: School board transitions from appointed board to an elected board
In 2014, voters passed a referendum requiring an elected school board. The Norfolk City Council developed a plan to transition the School Board of the City of Norfolk from an appointed board to an elected board. The plan called for members to be elected by district to four-year terms. Two seats were up for election in 2016 for a four-year term, and the other five seats were up for election in 2018 for four-year terms.[12] Beginning July 1, 2018, the school board became a fully elected body.[4]
Contact information
Norfolk Public Schools
800 E. City Hall Ave.
Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: 757-670-3945
About school boards
Education legislation in Virginia
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| Virginia | School Board Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Norfolk Public Schools
- Virginia School Boards Association
- Virginia Department of Education
Footnotes
- ↑ Norfolk Public Schools, "Office of the Superintendent," accessed August 3, 2021
- ↑ The Virginian-Pilot, "Norfolk superintendent Melinda Boone resigns after 3 years on the job," June 5, 2019
- ↑ Norfolk Public Schools, "Dr. Melinda Boone, Superintendent," archived January 28, 2016
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Norfolk Public Schools, "School Board," accessed August 3, 2021
- ↑ Code of Ordinances City of Norfolk, Virginia, "Chapter 14.1 Article V," accessed July 15, 2022
- ↑ Norfolk Public Schools, "Norfolk City School Board Policies and Regulations, Section B: School Board Governance and Operations, Public Participation at School Board Meetings and Public Hearings," accessed April 23, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ Norfolk Public Schools, "SY 2024-2025 Salaries and Wages," accessed April 23, 2025
- ↑ Norfolk Public Schools, "SY 2021-2022 Salaries and Wages," accessed February 5, 2024
- ↑ Norfolk Public Schools, "SY 2021-2022 Salaries and Wages," accessed August 3, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ The Virginian Pilot, "Two dozen candidates file for offices in Norfolk, Chesapeake," March 1, 2016
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