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Portsmouth Public Schools, Virginia, elections
| Portsmouth Public Schools |
|---|
 |
| District details |
| School board members: 9 |
| Students: 13,161 (2023-2024) |
| Schools: 23 (2023-2024) |
| Website: Link |
Portsmouth Public Schools is a school district in Virginia (Portsmouth County). During the 2024 school year, 13,161 students attended one of the district's 23 schools.
This page provides information regarding school board members, election rules, finances, academics, policies, and more details about the district.
Elections
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Portsmouth Public Schools, At-large
General election
Special general election for Portsmouth Public Schools, At-large
Irene S. Boone ran in the special general election for Portsmouth Public Schools, At-large on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | ||
| Irene S. Boone (Independent) | ||
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Portsmouth Public Schools, At-large
General election
General election for Portsmouth Public Schools, At-large
Melvin Cotton Jr., Quniana D. Futrell, Arnette D. McSwain, Cardell C. Patillo Jr., and Tamara L. Shewmake ran in the general election for Portsmouth Public Schools, At-large on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| Melvin Cotton Jr. (Independent) | ||
| Quniana D. Futrell (Independent) | ||
| Arnette D. McSwain (Independent) | ||
| Cardell C. Patillo Jr. (Independent) | ||
| Tamara L. Shewmake (Independent) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Portsmouth Public Schools, At-large
General election
General election for Portsmouth Public Schools, At-large
Incumbent Angelia Allen, incumbent LaKeesha Atkinson, incumbent Sarah Duncan Hinds, incumbent Ted Lamb, and incumbent Costella Williams won election in the general election for Portsmouth Public Schools, At-large on November 8, 2016.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Angelia Allen (Nonpartisan) |
| ✔ |  | LaKeesha Atkinson (Nonpartisan) |
| ✔ |  | Sarah Duncan Hinds (Nonpartisan) |
| ✔ |  | Ted Lamb (Nonpartisan) |
| ✔ |  | Costella Williams (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Portsmouth Public Schools, At-large
General election
General election for Portsmouth Public Schools, At-large
Incumbent Joseph A. Fleming, incumbent Claude C. Parent Jr., incumbent Cardell C. Patillo Jr., and incumbent Ingrid P. Whitaker won election in the general election for Portsmouth Public Schools, At-large on November 4, 2014.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Joseph A. Fleming (Nonpartisan) |
| ✔ |  | Claude C. Parent Jr. (Nonpartisan) |
| ✔ |  | Cardell C. Patillo Jr. (Nonpartisan) |
| ✔ | Ingrid P. Whitaker (Nonpartisan) | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Election rules
Election dates and frequency
Most county boards of education have elections in odd-numbered years either every two years or every four years. As of 2022, elections in all but one county — Arlington County — were off-cycle from federal elections. They are held at the same time as the state's odd-year state legislative and gubernatorial elections. There are 91 county school districts in Virginia. The Arlington County School Board holds elections every year.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 15.2
The elections for most city and town school boards are held during even-numbered years and are on-cycle with federal elections. There are several cities that hold school board elections in odd-numbered years or annually. Details of city and town school board elections are largely set in local charters. There are 41 municipal school districts in Virginia.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 22.1-57.3
Election system
School board members in Virginia are elected through nonpartisan general elections without primaries.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 22.1. Education and Section 24.1. Elections
Party labels on the ballot
School board elections in Virginia are nonpartisan, which means party labels do not appear on the ballot for school board candidates. Virginia state law requires that school board candidates qualify for the ballot through the petition process for independent candidates. It does not allow school board candidates to qualify for the ballot as party nominees. This means that all school board candidates in Virginia are listed as independent in the secretary of state's official candidate list. On the ballot, the names of candidates are displayed without any party affiliation or additional disclosure of any kind. There is no route in state law for a school board candidate to be listed on the ballot with a party affiliation.
See law: Virginia Statutes Sections 22.1. Education and 24.1. Elections
Winning an election
School board candidates that receive the largest number of votes in the nonpartisan general election are elected to office.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 22.1. Education and Section 24.1. Elections
Term length and staggering
The length of school board member terms depends on the terms of the members of the relevant county, city, or town governing body. As of 2022, most school districts (121 or 91.7%) had 4-year school board terms. Ten school districts had 3-year board member terms.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 22.1. Education and Section 24.1. Elections
School board seat elections are either not staggered or staggered in a way that depends on the organization of the district and the relevant county, city, or town prior to the referendum establishing elected board members; special act; or local charter. State law has special provisions concerning the staggering of school board elections in Bath, Loudoun, Pittsylvania, Pulaski, and Rockbridge Counties.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 22.1. Education and Section 24.1. Elections
Representation: at large vs. by sub-district
School members are elected at large, from sub-districts, or through a combination of the two.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 22.1. Education and Section 24.1. Elections
Filing deadlines and swearing-in dates
School board candidates must file declarations of candidacy by 7:00 pm on the third Tuesday in June.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 24.1. Elections
School board candidates cannot circulate nominating petitions until after the first day of January of the year of the election.
See law: Virginia Statutes Section 24.1. Elections
Newly elected school board members officially take office on the first day of January following their election.
About the district
School board
Portsmouth Public Schools consists of nine members serving four-year terms. To find information about school board meetings, click here.
| Name | Year assumed office | Year term ends |
|---|---|---|
| Irene Boone | 2028 | |
| Arnette McSwain | 2028 | |
| Lateacia Sessoms | 2028 | |
| Jaclyn Walker | 2028 | |
| LaKeesha Atkinson | 2016 | 2028 |
| Melvin Cotton Jr. | 2026 | |
| Quniana D. Futrell | 2026 | |
| Cardell C. Patillo Jr. | 2026 | |
| Tamara Shewmake | 2026 |
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District map
Overlapping state house districts
The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[1]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $25,158,000 | $1,861 | 12% |
| Local: | $66,508,000 | $4,920 | 33% |
| State: | $111,764,000 | $8,268 | 55% |
| Total: | $203,430,000 | $15,050 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $190,366,000 | $14,083 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $182,384,000 | $13,492 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $97,819,000 | $7,236 | 51% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $34,841,000 | $2,577 | 18% |
| Administration: | $18,037,000 | $1,334 | 9% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $31,687,000 | $2,344 | 17% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $1,419,000 | $104 | |
| Construction: | $0 | $0 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $1,144,000 | $84 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $891,000 | $65 |
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. To protect student privacy, percentages are reported as ranges for groups of 300 students or fewer. If five or fewer students were included in a data set, the data will display as "PS."[2]
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 | 34 | 50-59 | 30 | 40-44 | >=50 | 40-44 | 45 |
| 2018-2019 | 74 | 90-94 | 71 | 80-84 | 60-79 | 80-84 | 84 |
| 2016-2017 | 64 | 70-74 | 62 | 65-69 | 60-79 | 65-69 | 72 |
| 2015-2016 | 71 | 85-89 | 68 | 75-79 | 60-79 | 75-79 | 82 |
| 2014-2015 | 72 | 90-94 | 69 | 75-79 | 60-79 | 75-79 | 79 |
| 2013-2014 | 66 | 85-89 | 63 | 70-74 | >=50 | 76 | 76 |
| 2012-2013 | 62 | 80-84 | 57 | 70-74 | 60-79 | 72 | 75 |
| 2011-2012 | 55 | 80-84 | 51 | 55-59 | 60-79 | 66 | 66 |
| 2010-2011 | 82 | >=90 | 79 | 85-89 | >=80 | 88 | 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 | 58 | 60-69 | 54 | 55-59 | >=50 | 70-74 | 72 |
| 2018-2019 | 70 | 85-89 | 66 | 75-79 | 60-79 | 80-84 | 83 |
| 2017-2018 | 71 | 80-84 | 67 | 80-84 | >=80 | 75-79 | 83 |
| 2016-2017 | 71 | 80-84 | 67 | 75-79 | 60-79 | 75-79 | 83 |
| 2015-2016 | 70 | 80-84 | 65 | 75-79 | 60-79 | 80-84 | 84 |
| 2014-2015 | 72 | 90-94 | 67 | 80-84 | 60-79 | 80-84 | 84 |
| 2013-2014 | 65 | 75-79 | 60 | 75-79 | >=50 | 70-74 | 79 |
| 2012-2013 | 65 | 75-79 | 60 | 75-79 | 60-79 | 75-79 | 80 |
| 2011-2012 | 83 | >=90 | 79 | 90-94 | >=80 | 93 | 91 |
| 2010-2011 | 84 | >=90 | 81 | 85-89 | >=80 | 92 | 91 |
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 | 86 | >=50 | 86 | >=90 | PS | >=90 | 80-84 |
| 2018-2019 | 80 | >=50 | 80 | >=90 | PS | 80-89 | 75-79 |
| 2017-2018 | 82 | PS | 83 | >=80 | PS | 80-89 | 75-79 |
| 2016-2017 | 81 | PS | 79 | >=80 | PS | 80-89 | 80-84 |
| 2015-2016 | 83 | >=50 | 82 | >=80 | 80-84 | ||
| 2014-2015 | 81 | >=50 | 80 | >=80 | 80-84 | ||
| 2013-2014 | 79 | >=50 | 76 | >=80 | 80-84 | ||
| 2012-2013 | 74 | PS | 72 | >=80 | 75-79 | ||
| 2011-2012 | 76 | >=50 | 72 | >=80 | 80-84 | ||
| 2010-2011 | 72 | 70 | >=80 | 70-74 |
Students
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[3]
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | 13,161 | -1.6 |
| 2022-2023 | 13,371 | -1.1 |
| 2021-2022 | 13,517 | 0.9 |
| 2020-2021 | 13,395 | -4.4 |
| 2019-2020 | 13,991 | -0.1 |
| 2018-2019 | 14,006 | -2.4 |
| 2017-2018 | 14,339 | -1.9 |
| 2016-2017 | 14,611 | -2.2 |
| 2015-2016 | 14,927 | -1.0 |
| 2014-2015 | 15,080 | 0.7 |
| 2013-2014 | 14,970 | -1.9 |
| 2012-2013 | 15,256 | 0.0 |
| 2011-2012 | 15,261 | 0.9 |
| 2010-2011 | 15,126 | -1.1 |
| 2009-2010 | 15,289 | -0.2 |
| 2008-2009 | 15,323 | -0.5 |
| 2007-2008 | 15,405 | -0.2 |
| 2006-2007 | 15,441 | -2.8 |
| 2005-2006 | 15,872 | 0.2 |
| 2004-2005 | 15,843 | -4.4 |
| 2003-2004 | 16,545 | 3.4 |
| 2002-2003 | 15,977 | -5.4 |
| 2001-2002 | 16,844 | 2.2 |
| 2000-2001 | 16,473 | -3.5 |
| 1999-2000 | 17,046 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Portsmouth Public Schools (%) | Virginia K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.4 | 0.3 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.6 | 7.7 |
| Black | 70.0 | 21.5 |
| Hispanic | 6.7 | 19.4 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Two or More Races | 6.3 | 6.9 |
| White | 15.8 | 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
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[4]
As of the 2023-2024 school year, Portsmouth Public Schools had 923.00 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 14.26.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 28.00 |
| Kindergarten: | 53.00 |
| Elementary: | 408.00 |
| Secondary: | 434.00 |
| Total: | 923.00 |
Portsmouth Public Schools employed 103.00 district administrators and 58.00 school administrators as of the 2023-2024 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 103.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 26.00 |
| School Administrators: | 58.00 |
| School Administrative Support: | 64.00 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 450.50 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 29.00 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 44.00 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 22.00 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 22.00 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 21.00 |
| Library/Media Support: | 0.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 11.00 |
| Other Support Services: | 0.00 |
Schools
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[5]
About school boards
Education legislation in Virginia
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| School Boards | Education Policy | Local Politics | Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|
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 |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ 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
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
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