B.C. Charles Elementary School, Newport News, VA

B.C. Charles Elementary School phone, hours & mascot

Phone: (757) 886-7750
Hours: Office 8:30 a.m.–4:45 p.m.; student day 9:20 a.m.–3:55 p.m.
Mascot: Mustangs
Principal: Sherita Holland
Address: 701 Menchville Rd, Newport News, VA 23602

Score breakdown

Compared against all 1,074 Virginia public elementary schools. 1–4 is below the state average, 5–6 around it, 7–10 above it.

4.6 · Test scores

SOL pass rate of 69.5% across all subjects — 40th percentile statewide.

2.9 · Academic progress

71% of students showed growth in reading and 75% in math — 22th percentile.

3.4 · Attendance

Chronic absenteeism of 11.9% — better attendance than 27% of peers statewide.

Year over year: 3.9 for 2025–26, compared with 3.0 for 2024–25 — up 0.9.

Test scores by subject

Percent of students passing Virginia SOL tests, 2025–26.

This school Virginia average

Grade 5 Science

63%state 69%

Virginia Studies

64%state 71%

Grade 3 Mathematics

77%state 74%

Grade 4 Mathematics

76%state 73%

Grade 5 Mathematics

63%state 72%

Grade 3 English Reading

74%state 68%

Grade 4 English Reading

73%state 74%

Grade 5 English Reading

67%state 73%

Source: Virginia Department of Education, School Quality Profiles — SOL pass rates, 2025–26.

B.C. Charles Elementary School & its school zone

A public elementary school in Newport News Public Schools, B.C. Charles Elementary School anchors its attendance zone in Newport News, VA 23602. Buyers searching homes for sale near B.C. Charles Elementary School are shopping this Newport News school zone, one of the areas families compare when weighing Newport News elementary school zones. On the VaHome School Score the school earns 3.9/10 — below the state average among Virginia's 1,074 public elementary schools, based on Virginia Department of Education data for 2025–26. That is up from 3.0 in 2024–25.

The school's overall SOL pass rate is 69.5%, with stronger-than-state results in Grade 3 English Reading (74% vs a 68% state average). On Virginia's 2025–26 growth measures, 71% of students showed growth in English reading and 75% in math. Chronic absenteeism is 11.9%, compared with the 9.0% state median for elementary schools.

For house hunters comparing Newport News school zones, the listings on this page show active REIN MLS homes near B.C. Charles Elementary School. School zoning and attendance boundaries can change between school years — always verify a specific address's assignment directly with Newport News Public Schools before making a housing decision based on school zone.

How the VaHome School Score works

Test scores (50%): the school's SOL pass rate across all subjects, ranked against every Virginia public school of the same level.
Academic progress (30%): Virginia's growth rates — the share of students who showed year-over-year growth in English reading and in math — ranked statewide.
Attendance (20%): chronic absenteeism, ranked statewide (lower is better).
What changed for 2025–26: Virginia retired the accreditation “combined rate” we used for academic progress in 2024–25, so progress now uses the state's student growth rates. Virginia publishes no growth measure for high schools, so their 20% now goes to attendance. The year-over-year comparison at the top uses the score we published for 2024–25; part of a school's change can come from this method update.
The weighted statewide percentile maps to a score from 1.0 to 10.0: score = 1 + 9 × percentile. 1–4 is below the state average, 5–6 around it, 7–10 above it.
Every input is public data from the Virginia Department of Education, refreshed each school year. No opinions, no black box — you can check our math.

Data: Virginia Department of Education School Quality Profiles (2025–26) · NCES. VaHome is not affiliated with VDOE, NCES, or GreatSchools.

At a glance

School district: Newport News City Public Schools
Grades served: PK-5
School type: Public elementary
Established: 1971
Enrollment: 365 students (2025-2026)
Student–teacher ratio: 20:1
Classroom teachers: 19 FTE
Accreditation: Fully Accredited (2025-2026)
NCES school ID: 510264001040

Academic performance

SOL pass rates · 2025-2026

Reading

71%

Mathematics

72%

Science

63%

History & Social Sci.

64%

Attendance

2025-2026

11.9% of students were chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days).

About B.C. Charles Elementary School

B.C. Charles Elementary School is a public PK-5 school in the Menchville area of Newport News, Virginia, part of Newport News City Public Schools. It was dedicated in 1971 in memory of Benton C. Charles (1882-1960), who served as superintendent of schools in Warwick and York counties around the end of World War I and is credited as a pioneer of quality education on the Virginia Peninsula.

The school sits at 701 Menchville Road, immediately adjacent to Menchville High School, on land historically tied to the Mench family's waterfront property along Menchville Road. It serves roughly 390 students and is fully accredited by the Virginia Department of Education.

Data sources

NCES Common Core of Data — B.C. Charles Elementary ↗ — NCES ID, address, phone, grades, enrollment and enrollment-by-grade, FTE teachers, student/teacher ratio, locale code, race/ethnicity counts2024-2025
Virginia School Quality Profiles — B.C. Charles Elementary ↗ — Accreditation status, SOL pass rates (reading, math, science, history), demographics (economically disadvantaged, EL, SWD), chronic absenteeism, principal, fall membership (enrollment)SOL, attendance & enrollment 2025-2026; accreditation SY2025-2026
B.C. Charles Elementary School official website ↗ — Principal, phone, office/school hours2026
Newport News Public Schools — School Namesakes & History ↗ — Founding/dedication year (1971) and namesake biography (Benton C. Charles)Historical
1st Place Spirit Wear — B.C. Charles Mustangs ↗ — School mascot (Mustangs)2026

Figures reflect the 2025-2026 (Virginia DOE SOL, attendance, enrollment); 2024-2025 (NCES staffing); accreditation SY2025-2026 unless noted. School zoning, boundaries, and ratings change — verify with the school division before making housing decisions.

B.C. Charles Elementary School