Discovery STEM Academy, Newport News, VA: Phone & Hours

Discovery STEM Academy phone & hours

Phone: (757) 928-6838
Hours: Office hours 8:30 am - 4:45 pm; school day 9:20 am - 3:55 pm
Principal: Ms. Viveca Rutland
Address: 1712 Chestnut Ave, Newport News, VA 23607

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.

2.3 · Test scores

SOL pass rate of 56.5% across all subjects — 14th percentile statewide.

2.5 · Academic progress

67% of students showed growth in reading and 74% in math — 17th percentile.

1.3 · Attendance

Chronic absenteeism of 20.3% — better attendance than 4% of peers statewide.

Year over year: 2.2 for 2025–26, compared with 1.6 for 2024–25 — up 0.6.

Test scores by subject

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

This school Virginia average

Grade 5 Science

52%state 69%

Virginia Studies

47%state 71%

Grade 3 Mathematics

69%state 74%

Grade 4 Mathematics

58%state 73%

Grade 5 Mathematics

61%state 72%

Grade 3 English Reading

61%state 68%

Grade 4 English Reading

49%state 74%

Grade 5 English Reading

59%state 73%

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

Discovery STEM Academy & its school zone

Discovery STEM Academy is a public elementary school in Newport News, VA 23607, part of Newport News Public Schools. Buyers searching homes for sale near Discovery STEM Academy 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 2.2/10 — 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 1.6 in 2024–25.

The school's overall SOL pass rate is 56.5%. On Virginia's 2025–26 growth measures, 67% of students showed growth in English reading and 74% in math. Chronic absenteeism is 20.3%, 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 Discovery STEM Academy. 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 magnet elementary school
Established: Renamed from Magruder Elementary in 2016 · this campus 2016
Enrollment: 497 students (2025-2026)
Student–teacher ratio: 18:1
Classroom teachers: 32 FTE
Accreditation: Fully Accredited (2025-2026)
NCES school ID: 510264001062

Academic performance

SOL pass rates · 2025-2026

Reading

56%

Mathematics

62%

Science

52%

History & Social Sci.

47%

Attendance

2025-2026

20.3% of students were chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days).

About Discovery STEM Academy

Discovery STEM Academy is a public magnet elementary school in Newport News, Virginia, serving students in grades PK through 5. It occupies the site of the former Magruder Elementary School, which the Newport News School Board voted to rename in 2016; the original school had been named for Confederate general John Bankhead Magruder. As part of the transformation, the campus was rebuilt with a new facility and reopened in 2016 as a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) magnet, described by the district as one of the first STEM-focused elementary magnet schools of its kind. Its curriculum uses a problem-based learning design in which each unit centers on a real-world problem students solve by taking on a related career role.

The school is located at 1712 Chestnut Avenue in the Southeast Community (East End) of Newport News, a residential area near the city's downtown and the James River. It is part of Newport News City Public Schools and is classified by NCES as being in a midsize city locale.

Data sources

NCES Common Core of Data - Discovery STEM Academy ↗ — NCES ID (510264001062), state ID VA-117-1170130, address, phone, grades PK-5, enrollment 561, 32.0 FTE teachers, student/teacher ratio 17.53, midsize-city locale, charter/regular status, free-lunch eligibility, race/ethnicity counts2024-2025
Virginia School Quality Profiles - Discovery STEM Academy ↗ — Accreditation status (Fully Accredited, 2025-2026), SOL pass rates (reading 43, math 49, science 36, history 51), demographics (econ. disadvantaged 82.4%, EL 2.8%, SWD 14.4%, race/ethnicity %), chronic absenteeism 15.5%, principal, Targeted Support and Improvement status, fall membership (enrollment)SOL, attendance & enrollment 2025-2026; accreditation SY2025-2026
Discovery STEM Academy official website ↗ — Principal (Viveca Rutland), phone, school hours 9:20am-3:55pm, office hours 8:30am-4:45pm, mission/curriculum description2026
Newport News Public Schools - School Namesakes & History ↗ — History of 2016 renaming from Magruder Elementary to Discovery STEM Academy2016

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.

Discovery STEM Academy