Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle School, Newport News, VA

Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle School phone, hours, mascot & school colors

Phone: (757) 888-3300
Hours: 6:50 a.m. - 3:35 p.m.
Mascot: Jazz
School colors: Purple, White
Principal: Dr. Jaraun Ransome
Address: 432 Industrial Park Dr, Newport News, VA 23608

Official school website ↗

Score breakdown

Compared against all 337 Virginia public middle schools. 1–4 is below the state average, 5–6 around it, 7–10 above it.

2.4 · Test scores

SOL pass rate of 57.6% across all subjects — 16th percentile statewide.

3.6 · Academic progress

70% of students showed growth in reading and 75% in math — 29th percentile.

4.4 · Attendance

Chronic absenteeism of 13.7% — better attendance than 38% of peers statewide.

Year over year: 3.2 for 2025–26, compared with 2.8 for 2024–25 — up 0.4.

Test scores by subject

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

This school Virginia average

Geometry

96%state 82%

Algebra I

88%state 86%

Civics & Econ

56%state 73%

Grade 8 Science

48%state 66%

Grade 6 Mathematics

63%state 66%

Grade 7 Mathematics

36%state 60%

Grade 8 Mathematics

61%state 62%

Grade 6 English Reading

62%state 73%

Grade 7 English Reading

51%state 73%

Grade 8 English Reading

60%state 74%

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

Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle School & its school zone

A public middle school in Newport News Public Schools, Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle School anchors its attendance zone in Newport News, VA 23608. Buyers searching homes for sale near Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle School are shopping this Newport News school zone, one of the areas families compare when weighing Newport News middle school zones. On the VaHome School Score the school earns 3.2/10 — below the state average among Virginia's 337 public middle schools, based on Virginia Department of Education data for 2025–26. That is up from 2.8 in 2024–25.

The school's overall SOL pass rate is 57.6%, with standout results in Geometry (96% vs an 82% state average). On Virginia's 2025–26 growth measures, 70% of students showed growth in English reading and 75% in math. Chronic absenteeism is 13.7%, compared with the 11.9% state median for middle schools.

For house hunters comparing Newport News school zones, the listings on this page show active REIN MLS homes near Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle 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: 6-8
School type: Regular public school (non-charter)
Established: 1975 (opened as Dozier Middle School; renamed Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle School in 2021)
Enrollment: 951 students (2025-2026)
Accreditation: Fully Accredited (2025-2026)
NCES school ID: 510264001056

Academic performance

SOL pass rates · 2025-2026

Reading

57%

Mathematics

62%

Science

48%

History & Social Sci.

56%

Attendance

2025-2026

13.7% of students were chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days).

About Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle School

Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle School is a public middle school in the Denbigh area of northern Newport News, Virginia, part of Newport News City Public Schools. It opened in the mid-1970s as Dozier Middle School, named for John Marshall Dozier, Jr. In 2021 the Newport News School Board renamed the school for Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996), the jazz vocalist who was born in Newport News. The school celebrated its 50th school year in April 2025, marking the milestone on the anniversary of Fitzgerald's birthday.

The school serves roughly 1,000 students in grades 6-8 and its mascot is the Jazz, reflecting its namesake, with school colors of purple and white. It sits on Industrial Park Drive off the northern end of the city and draws from surrounding residential neighborhoods in the Denbigh section of Newport News.

Data sources

NCES Common Core of Data - Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle ↗ — NCES School ID, address, phone, grades, total enrollment (988), locale, charter status, racial/ethnic enrollment counts, free/reduced lunch eligibility2024-2025
Virginia School Quality Profiles - Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle ↗ — Accreditation status (SY2025-2026), SOL pass rates, demographic percentages, economically disadvantaged / English learners / students with disabilities, chronic absenteeism, principal, fall membership (enrollment)SOL, attendance & enrollment 2025-2026; accreditation SY2025-2026
Ella Fitzgerald Middle School official website ↗ — Principal, phone, office hours, website URL2025-2026
Newport News Public Schools news - Ella Fitzgerald Middle celebrates 50th school year ↗ — Founding/50th-year history, former name (Dozier), mascot (Jazz), school colors (purple and white)2025

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.

Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle School