I.C. Norcom High School, Portsmouth, VA

Score breakdown

Compared against all 325 Virginia public high schools. 1–4 is below the state average, 5–6 around it, 7–10 above it.

3.5 · Test scores

SOL pass rate of 70.3% across all subjects — 28th percentile statewide.

2.3 · Academic progress

Virginia's accreditation combined rate for English and Math, which credits schools for student growth — 15th percentile.

1.9 · College readiness

On-time graduation, AP participation, and college enrollment within 16 months — 10th percentile.

Test scores by subject

Percent of students passing Virginia SOL tests, 2024–2025.

This school Virginia average

Biology

68%state 78%

Geometry

58%state 82%

Algebra I

73%state 85%

English Writing

55%state 76%

World History I

81%state 66%

Source: Virginia Department of Education, School Quality Profiles — SOL pass rates, 2024–2025.

College & career

Class of 2024 cohort of 271 students, unless noted.

85.2%

On-time graduation rate

31%

Advanced Studies diplomas

48%

Enrolled in college within 16 months

10.3%

Dropout rate

1.7%

Enrolled in AP courses

1.7%

Took an AP exam

5.5%

Dual enrollment (college credit)

Industry certifications earned (CTE)

Source: Virginia Department of Education — Graduation, Diplomas, Advanced Programs, Postsecondary Enrollment, and CTE datasets.

I.C. Norcom High School & its school zone

I.C. Norcom High School is a public high school in Portsmouth, VA 23704, part of Portsmouth Public Schools. Buyers searching homes for sale near I.C. Norcom High School are typically shopping the IC Norcom zone, one of the areas families compare when weighing Portsmouth high school zones. On the VaHome School Score the school earns 2.6/10 — below the state average among Virginia's 325 public high schools, based on Virginia Department of Education data for 2024–25.

The school's overall SOL pass rate is 70.3%, with standout results in World History I (81% vs a 66% state average). 85.2% of the class of 2024 graduated on time, 31% of them with Advanced Studies diplomas. 48% of graduates enrolled in college within 16 months. Program depth includes 2% AP course enrollment, 5% dual enrollment for college credit, 49 industry certifications through career and technical education.

For house hunters comparing Portsmouth school zones, homes zoned to I.C. Norcom High School sit in the IC Norcom attendance area — use the listings on this page to see every active REIN MLS home in the zone. School zoning and attendance boundaries can change between school years — always verify a specific address's assignment directly with Portsmouth Public Schools before making a housing decision based on school zone.

How the VaHome School Score works

Test scores (40%): the school's SOL pass rate across all subjects, ranked against every Virginia public school of the same level.
College readiness (40%): average statewide rank in on-time graduation rate, AP course enrollment, and college enrollment within 16 months of graduation.
Academic progress (20%): Virginia's accreditation combined rate for English and Math, which gives schools credit for students showing growth.
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 (2024–2025) · NCES. VaHome is not affiliated with VDOE, NCES, or GreatSchools.

At a glance

School district: Portsmouth City Public Schools
Grades served: 9-12
School type: Regular public high school (not charter)
Principal: Teesha Sanders
Established: 1878 · this campus 1997
Mascot & colors: Greyhounds · Maroon, Grey
Enrollment: 1,009 students (2024-2025)
Student–teacher ratio: 13:1
Classroom teachers: 75 FTE
Accreditation: Fully Accredited (2025-2026)
NCES school ID: 510300001250

Academic performance

SOL pass rates · 2024-2025

Reading

78%

Mathematics

71%

Science

68%

History & Social Sci.

35%

85%

On-time graduation (Class of 2024)

10%

Dropout rate

College & career readiness

2024-2025

1.68%

Students in AP courses

5.45%

Dual-enrollment (college credit)

Class of 2025 cohort had 85 students earn advanced diplomas (raw count, not a percent).

Attendance

2024-2025

25% of students were chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days).

About I.C. Norcom High School

I. C. Norcom High School traces its origins to 1878, when it opened as the Chestnut Street School for Black elementary and high school students in Portsmouth, Virginia. It was renamed the High Street School in 1913 and later named in honor of Israel Charles Norcom (1856-1916), an African American educator who served as its first supervising principal. It is often cited as one of the nation's oldest continuously operating historically Black high schools.

The school is administered by Portsmouth City Public Schools and sits at 1801 London Boulevard in Portsmouth, a city in the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia. The current building opened in September 1997, and its first four-year graduating class completed in 2002. The school's teams are the Greyhounds, competing in the Virginia High School League, with school colors of maroon and grey.

Notable alumni

Ruth Brown· R&B singer, 'Queen of R&B' (class of 1945)E. J. Josey· African American librarian and activist (class of 1940)James W. Holley III· Former mayor of Portsmouth, Virginia (class of 1944)Dorian Finney-Smith· NBA basketball playerVernon Macklin· NBA basketball playerMelvin Gregg· Actor

Contact

Phone: (757) 393-5442

Official school website ↗

Data sources

NCES Common Core of Data - I.C. Norcom High — NCES ID (510300001250), state ID, enrollment (1,009), grades 9-12, 75.0 FTE teachers, student/teacher ratio 13.45, locale, charter status, phone, address2024-2025 link ↗
Virginia School Quality Profiles - I.C. Norcom High — Accreditation status, SOL pass rates, graduation/dropout rates, chronic absenteeism, AP/dual enrollment, demographics, principal2024-2025 / accreditation 2025-2026 link ↗
Wikipedia - I. C. Norcom High School — Founding history, mascot, colors, current building year, athletics championships, notable alumni, websiten/a link ↗
Wikimedia Commons - File:Norcom High.jpg — Freely-licensed (CC BY-SA 4.0) building photo2007 link ↗

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

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