Primary and Secondary Education
A high-quality school division widely acknowledged among the nation’s best, the Virginia Beach City Public Schools system (VBCPS) is composed of 55 elementary schools, 15 middle schools, 11 high schools, and four secondary specialty centers. To help prepare students to be successful as workers and lifelong learners in this challenging and rapidly changing global economy, VBCPS offers expanded academic choices. These include seven school-within-a-school academies, three advanced academic programs, one gifted school, and several specific career-tract technical education programs.
In Compass to 2020, the Strategic Plan for Student Success, the school division states its commitment to using innovative instructional practices and supportive technologies. To ensure this goal is achieved, the school division offers distance learning programs at the high school and middle school levels.
These online courses are available during the school year and summer school.
World Language Immersion Program
Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) offers partial-immersion programs, often known as dual immersion one-way programs, in Spanish at select elementary and middle schools. Students in a VBCPS language immersion program follow the same curriculum as their grade-level peers.
Advanced Academic Programs
In VBCPS secondary schools, students continue to have an array of choices from the school division’s academy/advanced academic programs. These unique schools-within-schools provide expanded academic opportunities for students across the division.
Elementary School
- Mathematics and Science Academy: Linkhorn Elementary
- Foreign Language Partial Immersion Academy: Christopher Farms Elementary
Middle School
- Middle Years International Baccalaureate Program at Plaza Middle
- Global Studies & World Languages Academy: Tallwood High
- Health Sciences Academy: Bayside High
- Legal Studies Academy: First Colonial High
- STEM & Technology Academy: Landstown High
- Visual & Performing Arts Academy: Salem High
- Entrepreneurship and Business Academy: Kempsville High School
- International Baccalaureate Program: Princess Anne High
- Mathematics & Science Academy: Ocean Lakes High
Gifted Programs
- Old Donation School (grades 2-8)
Athletics Programs
Virginia Beach City Public Schools provide students with the opportunity to succeed not only in the classroom but also in a variety of athletic programs. The following sports are offered to students at the City’s 12 high schools:
| BOYS | GIRLS | COED |
|---|
| Fall | Cross country
Football
Volleyball | Cross country
Field hockey
Volleyball | Cheerleading
Golf |
| Winter | Basketball
Indoor track
Swimming
Wrestling | Basketball
Gymnastics
Indoor track
Swimming | Cheerleading |
Spring
| Baseball
Soccer
Tennis
Track and field
| Softball
Soccer
Tennis
Track and field
|
|
Technical and Career Education (TCE)
Technical and Career Education (TCE) offerings provide an even greater array of possibilities for students. As part of VBCPS’ mission to provide students with the skills necessary to succeed in a world-class economy, they are offered the opportunity to sit for sought-after industry credential tests through the Office of Technical and Career Education. In the 2021-2022 school year, TCE students passed 12,442 industry-credential tests. Learn more TCE facts.
Advanced Technology Center
A collaboration between VBCPS, Tidewater Community College, and the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) is a 137,000-square-foot facility adjacent to the Virginia Beach Higher Education Center.
ATC’s mission is to complement City schools by providing technical training and education. The center also addresses the demand among regional employers for a trained workforce in the engineering and information technology field and works to expose students and residents to a variety of career opportunities.
The Advanced Technology Center also offers businesses space for employee training at no cost. For more information, contact the Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development at (757) 385-6464.
