David A. Dutrow Elementary School

David A. Dutrow Elementary School is a public magnet school in Newport News offering Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 5 instruction. It is located at 60 Curtis Tignor Road under Newport News City Public Schools. The school operates the Global Studies Magnet Program, where students engage in inquiry-based learning across disciplines—ecology, culture, government, equality, economics—and also study Spanish or French as a second language. Karen Brown is the principal. The student population is about 380 students (2023-24), with a student-teacher ratio of ~ 16.5:1. The student body is diverse: approximately 49-50% African American, ~18% Hispanic, ~17% White, ~13% multiracial, under 2% Asian/American Indian etc. Nearly all students (98% +) receive free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the high level of economic need in the community. Academically, readings indicate that reading proficiency is around 51%, math proficiency ~ 49%, both below Virginia state averages. Test performance has historically placed the school in the bottom half of VA elementary schools, though gains in certain grades have been noted.

Wings of the Global Studies Magnet Program continue receiving attention as Dutrow works to deepen student engagement with global issues and cross-disciplinary projects.

Its Virginia School Quality Profile lists Karen Brown as principal and the school continues to be accredited by the state, while focusing on strategies to raise proficiency and close gaps.

Q1. What magnet program does Dutrow offer, and what are its features?

A. The Global Studies Magnet Program exposes students to global themes through inquiry-based learning. It includes study of world environments, economics, culture, and second languages (Spanish/French) to build global competence and academic independence.

Q2. What is the GreatSchools rating for Dutrow, and how does it compare to state benchmarks?

A. Dutrow has a rating of 6/10 on GreatSchools. Its test scores are generally lower than Virginia state averages in reading and math but show pockets of stronger performance in certain grades.

Q3. What is the demographic breakdown and specifically how many students qualify for free/reduced lunch?

A. About 49.5% African American, 17.6% Hispanic, 16.8% White, ~13.4% multiracial, with very small percentages of Asian or American Indian. Over 98% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

Q4. How many students attend, and how is class size/support structured?

A. Total enrollment is ~ 380 students in grades Pre-K through 5. With ~ 23 full-time classroom teachers, the student-teacher ratio is ~16.5:1.

Q5. What are some of the challenges the school is facing?

A. Lower proficiency compared to state averages in reading and mathematics; high levels of economic disadvantage among students; chronic absenteeism noted as a concern in some sources; and being ranked in the lower half of Virginia elementary schools in state-wide assessments.