Get ready to be amazed! Norfolk Public Schools (NPS) is embarking on an exciting journey to transform learning environments in our city. We’re committed to creating innovative and engaging educational experiences for all students and to providing every student with rich educational experiences in inspiring, well maintained learning spaces. However, ongoing financial challenges and changing enrollment patterns have made this goal increasingly complex. Over the past decade, NPS has faced an average annual enrollment decline of more than 400 students, which has directly impacted the budget and made it difficult to maintain current facilities.

 

Despite this significant decrease in enrollment, NPS continues to operate nearly the same number of schools it did 10 years ago, spreading resources too thin. Today, NPS has the capacity to serve nearly 37,000 students but enrolls fewer than 27,000. A 2019 Facility Condition Assessment identified nearly $500 million in facility needs, a figure that will only grow as over half of NPS schools are over 50 years old. The existing school portfolio was designed for a larger student population in a different era, and modernizing NPS requires a shift toward newer, fewer schools that can provide all students with the enriching, well-resourced educational environments they deserve.

 

To address these challenges and seize this opportunity for transformation, NPS is forming a Norfolk Public Schools Long-Range Educational and Facilities Planning Committee to develop an actionable, city-wide plan. The Committee will meet 3-5 times through the end of the school year (June 2025) to review data and explore options for optimizing NPS' school portfolio. You are invited to apply as a potential member of this Committee. If you are interested in taking part in this transformative effort, please complete the application form using the link below. If you cannot commit to joining the Committee, please stay tuned for future opportunities to take part in community meetings and focus groups.