2024 Best Middle Schools in West Virginia

A Guide to Navigating Middle Schools in West Virginia

West Virginia is home to numerous middle schools spread across cities such as Charleston and Morgantown, with a current total of 304. This number is significantly less than the national average, and on a per capita basis it has about 12% fewer middle schools than average. Even so, schools have earned a B– grade (which is in-line with the nation's average). Although not perfect, there are still various excellent options. Most middle schools in West Virginia are between 375-400 students, with the precise average coming out at 305 students. This figure falls under the national average by about 25%, which can mean the state offers a tighter community feel than most other states. While 31% of all middle schools in West Virginia are rated above the national average, this equates to only 95 schools that exceed expectations, making these options few and far between. In terms of class size, West Virginia boasts a student to teacher ratio of 13:1 - 7% lower than the national average - this could potentially contribute to better learning outcomes given the correlation between academic performance and individual attention from teachers.

Stats about West Virginia public middle schools

The majority of middle schools in West Virginia are public schools, with more than 200 options available to families. The average public middle school in West Virginia is slightly smaller than the national average, with an enrollment of around 393 students, which is 4% less than what's seen in most states. Despite this difference in size, West Virginia’s public middle schools receive a C+ overall grade - slightly worse than the national average for public schools.

Traditional Public Middle Schools

The largest type of public school in the state (and in the nation) traditional public schools, in other words those that are not charter, or magnet, or otherwise specialized. There are several hundred of those (207 to be exact), and they also score worse than the national average in the state of West Virginia, hailing a grade of a C+. Among those 300+ schools, about 35% are rated above the national average - which equates to 72 different middle schools that are performing above expectations within West Virginia. It's also worth noting that although traditional public school enrollment is not particularly different from any other state (averaging 393 students), class size may still be an issue since there's no variation between traditional and charter/magnet school student-to-teacher ratios here.

The West Virginia Middle School that Excels Academically and Socially

When it comes to finding the best traditional public middle school in West Virginia, Suncrest Middle School stands out as one of the best options available. Located in Morgantown, this educational institution fosters excellence both academically and socially. Its impressive enrollment size of 495 students and low student-to-teacher ratio of 14:1 demonstrate its commitment to creating an intimate learning environment conducive to personalized instruction. This student-to-teacher ratio is just slightly lower than the national average for all middle schools, which may explain why Suncrest Middle School maintains an A rating on its academic performance report card year after year.

Charter Schools in West Virginia: A Closer Look

West Virginia does not have any charter schools within its borders - which can make it difficult for parents specifically seeking this type of alternative education for their child. Unfortunately, this lack of charter schools also means that there's no data available on charter performance since there aren't any schools within its borders at present.

Magnet Schools in West Virginia: A Closer Look

As with charter schools above, unfortunately there are no magnet schools located within West Virginia either - making them also quite rare given their relative abundance across other parts of the United States. With no magnet options available to parents within this state they will likely have fewer distinct choices when it comes to selecting an alternative option for their child's schooling outside of traditional publics.

An Overview of Magnet Middle Schools in West Virginia

If you're looking for a magnet middle school in West Virginia that provides an exceptional education, unfortunately, there are no options available at this time. As a result, students and parents must look to other alternatives.

Investigating West Virginia's Private School Landscape

In West Virginia, private schools are quite prevalent, with 94 institutions available to students and parents. Despite the high numbers, the typical private school in the state has a significantly smaller student body compared to the national average, with just 120 students on average. While this might not guarantee better education quality across the board, it is a promising sign for those seeking a more intimate educational experience. The average grade of these schools is also something to take into consideration; with an impressive B grade, the academic quality of most of these schools is very good.

Exploring the Landscape of Religious Schools in West Virginia

Religious schools play an important role in West Virginia's private school sector, with nearly 89% of schools being religiously affiliated. There are a total of 84 religious school options available throughout the state (the 28th most per capita), and the majority of these schools are Christian-affiliated (64). For those who lean towards Christianity, this could be good news.

What sets religious schools apart from their non-religious counterparts various from state to state, but in West Virginia's case, one factor appears to be that they often have smaller school sizes. With an average of 122 students per school, religious schools tend to have an impressive student-to-teacher ratio. This doesn't always guarantee better education quality across the board, but it does suggest that students can receive more individualized support and attention than what is typically offered in public schooling.

Best Religious Middle School in West Virginia

In the state of West Virginia, Christian middle schools are the most prevalent, but there is one religious middle school that stands out as the highest-rated. Charleston Catholic High School, situated in Charleston and located approximately 2 hours from Huntington is one of the premier institutions in town and has received an A grade. One of many unique attributes that sets it apart is its small size (410 students) combined with a remarkably low student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to one—which outperforms the national average by 14%. This suggests that students receive exceptional attention and support from the faculty and staff at Charleston Catholic High School.

A snapshot on private non-religious middle schools in West Virginia

Diving deeper into private schools, those that are non-religious play an important role in private academics. Private schools that are not associated with any religious denomination constitute 3% of all private schools in the state (10 institutions). The academic performance of private non-religious middle schools in West Virginia is quite remarkable; despite having a lower student population than other states (104 students per school on average), they still manage to score an A grade overall—just 1% above than the national average. Even more impressive is that 10% of these schools score above the national average—a feat given their smaller size compared to other institutions throughout America. Private non-religious middle schools in West Virginia appear to be thriving and a great choice for families/ looking for an alternative to public schooling.

Top Private Non-Religious Middle School in West Virginia

At present, The Linsly School stands out as West Virginia's top-rated private non-religious middle school and is located approximately 1 hour eastward from Pittsburgh. The Linsly School has a student population of 465 and, due to its small size (75% lower than America's typical middle school), it has a very low student-to-teacher ratio of 9:1—even better than what most public middle schools offer! The school has also achieved an A grade rating—suitable for those families who seek excellence not only academically but also in terms of overall values formation for their children.

A look at other options in West Virginia

Unfortunately, when it comes to other specialized middle school options such all-girls or all-boys institutions or fully online schools, there aren’t any viable options available at present due to limited availability or lack thereof entirely (for all-girls and online). This could be attributed to either poor market demand or lack of resources due to budget constraints among others—thus not being able to provide such specialized education options to students yet.