Summary:
ZIP 43162 (West Jefferson, Ohio) is served by three public schools — all part of the Jefferson Local district — forming a complete K–12 pipeline of 976 students: Norwood Elementary School (K–5, 445 students), West Jefferson Middle School (6–8, 252 students), and West Jefferson High School (9–12, 279 students).
The strongest choice in this ZIP is Norwood Elementary School, which beat the state average on all seven reported 2025-26 tests (about +6.9 points on average) and has the area's lowest chronic absenteeism at 16.6%, well under the district's 20.3%. West Jefferson Middle School is a mixed picture with two standout results: 8th grade math at +26.6 points over the state, and Algebra I at 100% proficiency — though that reflects a very small, selectively enrolled group of advanced 8th graders rather than school-wide achievement. West Jefferson High School is the weakest link: 32nd percentile with 2 stars, four of six tests below state averages, and five of six declining year over year. Yet it graduates 98.8% of students and has the smallest classes (12.6:1).
Across the ZIP, the pattern runs in one direction. Rankings fall from the 62nd to the 52nd to the 32nd percentile as students move from elementary to middle to high school; chronic absenteeism rises 16.6% → 22.8% → 24.3%; and free/reduced-price lunch eligibility climbs from 49.89% to 75.99%. The high school's near-universal graduation rate sits uneasily beside proficiency of 58.1% in English II and 40.3% in Geometry. Note that spending figures date to 2018-19 and middle school FRL is not reported. The academic edge built in elementary grades is not holding through grades 6–12.
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