Summary:
Wise County Public Schools operates three middle schools — Union Middle, L.F. Addington Middle, and Coeburn Middle — serving grades 5–8 in the rural coalfield region of far southwestern Virginia, with the district ranked #2 out of 131 in the state with a 5-star rating.
L.F. Addington Middle is the district's consistent academic leader, ranked #9 in Virginia for 2025–2026 after two straight years at #6, and it posts the highest average SOL proficiency at roughly 87.8%, including perfect 100% proficiency on Algebra I. Coeburn Middle is the most improved school, soaring from #87 in the state in 2023–2024 to #11 in 2025–2026, while also having the lowest chronic absenteeism at 13.3% and the highest per-student spending at $11,376. Union Middle is the largest school with 561 students and remains strong overall at #30 statewide, but it is the lowest-ranked of the three and shows clear warning signs: 8th-grade math proficiency plunged to 51.7% in 2025–2026, chronic absenteeism is high at 20.0%, and per-student spending is the lowest at $9,209.
All three schools serve student populations with very high economic need — over 92% free/reduced lunch eligibility — yet they rank in the top 7% of Virginia middle schools and outperform the state average in every reported SOL subject. Student-teacher ratios are excellent across the district, ranging from 11.0 to 12.0, and Algebra I proficiency is a perfect 100% at all three schools. However, 8th-grade general math varies widely, from 96.2% at Coeburn Middle and 86.4% at L.F. Addington Middle to just 51.7% at Union Middle, suggesting Union may need to examine course placement and targeted support. For parents, L.F. Addington offers the most consistent excellence, Coeburn is a rapidly rising star worth watching, and Union — while still a solid school — has the most room for improvement, particularly in 8th-grade math and attendance.
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