Summary:
The city of Ona, West Virginia, is served by two schools within the Cabell County Schools district, which ranks in the top 13% of districts statewide: Cabell Midland High School (grades 9-12) and Ona Elementary School (grades PK-5).
Cabell Midland High School is the clear standout, ranking 12th out of 105 high schools in West Virginia (89th percentile, 4 stars) with a 95.2% graduation rate that exceeds both district and state averages. Its test scores are consistently strong, particularly in English Language Arts (59.5% proficiency) and science (32.1%), both well above state norms. However, math proficiency sits at just 26.6%, and the school saw notable year-over-year declines in all subjects, with science dropping 8.6 points. In contrast, Ona Elementary School ranks 143rd out of 355 elementary schools (60th percentile, 3 stars) and shows a more mixed picture. Its math proficiency (50.8%) is a solid 11.4 points above the state average, but science proficiency among 5th graders is a weak point at 36.1%, below the district average. The elementary school also experienced a significant ranking drop from 88th to 143rd in one year.
Comparing the two schools reveals an interesting dynamic: the high school outperforms its elementary feeder despite spending slightly less per student ($10,821 vs. $11,360). At Ona Elementary, math proficiency declines sharply from 4th grade (56.8%) to 5th grade (44.4%), while ELA proficiency jumps dramatically from 4th (48.7%) to 5th grade (63.9%). With no middle school in Ona, students in grades 6-8 transition to schools elsewhere in the district, which may contribute to the high school's stronger performance. Both schools benefit from a top-ranked district, but the recent declines at both levels—especially the high school's science scores and the elementary school's 5th-grade math—are trends worth watching for parents.
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