Summary:
Mineral County Schools in West Virginia serves approximately 3,927 students across 10 schools—6 elementary/primary schools (PK-4), 2 middle schools (grades 5-8), and 2 high schools (grades 9-12)—in a predominantly rural area spanning communities like Keyser, Ridgeley, Burlington, and Elk Garden.
The district shows a clear performance divide between the Frankfort and Keyser feeder patterns. Frankfort High School is the standout, ranking 30th statewide (4 stars) with a 99.1% graduation rate and science proficiency above the state average. Fountain Primary School is the most improved elementary school, jumping to the 76th percentile with 61.1% math proficiency—nearly double the district average. Burlington Primary also performs well, with 56% proficiency in both math and ELA. In contrast, Keyser Primary School ranks in the 7th percentile (0 stars), with 4th grade ELA proficiency at just 21.4%. Keyser Middle School has ranked in the bottom 11% for three straight years, and New Creek Primary School fell from the 34th to the 3rd percentile in one year.
District-wide, ELA proficiency (37.5%) trails the state by 10.1 points, and science is a critical weakness—only Frankfort High School exceeds the state average. A consistent "3rd grade peak" pattern shows scores dropping sharply by 4th grade across multiple schools. Graduation rates are a bright spot, with both high schools exceeding the state average. Small schools show extreme volatility: Elk Garden School spends the most per student ($17,755) yet ranks in the bottom 9%, while Keyser High School declined from the 50th to 30th percentile, with 11th grade ELA dropping 17.2 points in a year. Parents should note the stark contrast between the Frankfort cluster's consistent success and the Keyser cluster's struggles, particularly in middle school and science.
Thank you for your feedback!