Pendleton County Schools

Pendleton County Schools is a small, rural district in West Virginia serving 850 students across four schools: three elementary schools (PK-6) and one combined middle/high school (7-12). The district ranks 10th out of 54 in the state with a 4-star rating, but performance varies dramatically between schools.

Brandywine Elementary School is the clear standout, ranking 12th in the state (97th percentile) with a 5-star rating. Its math proficiency (78.2%) is nearly double the district average, and its 5th grade math proficiency is an extraordinary 90.9%. In contrast, Franklin Elementary School, the district's largest elementary school, ranks in the 48th percentile and struggles significantly in 3rd grade ELA (23.3% proficiency vs. 44.6% state average). North Fork Elementary School showed remarkable improvement, jumping from the 29th to the 75th percentile in one year, though its 6th grade math proficiency remains a concerning outlier at just 16.7%.

The district's biggest challenge is Pendleton County Middle/High School, which ranks in the 19th percentile (1 star) and dropped dramatically from the 68th percentile the previous year. While 7th and 8th grade performance is relatively strong, there is a steep decline by 11th grade: math proficiency falls to just 11.9% (vs. 20.6% state average) and science to 11.9% (vs. 23.6% state). This represents a 75% decline in math proficiency from middle to high school. The graduation rate is 91.4%, slightly below the state average. All schools maintain excellent student-teacher ratios (9.1-11.6:1), and per-student spending ranges from $14,078 to $16,043, with Brandywine spending the most. The district's strength clearly lies at the elementary level, and replicating Brandywine's success across other schools while addressing the high school decline represents the district's greatest opportunity.