Summary:
Wirt County Schools is a small, rural district in West Virginia that operates a single high school, Wirt County High School, serving grades 9 through 12 with 275 students in Elizabeth, WV.
For parents, the most important story here is volatility. Wirt County High School jumped from a 3-star rating (45th in the state) in 2024-2025 to a 1-star rating (83rd) in 2025-2026 — a swing of 38 positions in a single year. This decline is driven by a sharp drop in test scores across every subject. In 2024-2025, the school was actually above the state average in math (24.8% vs. 20.3%) and right at the state average in science (27.9% vs. 27.8%). Just one year later, math proficiency fell to 13.6%, science to 15.3%, and English Language Arts to 42.4% — all now well below state averages. This is not a minor dip; it suggests a systemic issue affecting the whole school, not just one subject or grade.
There are some positives to note. The graduation rate is stable at 92.9%, nearly matching the state average, and the school maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 10.5 with spending of $14,840 per student — signs of a well-resourced environment. However, those resources are not translating into strong academic outcomes, especially in STEM subjects where proficiency is below 16%. English Language Arts is a relative bright spot at 42.4% proficiency, suggesting literacy instruction may be a foundation to build on. The paradox of high spending and low test scores, combined with the dramatic year-over-year decline, makes this a school to watch closely — particularly for parents of students entering 11th grade, where state assessments are administered.
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