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Ruffner Elementary School

Q: Is Ruffner Elementary School a good school?

Ruffner Elementary School ranks 131 st of 355 West Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

131^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 355 West Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 63% of West Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Ruffner Elementary School is a mid-sized public school in Charleston, WV, serving 271 students from Pre-K through 5th grade as part of the Kanawha County Schools district.

Ruffner has shown a strong upward trajectory in recent years, jumping from a 2-star rating to a 4-star rating in 2024-2025 before settling at a solid 3-star rating for 2025-2026. The school's biggest academic strengths are in upper-grade English Language Arts and Science. In 4th and 5th grade ELA, Ruffner outperforms the state average by 11-14 percentage points, and its 5th-grade Science scores have beaten the district by roughly 10-15 points for three consecutive years. The school also achieves these results efficiently, spending about $12,538 per student—significantly less than nearby Mary C. Snow West Side Elementary ($15,331) or Shoals Elementary ($14,020)—while delivering better outcomes than both. The main area of concern is 3rd grade, where math proficiency (39%) trails the state average by more than 15 points, though the strong 4th and 5th grade scores suggest students catch up quickly after that year.

Compared to nearby schools, Ruffner occupies a solid middle position. It clearly outperforms lower-tier schools like Edgewood Elementary and Mary C. Snow West Side, while trailing elite performers like Holz Elementary and Overbrook Elementary. Notably, Ruffner's Science scores are competitive with higher-ranked schools, and its ELA proficiency (54.7%) is closer to the top-tier schools than its math scores. The school has also shown remarkable progress for students from low socio-economic backgrounds, climbing from the 20th percentile to the 59th percentile in just two years. Families should be aware that with only 271 students, year-to-year rankings can swing significantly based on the strengths of individual classes, but the overall trend at Ruffner is one of steady improvement.

271

Students ?

13.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,538

Per pupil spending ?

54.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

809 Litz Dr
Charleston, WV 25311-1321

(304) 348-1130

District: Kanawha County Schools

Students who attend Ruffner Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	West Side Middle School
High:	Capital High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

73.1%

Two or more races:

11.8%

African American:

10.3%

See top rated West Virginia elementary schools

Compare Ruffner Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 46th percentile in 2022 → 63rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the West Virginia average (48% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 63rd (2026) from a 46th-percentile low (2022)

✓Above the West Virginia median (63rd percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school48%

District avg40%

West Virginia avg41%

131^st of 355

West Virginia public elementary schools ?

Top 37%▼ down 17 pts since 2016

From top 20% (2016) to top 37% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of West Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

12^th of 38Elementary Schools in the Kanawha County Schools

22^nd of 54Kanawha County Schools among West Virginia districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	58.3	131 of 355	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	68.8	85 of 355	76.1%	★★★★☆
2024	47.3	189 of 368	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.7	187 of 368	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	44.5	203 of 375	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	63.1	110 of 380	71.1%	★★★★☆
2019	57.1	146 of 383	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	70.7	97 of 392	75.3%	★★★★☆
2017	84.4	38 of 399	90.5%	★★★★★
2016	70.0	80 of 402	80.1%	★★★★☆
2015	65.3	96 of 408	76.5%	★★★★☆
2014	52.9	174 of 422	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2013	31.0	346 of 428	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	33.5	323 of 426	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	37.9	294 of 426	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2010	52.2	185 of 427	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2009	54.2	189 of 420	55.0%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2017	71.0	24 of 187	87.2%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2017	79.4	16 of 75	78.7%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	57.9	109 of 300	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	64.7	81 of 302	73.2%	★★★★☆
2024	43.4	191 of 316	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.1	214 of 317	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	35.9	225 of 325	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	48.9	148 of 322	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	71.6	70 of 339	79.4%	★★★★☆
2018	73.4	69 of 366	81.1%	★★★★☆
2017	73.1	61 of 381	84.0%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	54.5	130 of 314	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	52.3	139 of 328	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	29.6	270 of 336	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	43.8	192 of 333	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.1	233 of 347	32.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	77.4	29 of 335	91.3%	★★★★★
2018	57.9	131 of 368	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2017	87.8	21 of 382	94.5%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	54.5	130 of 298	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	71.4	66 of 305	78.4%	★★★★☆
2024	47.3	173 of 325	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	53.5	132 of 322	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.3	137 of 330	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	75.9	49 of 333	85.3%	★★★★☆
2019	40.7	205 of 338	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	64.6	110 of 364	69.8%	★★★★☆
2017	85.0	23 of 382	94.0%	★★★★★

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2017	55.5	77 of 218	64.7%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2023	44.8	102 of 180	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	61.5	64 of 258	75.2%	★★★★☆
2017	73.6	33 of 377	91.2%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	68.9	86 of 352	75.6%	★★★★☆
2025	70.2	81 of 353	77.1%	★★★★☆
2024	51.0	170 of 367	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	43.7	205 of 366	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	44.8	200 of 373	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	62.4	104 of 376	72.3%	★★★★☆
2019	65.1	108 of 373	71.0%	★★★★☆
2018	74.2	77 of 374	79.4%	★★★★☆
2017	83.6	41 of 382	89.3%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

African American (2017)87th percentile-3 vs school

Asian (2017)79th percentile-12 vs school

White (2026)76th percentile+12 vs school

Multi-racial (2017)65th percentile-26 vs school

Female (2026)64th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)59th percentile-4 vs school

Male (2026)56th percentile-7 vs school

Special Education (2023)43rd percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs West Virginia (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts55%+7 vs state

Mathematics49%+9 vs state

Science40%+6 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a teacher
Sunday, January 23, 2022

Absolutely amazing school! I am the school counselor and have been for almost 10 years! By far the most caring, loving staff anywhere! My 7 year old daughter also comes to school with me so I know from a parent side as well! The teachers and staff go above and beyond for our kiddos! Close Quote

Schools Near Ruffner Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				WV Assessment Mathematics (2026)				WV Assessment English Language Arts (2026)				WV Assessment Science (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	WV Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	WV Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	WV Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	WV Assessment Mathematics All Grades	WV Assessment English Language Arts 3rd Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts 4th Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts 5th Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts All Grades	WV Assessment Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ruffner Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	809 Litz Dr	Charleston	25311	Kanawha County	Kanawha County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 348-1130	271	20	13.8		198 (73.1%)	28 (10.3%)	4 (1.5%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.2%)	32 (11.8%)	58.3	131^st of 355 public elementary schools	63.1%		68.8	85^th of 355 public elementary schools	76.1%	46	39.0	53.9	54.1	48.7	39.0	64.1	62.2	54.7	40.5	$12,538	$1,415	$11,123
Kanawha City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3601 Staunton Ave SE	Charleston	25304	Kanawha County	Kanawha County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 348-1985	242	18	13.4		160 (66.1%)	46 (19.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (13.2%)	47.7	185^th of 355 public elementary schools	47.9%		46.7	187^th of 355 public elementary schools	47.3%	2	50.0	36.4	60.0	46.8	50.0	36.4	55.0	45.5	35.0	$12,333	$1,280	$11,053
Piedmont Year-Round Education	Public	PK, KG-5	203 Bradford St	Charleston	25301	Kanawha County	Kanawha County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 348-1910	279	26	10.7		98 (35.1%)	135 (48.4%)	6 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	38 (13.6%)	25.6	293^rd of 355 public elementary schools	17.5%		25.7	300^th of 355 public elementary schools	15.5%	7	53.6	40.9	26.8	38.9	46.4	36.4	31.7	37.2	12.2	$12,444	$2,401	$10,043
Chamberlain Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4901 Venable Ave	Charleston	25304	Kanawha County	Kanawha County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 348-1969	225	15	15.5		152 (67.6%)	33 (14.7%)	4 (1.8%)	8 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	27 (12.0%)	73.3	69^th of 355 public elementary schools	80.6%		63.2	108^th of 355 public elementary schools	69.6%	39	66.7	59.3	53.6	59.8	48.2	74.1	53.6	58.5	50.0	$13,162	$1,196	$11,966
Shoals Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Dutch Rd	Charleston	25302	Kanawha County	Kanawha County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 348-1900	191	14	13.6		169 (88.5%)	5 (2.6%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	14 (7.3%)	40	222^nd of 355 public elementary schools	37.5%		54.3	155^th of 355 public elementary schools	56.3%	67	57.1	40.0	33.3	42.7	57.1	46.7	45.8	49.3	20.8	$14,020	$1,489	$12,531
Holz Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1505 Hampton Rd	Charleston	25314	Kanawha County	Kanawha County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 348-1906	304	19	16.4		264 (86.8%)	13 (4.3%)	2 (0.7%)	7 (2.3%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.9%)	99	2^nd of 355 public elementary schools	99.4%		98.1	2^nd of 355 public elementary schools	99.4%		92.7	86.5	91.8	90.6	80.5	83.8	83.7	82.7	69.4	$12,755	$1,126	$11,629
Elk Elementary Center	Public	PK, KG-5	3320 Pennsylvania Ave	Charleston	25302	Kanawha County	Kanawha County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 348-7776	475	35	13.7		453 (95.4%)	7 (1.5%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.7%)	38.4	232^nd of 355 public elementary schools	34.6%		36.1	241^st of 355 public elementary schools	32.1%	9	48.6	43.8	46.0	46.2	38.0	42.2	46.0	41.9	33.3	$12,883	$1,403	$11,480
Edgewood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	550 Hawks Rdg	Charleston	25302	Kanawha County	Kanawha County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 348-6631	413	35	11.8		215 (52.1%)	125 (30.3%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (16.5%)	17.6	328^th of 355 public elementary schools	7.6%		7.9	351^st of 355 public elementary schools	1.1%	23	34.3	24.1	35.2	31.0	29.6	20.7	42.6	30.8	27.8	$12,065	$2,496	$9,568
Overbrook Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	218 Oakwood Road	Charleston	25314	Kanawha County	Kanawha County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 348-6179	375	22	17.0		282 (75.2%)	38 (10.1%)	9 (2.4%)	6 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.3%)	35 (9.3%)	86.5	31^st of 355 public elementary schools	91.3%		86.9	26^th of 355 public elementary schools	92.7%	5	71.8	73.9	65.1	70.1	59.0	69.2	66.7	65.9	47.6	$11,294	$1,064	$10,230
Mary C. Snow West Side Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Florida St	Charleston	25302	Kanawha County	Kanawha County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 348-1902	453	34	13.3		206 (45.5%)	169 (37.3%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	73 (16.1%)	9.1	351^st of 355 public elementary schools	1.1%		9.3	345^th of 355 public elementary schools	2.8%	6	32.4	22.9	32.7	28.9	22.7	17.4	26.5	21.8	18.4	$15,331	$2,653	$12,678

Frequently Asked Questions about Ruffner Elementary School

How many students attend Ruffner Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 271 students attended Ruffner Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Ruffner Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Ruffner Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : West Side Middle School
High : Capital High School

What district is Ruffner Elementary School in?

Kanawha County Schools

Is Ruffner Elementary School a good school?

Ruffner Elementary School ranks 131^st of 355 West Virginia elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Ruffner Elementary School?

Students at Ruffner Elementary School are 73% White, 12% Two or more races, 10% African American, 2% Pacific Islander, 1% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

Rate Ruffner Elementary School!

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Latest West Virginia data All new data »

2025–26 WV Assessment scoresNewAug 12, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 9, 2026

2024–25 WV Assessment scoresAug 13, 2025

2023–24 graduation ratesMay 8, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the West Virginia Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.