Ranger Elementary

Ranger Elementary is a small public elementary school in Ranger, West Virginia, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 76 students. The school faces significant challenges, including consistently low academic performance, a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, and a student population that is less racially diverse than the surrounding schools.

Ranger Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom quartile of West Virginia elementary schools, with a ranking between 300-362 out of 368-422 schools over the past 10 years. The school's performance on state assessments is significantly below the state and Lincoln County Schools district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. Additionally, 69.15% of Ranger Elementary students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. In contrast, the nearby Salt Rock Elementary School and Harts Pk-8 have significantly higher academic performance and rankings, despite serving similar student populations.

Another notable difference is the racial makeup of Ranger Elementary, which has a significantly higher percentage of white students (90.79% in 2022-2023) compared to the surrounding schools. This could indicate potential issues with equity and access to educational opportunities for students of color. Despite spending significantly more per student ($17,664 in 2018-2019) than the nearby schools, Ranger Elementary is not achieving better academic outcomes, suggesting that the school may not be effectively allocating its resources to support student learning and success.