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Central Preston Middle School

Q: Is Central Preston Middle School a good school?

Central Preston Middle School ranks 46 th of 161 West Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 5-8

46^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 161 West Virginia Middle Schools

Better than 71% of West Virginia middle schools

Summary

Central Preston Middle School in Kingwood, WV, serves 290 students in grades 5 through 8 within the Preston County Schools district. This small, rural school has quietly become one of the most improved middle schools in the state, climbing from a 1-star rating (16th percentile) in 2017-2018 to a 4-star rating (71st percentile) by 2025-2026—a remarkable transformation that shows sustained, systemic progress rather than a one-year fluke.

What makes Central Preston stand out is its academic strength in the upper grades and its effectiveness with students from low-income backgrounds. While 5th and 6th-grade scores hover near state averages, 7th and 8th-grade students consistently outperform their peers across West Virginia. For example, 7th-grade English Language Arts proficiency (56.7%) is nearly 11 points above the state average, and 8th-grade math (41.7%) also exceeds state norms. The school is particularly successful with its low-SES students, ranking in the 70th percentile statewide—a strong indicator of overall effectiveness. Science proficiency (33.3%) also tops both state and district averages. However, special education services remain a clear area for growth, with this subgroup ranking in the 20th percentile, a sharp drop from the previous year.

When compared to nearby schools in the higher-performing Monongalia County Schools district, Central Preston holds its own. While elite schools like Mountaineer Middle School and South Middle School post higher raw scores, a fairer comparison is with Westwood Middle School, which has a similar ranking and enrollment. Against Westwood, Central Preston actually outperforms in overall math (37% vs. 36.6%) and ELA (50.6% vs. 39.6%). Perhaps most impressive, Central Preston achieves these results while spending just $10,090 per student—over 50% less than Westwood—demonstrating exceptional efficiency and a strong return on investment for families in this community.

290

Students ?

13.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,815

Per pupil spending ?

45.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

64 Wildcat Way
Kingwood, WV 26537-3700

(304) 329-0033

District: Preston County Schools

Students who attend Central Preston Middle School usually attend:

High:

Preston High School

Feeder schools for Central Preston Middle School:

Elementary:

Kingwood Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

97.2%

Two or more races:

1.4%

African American:

1.0%

See top rated West Virginia middle schools

Compare Central Preston Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 39th percentile in 2016 → 71st in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 32 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the West Virginia median (71st percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school42%

District avg38%

West Virginia avg41%

46^th of 161

West Virginia public middle schools ?

Top 29%▲ up 32 pts since 2016

From bottom 39% (2016) to top 29% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of West Virginia Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

30^th of 55Preston 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	64.6	46 of 161	71.4%	★★★★☆
2025	58.7	56 of 168	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.1	50 of 169	70.4%	★★★★☆
2023	65.7	42 of 168	75.0%	★★★★☆
2022	68.1	37 of 169	78.1%	★★★★☆
2021	48.4	82 of 171	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	29.5	132 of 171	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	24.2	143 of 170	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	31.1	143 of 176	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	40.0	105 of 172	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2015	50.3	77 of 173	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2014	40.1	108 of 172	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2013	54.0	67 of 174	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2012	62.1	44 of 172	74.4%	★★★★☆
2011	48.9	88 of 171	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2010	40.4	119 of 171	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2009	32.9	126 of 171	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2017	44.3	64 of 124	48.4%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2022	39.6	88 of 131	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	38.0	91 of 129	29.5%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	66.2	39 of 155	74.8%	★★★★☆
2025	53.4	58 of 158	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	61.7	51 of 158	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	67.2	34 of 158	78.5%	★★★★☆
2022	71.3	32 of 164	80.5%	★★★★☆
2021	59.7	51 of 162	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	32.4	125 of 162	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	33.1	125 of 166	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	43.1	110 of 174	36.8%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2017	38.3	69 of 97	28.9%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	63.0	47 of 157	70.1%	★★★★☆
2025	49.8	75 of 165	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	54.7	61 of 164	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	59.0	53 of 162	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	54.5	67 of 162	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	44.3	87 of 164	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	18.4	156 of 165	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	37.2	127 of 176	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	60.7	51 of 156	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	57.2	58 of 160	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.8	65 of 165	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	62.7	52 of 158	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	63.7	46 of 161	71.4%	★★★★☆
2021	42.1	89 of 164	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	30.0	129 of 161	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.9	143 of 164	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	23.8	153 of 176	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	32.7	99 of 125	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	44.0	69 of 127	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	30.8	101 of 128	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.6	111 of 132	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	41.7	66 of 130	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	19.5	140 of 142	1.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	25.6	162 of 174	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	60.9	54 of 161	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	58.0	62 of 168	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.4	45 of 169	73.4%	★★★★☆
2023	65.6	44 of 168	73.8%	★★★★☆
2022	68.3	37 of 168	78.0%	★★★★☆
2021	47.9	85 of 170	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	29.0	133 of 168	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.1	143 of 167	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	30.5	142 of 176	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Female (2026)75th percentile+3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)70th percentile~ school

Male (2026)67th percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)66th percentile-5 vs school

African American (2017)48th percentile+30 vs school

Disabled (2022)33rd percentile-45 vs school

Hispanic (2017)29th percentile+10 vs school

Special Education (2026)21st percentile-51 vs school

By subject vs West Virginia (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts51%+3 vs state

Mathematics37%~ state avg

Science33%+4 vs state

★

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Schools Near Central Preston Middle 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 (2025)
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 (2021)	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 5th Grade	WV Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	WV Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	WV Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	WV Assessment Mathematics All Grades	WV Assessment English Language Arts 5th Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts 6th Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts 7th Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts 8th Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts All Grades	WV Assessment Science 5th Grade	WV Assessment Science 8th Grade	WV Assessment Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Central Preston Middle School	Public	5-8	64 Wildcat Way	Kingwood	26537	Preston County	Preston County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 329-0033	290	21	13.8	45.9%	282 (97.2%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.4%)	64.6	46^th of 161 public middle schools	71.4%		58.7	56^th of 168 public middle schools	66.7%	10	34.9	31.8	38.8	41.7	37.0	44.4	47.6	56.7	52.8	50.6	33.3	33.3	33.3	$9,815	$1,456	$8,360
South Middle School	Public	6-8	500 E Parkway Dr	Morgantown	26501	Monongalia County	Monongalia County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 291-9340	784	61	12.9	37.5%	684 (87.2%)	28 (3.6%)	23 (2.9%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (5.6%)	87.3	10^th of 161 public middle schools	93.8%		92.4	6^th of 168 public middle schools	96.4%	4		52.3	61.5	44.1	52.2		60.9	62.8	57.0	60.1		40.8		$10,496	$790	$9,706
Mountaineer Middle School	Public	6-8	991 Price St	Morgantown	26505	Monongalia County	Monongalia County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 284-2856	640	43	15.0	23.1%	544 (85.0%)	17 (2.7%)	14 (2.2%)	13 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	51 (8.0%)	99.1	1^st of 161 public middle schools	99.4%		98.8	1^st of 168 public middle schools	99.4%			64.3	65.1	70.0	66.5		80.8	74.5	78.8	78.0		64.0		$9,527	$809	$8,718
Westwood Middle School	Public	6-8	670 River Rd	Morgantown	26501	Monongalia County	Monongalia County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 291-9300	346	33	10.4	57.6%	305 (88.2%)	2 (0.6%)	10 (2.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	26 (7.5%)	51.7	67^th of 161 public middle schools	58.4%		49.2	81^st of 168 public middle schools	51.8%	14		37.3	32.6	41.5	36.6		46.4	31.1	43.6	39.6		36.2		$13,149	$1,123	$12,025

Frequently Asked Questions about Central Preston Middle School

Is Central Preston Middle School a good school?

Central Preston Middle School ranks 46^th of 161 West Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Central Preston Middle School in?

Preston County Schools

What is the racial makeup of Central Preston Middle School?

Students at Central Preston Middle School are 97% White, 1% Two or more races, 1% African American.

How many students attend Central Preston Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 290 students attended Central Preston Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Central Preston Middle School attend?

Students who attend Central Preston Middle School usually go on to attend Preston High School

Rate Central Preston Middle School!

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Latest West Virginia data All new data »

2019–20 through 2024–25 school spending dataAug 24, 2026

2025–26 WV Assessment scoresAug 12, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 9, 2026

2024–25 WV Assessment scoresAug 13, 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.