Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Smithville Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-4

1^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 355 West Virginia Elementary Schools

Better than 100% of West Virginia elementary schools

Summary

Smithville Elementary in Smithville, WV, is a small, rural school serving just 90 students from Pre-K through 4th grade, and it has quietly become one of the most remarkable success stories in West Virginia education. Part of the Ritchie County Schools district, this school has earned the #1 ranking in the entire state in two of the last three school years, and it has never ranked lower than #2 since 2020-2021. That puts it in the top 1% of all 355 elementary schools in West Virginia—an extraordinary feat for a school of its size.

What truly sets Smithville apart is its jaw-dropping test performance. In the most recent school year, 97.2% of students scored proficient in math and 88.9% in English Language Arts—more than double the district and state averages. Even more impressive, every single 4th grader achieved 100% proficiency in both subjects. When you compare Smithville to nearby schools, the gap is staggering: Pleasant Hill School posts 72.9% math proficiency, Harrisville Elementary sits at 69.6%, and Creed Collins Elementary is at 51.5%. Smithville outperforms its next-best neighbor by more than 24 percentage points in math and 41 points in ELA.

The secret appears to be the school's small size and favorable 10:1 student-teacher ratio, which allows for intensive, individualized instruction that larger schools simply can't match. This hasn't always been the case—back in 2015-2016, Smithville ranked 128th in the state. A dramatic turnaround beginning in 2017-2018 transformed the school into a consistent top-5 performer, and that excellence has been sustained for nearly a decade. The school also achieves strong results across all student groups, including those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, proving that its success is systemic, not selective. For parents seeking a school where their child will receive exceptional academic support in a close-knit environment, Smithville Elementary is a standout choice that challenges every assumption about rural education.

Students ?

10.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,689

Per pupil spending ?

47.8%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

157 Main Street
Smithville, WV 26178-0030

(304) 477-3273

District: Ritchie County Schools

Students who attend Smithville Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Ritchie County Middle
High:	Ritchie County High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.4%

Two or more races:

3.3%

Hispanic:

2.2%

See top rated West Virginia elementary schools

Compare Smithville Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 68th percentile in 2016 → 100th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the West Virginia average (93% vs 44% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 1% of West Virginia elementary schools

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school93%

District avg48%

West Virginia avg44%

1^st of 355

West Virginia public elementary schools ?

Top 1%▲ up 32 pts since 2016

From top 32% (2016) to top 1% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of West Virginia Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 3Elementary Schools in the Ritchie County Schools

15^th of 55Ritchie 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	99.5	1 of 355	99.7%	★★★★★
2025	99.6	1 of 355	99.7%	★★★★★
2024	98.8	2 of 368	99.5%	★★★★★
2023	98.7	1 of 368	99.7%	★★★★★
2022	99.5	2 of 375	99.5%	★★★★★
2021	99.9	1 of 380	99.7%	★★★★★
2019	96.3	4 of 383	99.0%	★★★★★
2018	92.7	9 of 392	97.7%	★★★★★
2017	62.0	127 of 399	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2016	61.7	128 of 402	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2015	63.5	106 of 408	74.0%	★★★★☆
2014	52.6	177 of 422	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	63.1	122 of 428	71.5%	★★★★☆
2012	53.1	177 of 426	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2011	49.9	201 of 426	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2010	32.1	335 of 427	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	52.6	202 of 420	51.9%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2018	97.2	2 of 366	99.5%	★★★★★
2017	48.4	203 of 381	46.7%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2018	93.8	3 of 368	99.2%	★★★★★
2017	66.7	93 of 382	75.7%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2018	82.1	39 of 364	89.3%	★★★★☆
2017	60.8	125 of 382	67.3%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2017	74.8	31 of 377	91.8%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	West Virginia percentile	Rating
2026	99.4	1 of 353	99.7%	★★★★★
2025	99.4	1 of 353	99.7%	★★★★★
2024	98.4	2 of 367	99.5%	★★★★★
2023	98.2	1 of 366	99.7%	★★★★★
2022	99.2	2 of 373	99.5%	★★★★★
2021	99.9	1 of 376	99.7%	★★★★★
2019	96.0	4 of 373	98.9%	★★★★★
2018	91.7	12 of 374	96.8%	★★★★★
2017	62.3	123 of 382	67.8%	★★★☆☆

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)

White (2026)100th percentile~ school

Female (2018)99th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2018)99th percentile~ school

Special Education (2017)92nd percentile+24 vs school

Male (2018)89th percentile-8 vs school

By subject vs West Virginia (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics97%+58 vs state

English Language Arts89%+41 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Smithville Elementary

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, June 16, 2020

As a parent, I love SES! My daughter enjoys going to a school where teachers genuinely care and academics are top notch! Close Quote

Schools Near Smithville Elementary

Load more schools when map is moved

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	Directly certified (2024-25)	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
Smithville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	157 Main Street	Smithville	26178	Ritchie County	Ritchie County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 477-3273	90	9	10.0	47.8%	85 (94.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.3%)	99.5	1^st of 355 public elementary schools	99.7%		99.6	1^st of 355 public elementary schools	99.7%		95.0	100.0		97.2	80.0	100.0		88.9		$15,689	$2,720	$12,969
Pleasant Hill School	Public	PK, KG-4	3254 N Calhoun Hwy	Grantsville	26147	Calhoun County	Calhoun County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 354-6022	152	16	9.5	64.5%	144 (94.7%)	1 (0.7%)	2 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	4 (2.6%)	70.6	80^th of 355 public elementary schools	77.5%		66.6	95^th of 355 public elementary schools	73.2%	15	76.0	69.6		72.9	44.0	52.2		47.9		$14,268	$2,523	$11,745
Harrisville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	95 Elementary Drive	Harrisville	26362	Ritchie County	Ritchie County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 643-2220	201	18	11.1	48.8%	193 (96.0%)	3 (1.5%)	5 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57.7	137^th of 355 public elementary schools	61.4%		65.8	100^th of 355 public elementary schools	71.8%	37	57.7	80.0		69.6	30.8	53.3		42.9		$13,588	$2,016	$11,573
Creed Collins Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	512 Collins Ave	Pennsboro	26415	Ritchie County	Ritchie County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 659-2140	211	18	11.7	52.1%	203 (96.2%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.4%)	42	213^th of 355 public elementary schools	40.0%		48.7	176^th of 355 public elementary schools	50.4%	37	50.0	53.1		51.5	32.4	50.0		40.9		$13,137	$2,052	$11,085
Wirt County Primary Center	Public	PK, KG-4	438 Schoolview Street	Elizabeth	26143	Wirt County	Wirt County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 275-4263	328	29	11.1	45.7%	324 (98.8%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	40	224^th of 355 public elementary schools	36.9%		40.6	221^st of 355 public elementary schools	37.7%	3	60.9	41.2		50.5	41.3	39.2		40.2		$14,514	$2,972	$11,542
Gilmer County Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	99 Fairground Rd	Glenville	26351	Gilmer County	Gilmer County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 462-7338	300	35	8.5	48.7%	297 (99.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	44.2	201^st of 355 public elementary schools	43.4%		49.5	172^nd of 355 public elementary schools	51.5%	29	41.7	55.3	46.0	47.1	33.3	50.0	54.9	46.0	31.4	$17,628	$2,121	$15,507
Arnoldsburg School	Public	PK, KG-4	90 Spring Run Rd	Arnoldsburg	25234	Calhoun County	Calhoun County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 655-8616	139	16	8.6	62.6%	135 (97.1%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.4%)	48.4	181^st of 355 public elementary schools	49.0%		57.1	140^th of 355 public elementary schools	60.6%	41	41.9	59.1		49.1	35.5	59.1		45.3		$16,186	$3,131	$13,055

Frequently Asked Questions about Smithville Elementary

How many students attend Smithville Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 90 students attended Smithville Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Smithville Elementary attend?

Students who attend Smithville Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Ritchie County Middle
High : Ritchie County High School

What is the racial makeup of Smithville Elementary?

Students at Smithville Elementary are 94% White, 3% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

Is Smithville Elementary a good school?

Yes! Smithville Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 1^st of 355 West Virginia elementary schools.

What district is Smithville Elementary in?

Ritchie County Schools

Rate Smithville Elementary!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

WVWest Virginia Elementary School Rankings

WVWest Virginia District Rankings

Schools in Smithville, WV

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Smithville Elementary!

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.