Webster County High School

Webster County High School in Upperglade, WV, is a small rural school serving approximately 489 students in grades 7 through 12, and it operates within the Webster County Schools district, which ranks near the bottom of all districts in the state.

The most striking thing about this school is the disconnect between its very high graduation rate and its very low test scores. For 2024-2025, the school posted a 97.5% graduation rate, which is nearly five points above the state average and right in line with nearby Nicholas County High School (97.7%). However, academic proficiency is a major concern. Only 4.1% of 11th graders are proficient in math, compared to 17.4% at Nicholas County High and 22.2% at Richwood High School. ELA scores are stronger but still trail the state average—31.1% of 11th graders are proficient in ELA versus 53% at Nicholas County High. The school’s state ranking has also been volatile, swinging from 66th in 2022-2023 to 102nd in 2025-2026, suggesting instability from year to year.

On the positive side, the school offers a favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.8:1, which is significantly smaller than the 17.1:1 at Nicholas County High and 15.7:1 at Richwood High. This could allow for more individualized attention, though it hasn't yet translated into higher test scores. The school also serves a broad grade span (7-12), and data shows that 7th graders perform much closer to state averages than 11th graders, suggesting students may lose academic ground as they progress. While the school spends a comparable amount per student ($11,627) as its neighbors, the academic outcomes are notably lower. For parents, this school clearly prioritizes keeping students on track to graduate, but the low proficiency rates—especially in math—raise important questions about college and career readiness.