Schools in Zip Code 24736

Zip code 24736 is home to just one school, Lashmeet/Matoaka Elementary School, a small rural school serving grades PK through 5 with 181 students in the Mercer County Schools district.

For parents considering this area, the most important takeaway is that this is a school with notable strengths in specific areas but also clear inconsistencies. The school's overall math proficiency (46.5%) is above both the district (35.4%) and state (39.4%) averages, driven largely by an impressive 60% proficiency rate in 4th-grade math. Similarly, 5th-grade English Language Arts stands out at 66.7% proficiency, well above the district (53.2%) and state (51%) averages. However, overall ELA performance (40.9%) lags behind both district and state averages, and 3rd-grade scores are a significant concern—particularly ELA at just 21.7% proficiency. Science scores in 5th grade are also below state averages, though they improved from the prior year. With only 181 students, these percentages can swing dramatically from year to year based on just a few students, so parents should view grade-level data with some caution.

On the resource side, the school offers a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.4:1 and spends $13,550 per student, which is healthy. Despite these positive inputs, the school holds a 2-star rating and ranks in the bottom third of West Virginia schools, with its state ranking fluctuating between 211th and 245th in recent years. This suggests that while the school has pockets of excellence—particularly in 4th-grade math and 5th-grade ELA—there are also areas, especially early-grade literacy, where improvement is needed. For parents, this means the school may be a good fit if their child thrives in smaller class settings, but they should be prepared to supplement learning in ELA and monitor progress closely, especially in the early grades.