Summary:
Zip code 24740 in Princeton, West Virginia, is served by two elementary schools—Mercer Elementary and Straley Elementary School—both part of the Mercer County Schools district and serving grades 3-5 with a combined enrollment of 430 students.
For parents comparing the two, Straley Elementary School is the clear academic leader, particularly in mathematics. Straley posts a 56.8% overall math proficiency rate—more than 21 points above the district average and 17 points above the state—with a standout 74.1% proficiency in 3rd-grade math. It also holds a 3-star state rating and ranks 180th out of 355 schools, compared to Mercer Elementary's 1-star rating and 271st place. However, Mercer is not without strengths: its 5th graders lead the zip code in English Language Arts (55.4% proficiency) and science (37.8%), both exceeding state averages. In contrast, Mercer's 5th-grade math proficiency is just 21.6%, the lowest figure in the entire dataset, creating a dramatic subject-specific gap within the same grade level.
Both schools show notable year-over-year volatility. Straley improved its state ranking from 232nd to 144th between 2023-2025 before settling at 180th, while Mercer fell from 162nd to 316th before recovering to 271st. Science scores flipped inversely between the schools, and the 40.8-point gap in 3rd-grade math proficiency highlights fundamental differences in early instruction. Despite nearly identical student-teacher ratios (12.5 vs. 12.7) and similar per-student spending, outcomes diverge sharply, suggesting resource deployment matters more than raw amounts. Families should weigh Straley's consistent math strength against Mercer's upper-grade literacy and science excellence when choosing a school.
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