Schools in Zip Code 25670

Zip code 25670, encompassing the Delbarton area of West Virginia, is served by two schools within the Mingo County Schools district, which together educate roughly 1,093 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

For families considering this area, the educational landscape is a mixed picture. Mingo Central Comprehensive High School stands out for its impressive 96.2% graduation rate, which exceeds both district and state averages. However, this success contrasts sharply with its academic proficiency rates, which are notably low—just 5.9% in math and 34.6% in ELA for 11th graders—and have actually declined across all subjects year-over-year. In comparison, Burch Pk8 serves younger students and shows a more complex pattern. While its overall proficiency is modest, it boasts a standout 6th grade ELA score of 61.1%, which is the highest single-grade result in either school and significantly above the state average. Yet, Burch Pk8 also reveals a troubling trend: a dramatic decline in math proficiency as students advance, falling from 49.1% in 3rd grade to just 9.3% in 8th grade—a 40-point drop that widens the gap with state averages considerably.

The most critical takeaway for parents is the presence of a "middle school cliff" in this district. Both schools show significant academic struggles in grades 7 and 8, particularly in math, suggesting a systemic challenge that may require targeted intervention. While the high school's graduation rate is commendable, the underlying test scores raise questions about college and career readiness. With per-student spending around $12,000, these schools are investing at typical levels but achieving below-average results, which may point to broader socioeconomic or rural challenges rather than a lack of funding. The district's middle-tier ranking (28th out of 54) offers some context, but the clear priority for improvement should be addressing the steep academic declines in the middle grades and reversing the high school's recent downward performance trend.