Schools in Zip Code 25823

Zip code 25823 in Coal City, West Virginia, is home to 2 schools serving 788 students in grades PK-8 within the Raleigh County Schools district, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the 74th percentile statewide.

The standout school in this area is Independence Middle School, which has earned a consistent 4-star rating for three consecutive years and ranks in the 75th-85th percentile among West Virginia middle schools. It outperforms its elementary counterpart by 13.1 percentage points in math (44.6% vs. 31.5% proficiency) and 14.2 points in ELA (53.1% vs. 38.9%). The middle school's 7th grade cohort is particularly strong, with 49.2% proficiency in math and 57.8% in ELA. In contrast, Coal City Elementary has declined from a 2-star to a 1-star rating, now ranking in the bottom fifth of elementary schools statewide (291st out of 355). The most alarming trend at the elementary school is a dramatic academic drop between 3rd and 5th grades—math proficiency falls from 56.4% to just 18.2%, a 38-point decline, with a similar pattern in ELA.

Both schools share nearly identical per-student spending (~$12,355) and similar student-teacher ratios (11.4:1 and 12.9:1), yet produce vastly different outcomes, raising questions about resource effectiveness at the elementary level. Science proficiency is a critical weakness at both schools, with Coal City Elementary at just 14.6% proficiency (20 points below the state average) and Independence Middle at 26.7%. Despite these challenges, the feeder pattern suggests a "turnaround" effect—students who struggle in elementary school appear to rebound significantly once they reach Independence Middle, which may indicate effective intervention programs. However, the elementary school's continued decline could eventually erode these middle school gains if not addressed.