Best Public Schools in Zip Code 26104

Zip code 26104 in Parkersburg, West Virginia, is served by four schools in the Wood County Schools district, which ranks in the top 11% of districts statewide, and includes two elementary schools and two middle schools with a combined enrollment of 1,315 students.

For parents, the standout performer in this area is Hamilton Middle School, which has historically ranked in the 83rd to 88th percentile among West Virginia middle schools, though it saw a significant drop to the 45th percentile in the most recent year. Its local counterpart, Van Devender Middle School, consistently ranks in the bottom quartile with 1-star ratings, creating a stark achievement gap within the same zip code—Hamilton's math proficiency is nearly double Van Devender's in 8th grade. Among elementary schools, Emerson Elementary School is the most consistent performer, maintaining 3-star ratings and exceeding the state average in math at 46.8% proficiency. Madison Elementary School is the most concerning, having plummeted from the 67th percentile to the 15th percentile in a single year, with 3rd-grade ELA proficiency at just 31.3% compared to the state's 44.6%.

Several key patterns emerge from the data. First, spending and class size do not predict success—Van Devender has the highest per-student spending ($13,193) and the best student-teacher ratio (9.7:1) yet performs worst, while Hamilton spends the least and has the largest classes but outperforms. Second, math proficiency is a universal challenge at the middle school level, with both middle schools falling below the state average while both elementary schools meet or exceed it, suggesting a transition problem. Third, ELA is a weakness across all four schools, with every one falling below the state average of 47.6%. Finally, while the district's 5-star reputation is strong, parents should evaluate individual schools carefully, as performance varies dramatically from 1-star to 4-star ratings within this small geographic area.