Summary:
Zip code 26257 is home to a single school, Coalton Elementary School, a small rural institution serving grades PK through 5 with 156 students in the Randolph County Schools district.
For parents considering this area, Coalton Elementary is the only educational option, and it faces significant academic hurdles. The school's overall state ranking is very low, placing in the 1st percentile for the 2025-2026 school year, though it did show a brief improvement to the 19th percentile the prior year. Proficiency rates in all core subjects are well below both district and state averages. For example, in math, only 16% of all students are proficient compared to 39.4% statewide, and in English Language Arts, 22.7% are proficient versus 47.6% statewide. A particularly alarming trend is the sharp decline in 5th-grade math, where proficiency drops to just 2.9% compared to 44% across West Virginia, suggesting a potential issue with curriculum or instruction at that grade level. Science scores also fluctuate wildly, going from above state averages one year to far below the next.
On a positive note, the school maintains a favorable student-to-teacher ratio of 13.5 and spends a substantial $12,006 per student, indicating a solid resource base. However, these resources have not translated into strong academic outcomes, pointing to challenges that likely extend beyond funding and class size. While 4th-grade math proficiency (36.8%) is close to the district average, the overall pattern shows a systemic struggle to meet state standards. Parents should be aware that while the school is well-funded and small enough for individualized attention, the academic performance data suggests a critical need for targeted intervention, especially in mathematics, to help students succeed.
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