Summary:
Zip code 26280 is home to just one elementary school, George Ward Elementary School, a small rural school in Mill Creek, WV, serving 315 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade within the Randolph County Schools district.
For parents considering this school, the most important takeaway is that George Ward Elementary is currently struggling academically, and its performance has been declining. In the 2025-2026 school year, only 28.4% of students were proficient in math and 35.5% in English Language Arts, both well below state averages of 39.4% and 47.6%, respectively. The school’s state ranking has fallen steadily from the 21st percentile in 2023-2024 to just the 6th percentile in 2025-2026, and it has lost its star rating entirely. The most alarming trend is in 5th-grade math, where proficiency plummets to just 12.2%, compared to 41.3% in 3rd grade—a dramatic 70% drop that suggests learning gaps widen significantly as students progress. Science scores are also volatile, swinging from 35% proficiency in 2024-2025 to just 18.4% in 2025-2026.
On a more positive note, the school does have some strengths. Early-grade performance is relatively better, with 3rd-grade math approaching the state average, and the school actually outperforms its district in math overall (28.4% vs. 24.2%). With a favorable 15:1 student-to-teacher ratio and per-student spending of $10,950, resources are adequate, yet outcomes remain low—suggesting that factors beyond funding are at play. Given that Randolph County Schools ranks in the bottom 6th percentile statewide, George Ward is somewhat of a relative bright spot within a struggling district, but parents should be aware that the school faces significant challenges, particularly in upper-grade math and science, and may want to explore supplemental support for their children.
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