Summary:
Zip code 26431, serving the Shinnston area of West Virginia, is home to a single middle school, Lincoln Middle School, which educates students in grades 6 through 8 and has an enrollment of 394 students.
Lincoln Middle School stands out as a high-performing institution within the Harrison County Schools district. Its most notable strength is in English Language Arts (ELA), where 58.6% of all students are proficient—a figure that surpasses the district average by 9.2 percentage points and the state average by 11 points. This excellence is consistent across all grade levels, with 7th graders achieving an impressive 61.7% proficiency rate. The school has also demonstrated remarkable improvement in its state ranking, climbing from the 63rd percentile in 2023-2024 to the 86th percentile in 2025-2026, a jump of 40 places that has earned it a 4-star rating. Additionally, 8th-grade science proficiency saw a substantial year-over-year increase, rising from 27.2% to 35.4%.
However, there is a concerning trend in mathematics. While 6th and 7th graders perform at or above state averages (48.5% and 45.8% proficiency, respectively), 8th-grade math proficiency drops sharply to just 31.3%, which falls below both the district (31.7%) and state (34.2%) averages. This decline suggests a potential challenge in upper-grade math instruction that parents should monitor. The school maintains a favorable 11:1 student-teacher ratio, which supports individualized attention. With per-student spending of $11,711 (2018-2019 data), the school appears to be using resources effectively, particularly given its strong ELA outcomes and rapid ascent in state rankings. Overall, Lincoln Middle School offers a robust academic environment with clear strengths in literacy and science, though addressing the 8th-grade math gap would make it an even more well-rounded choice for families.
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