Summary:
Zip code 26537 in Kingwood, West Virginia, is home to exactly one middle school, Central Preston Middle School, which serves grades 5 through 8 and enrolls 290 students within the Preston County Schools district.
As the only middle school in this area, Central Preston Middle School stands out as a solid academic performer with a positive trajectory. The school earned a 4-star rating and improved its state ranking from 56th to 46th out of 161 middle schools over the past year, placing it in the 71st percentile. Its overall English Language Arts proficiency of 50.6% exceeds both the district (43.4%) and state (47.6%) averages, and its science proficiency of 33.3% also tops the district (27.9%) and state (29.3%). However, mathematics remains a relative challenge, with 37% proficiency falling below the state average of 39.4%. The school clearly outperforms its district in all three core subjects, making it a leader within Preston County Schools.
One of the most interesting patterns is the school's strength in upper grades. In both ELA and math, 7th and 8th graders significantly outperform state averages—for example, 8th-grade math proficiency reaches 41.7% versus 34.2% statewide, and 7th-grade ELA hits 56.7% versus 47.6% statewide. In contrast, 5th and 6th graders lag behind state averages in these subjects, suggesting the school's programs become more effective as students advance. With a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.8, the school offers smaller class sizes that likely support this upper-grade success. For parents, this means Central Preston Middle School provides a strong, improving education with particular strengths in literacy and science, while math may need extra attention, especially in the earlier middle school years.
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