6 Best School Districts in West VA

When you have children, it’s natural to want the best for them. Part of that is ensuring they have access to high-quality education. We’re fortunate to have guaranteed public education, but that doesn’t always mean access to that education is the best. So how does West Virginia stack up?

West Virginia’s education system ranked an overall 45 by US News and World Report. Public K-12 education came in at number 41. However, a different study from WalletHub placed the state dead last. Their figures also included the number of people living there with high school diplomas, college, and graduate degrees.

Even if West Virginia isn’t a top ten state for education, that doesn’t mean it can’t provide a challenging and contemporary curriculum. We’ve gone through the various ranking agencies and sites, including the West Virginia Department of Education, to find which school districts are consistently top-performing when it comes to college and career readiness and academic growth.

About West Virginia’s Education System

The state’s 646 public schools are organized into districts mostly tied to the county. The WV Department of Education separates its virtual academy and three other preparatory academies or programs. Over 250,000 students were enrolled in 2022, attending one of the 343 elementary, 151 middle, or 114 high schools. Around 91% of high school students graduated in four years. The state spent $14,112 per student on its education.

The state’s rural nature can make providing access to education one of its challenges. High poverty rates, a smaller budget, and teacher shortages are other issues.

The following districts and schools have overcome these challenges to rank among the state’s consistently top-performing education centers.

Monongalia County

Monongalia County School District serves just over 11,000 students in the northeastern part of the state. This school district is at the top of Stacker and Niche.com’s list of the best schools in West Virginia. The state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year came from the county.

Monongalia County runs one of the larger school districts, with 20 total schools. Most of these schools are in the Morgantown area. Students attend either one early childhood center, ten elementary schools, four middle schools, two high schools, one grade 6-12 school, a career/technical center, or one charter school. For high schools, there are 29 AP classes available for the students to challenge themselves.

Mongolia is the third most-populated county in West Virginia, with 105,822 residents. Morgantown is the county seat and the location of West Virginia University. The university has a constant flow of sporting and cultural activities for the entire family to experience. The county borders Pennsylvania, and Pittsburgh, PA, is a short drive away. The Maryland border is also nearby, and Washington, DC, is just over a 2.5 hour drive.

Ohio County

Another top district on Niche.com, Ohio County is in the West Virginia panhandle and includes Wheeling, WV. Public School Review also identified it as the top district solely based on the percentage of schools that ranked in the top 5% of schools statewide.

The district runs eight elementary schools, four middle schools, and one high school. Ohio County Schools is proud to have a 1:1 technology initiative for its students, with iPads and Chromebooks accessible to all. At Wheeling Park High School, students have access to 24 AP courses and five college dual enrollment courses. It’s almost making an extensive investment in its school facilities.

There’s plenty to love about Wheeling, the primary city in Ohio County. Around 28,000 people call the town along the Ohio River home. Back in the day, the “nail capital” of the US was one of the wealthiest cities per capita. Today the historic town is turning into a tourist destination, both for its 19th-century charm and sites, modern entertainment like the zip lines and biking trails, and for its access to the Appalachian outdoors.

With Ohio and Pennsylvania just a stone’s throw away, residents have more options for leisure activities. Uniquely, The Wheeling Nailers brings professional hockey to the area, as they are an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL. It’s the closest thing in the entire state to a professional sports team of any kind.

Throw in low unemployment and crime rates, and it adds up to make Ohio County an attractive place to live.

Putnam County

Frequently featured in the top ten, if not the top five, ranked schools on independent media, Putnam County Schools is in the western region just outside Charleston, WV, and along I-64.

From Pre-K to 12th grade, the district serves nearly 10,000 students across 14 elementary schools, four middle schools, four high schools, and one career tech center. Putnam County Schools continues its commitment to providing quality learning experiences for everyone, which is why it has AP courses and college credit classes in each high school and technical certificates available at its technical center.

With just over 55,000 residents, each area’s small town adds to Putnam’s charm. The county seat is in Winfield, but the largest town is Hurricane. The area’s claim to fame is its outdoor access, with numerous parks, forested areas, and world-class mountain biking trails inside the borders or very close by. In Winfield, parks provide access to the Kanawha River for paddle sports and boating.

Doddridge County

This small school district in north central West Virginia runs one preschool center, elementary school, middle school, and high school centered around West Union.

Doddridge County High School is proud of its sports programs, which have won state championship titles. It has a high graduation rate and is one of the better-performing districts in state testing, with students exceeding progress standards in elementary school reading and mathematics.

West Union is a small town of around 700 people along Middle Island Creek. It’s the county seat of Doddridge County, itself relatively small with approximately 8,000 residents. Geographically, it’s on the Allegheny Plateau. The landscape is rich in natural resources like natural gas and oil, to the ample farmlands producing fruit, corn, and raising livestock.

Wood County

Wood County Schools straddles the Ohio-West Virginia border in western West Virginia. It offers an incredible educational experience for students. From ranking 4th in reading and 5th in math amongst all the 55 counties throughout West Virginia to offering dual credit options in conjunction with West Virginia University at Parkersburg, Wood County gives its pupils every opportunity to succeed.

As the state’s fourth-largest district and fifth-most populated, Wood County runs a total of 28 schools, broken into 16 elementary schools, four middle schools, one 6-12 school, and two high schools. Plus, it has three academies, with one focused on career and technical education.

There’s a 1:1 student-to-device ratio utilizing Apple technology to support the learning environment. Strong community support is demonstrated through a recent $60 million high school construction/renovation bond issuing.

Around 83,000 people live in Wood County, with the population concentrated around Parkersburg, the county seat. Life here is a mix of city and country activities! You’ll never run out of things to do with stunning scenery and endless adventures waiting along the banks of the Ohio River.

If you’d prefer to stay dry but still active, there are plenty of athletic opportunities ranging from softball leagues in the summertime to basketball courts at the parks. There’s a mall for your shopping needs. Performing arts are hosted at the community theater and by the West Virginia Symphony.

Tyler County

Another county along the Ohio River and near the state’s Panhandle, Tyler County borders nearby Doddridge County that also makes this compilation. SchoolDigger ranked Tyler County as the best school district in West Virginia in 2022.

With over 1,000 students enrolled in the Tyler County School District, there are two elementary schools plus one consolidated middle school and a single high school. It has award-winning fine arts programs and core academic classes, including Advanced Placement coursework and college classes. Specialized programs are available in Agribusiness, Broadcasting Technology, Plant Systems, and Baking. Every center has a special education program to meet the needs of each individual learner.

Tyler County is another rural county with around 8,000 residents and Middlebourne as its county seat. The county is mainly agricultural, but there’s also the oil and gas industry in the area. The Ohio River forms its northern and western boundary and provides access to water recreation. Middle Island Creek runs through Middlebourne, which increases your paddle sportfishing access.

Best Schools in West Virginia

Even though these are the consistently top-performing school districts, that doesn’t mean you can’t find excellent schools elsewhere. For example, George Washington High School in Charleston was the top-ranked high school in the state by US News and World Report. It’s part of Kanawha County Schools. Meanwhile, Bridgeport High School in Harrison County was number two, while Morgantown High school in its namesake town was number three. All three provide access to AP coursework and college credit courses.

Find Your West Virginia Home

If education is something you prize, you can use this list to help start your home search in these various communities. The school districts listed here range from the highly rural to those closer to West Virginia population centers.

West Virginia has a lot to offer to anyone who loves the mountain lifestyle and the outdoors. It’s the only state entirely inside the Appalachian Mountains, but across the state, there’s diversity in geography with plateaus, broad valleys, and large reservoirs. Wherever you go, you’ll have ample choice of recreation and an affordable cost of living. Explore the Mountain State with a local real estate agent.