West Virginia Schools

    Of the 668 schools tested in 2006 as part of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), only 102 did not meet their minimum requirements. Of those 102, most missed meeting their Adequate Yearly Progress requirements in just one or two areas.

West Virginia is ranked 34 out of 50 in the “Smartest State” rankings for the 2005-06 school year. The Smartest State rankings place states based upon student achievement, positive outcomes, and personal attention from teachers from information compiled through Morgan Quinto’s “Education State Rankings 2005-06”.

West Virginia students scored a total of 26 points higher than the national average in the 2006 SATs. While most college-bound seniors decide to take the ACT test, over 3500 students took the SAT test in 2006. The state also brought in the highest ACT scores in five years, averaging 20.6 out of a possible 36. Nearly 11,000 graduating seniors in West Virginia took the ACTs. West Virginia is also increasing the number of students in Advanced Placement (or AP) classes. The number of students taking AP exams increased four percentage points more than the national average.

In the 2007 fiscal year, West Virginia will receive $765 million in federal funding for education, including $258 million to help implement reforms required by NCLB. This money is in addition to the $2 billion West Virginia already spends on its public education, averaging to over $8300 per student.

For more information on West Virginia schools, visit West Virginia’s Department of Education at http://wvde.state.wv.us.