CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Fewer public school students in Grades K-3 require intervention in literacy and math at the beginning of the school year, according to a report from the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE). Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt shared beginning-of-the-year (BOY) benchmarks with the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) during its December meeting in Charleston.
The WVDE partnered with the West Virginia Legislature to support and pass the Third Grade Success Act (House Bill 3035) in 2023. This legislation created statewide strategic and research-based approaches to literacy; placed early childhood classroom assistant teachers (ECCATs) in K-3 classrooms; codified the Science of Reading for reading instruction; and established an approved list of assessment screeners while outlining other important strategies to address student learning needs.
Data from 2023 to 2025 shows an overall and continued decline in the number of students needing targeted interventions, indicating more students are meeting the BOY cut scores in literacy and numeracy across the four grades (K-3). Second-grade literacy and math interventions continue to trend downward from 34% in 2023 to 30.2% in 2025 (literacy) and from 37.3% in 2023 to 29.9% in 2025 (math).
Graduation Rate
The WVDE also announced the graduation rate of 92.8% for the 2024-2025 school year, representing the highest four-year rate achieved by the state. The five-year cohort rate of 93.4% is unchanged from last school year. West Virginia’s graduation rate has increased significantly over the past 13 years. In 2012-2013, when the class of 2025 entered kindergarten, the graduation rate was 81.4%, and it has increased by 11.4% since that time.
School Closures
The WVBE reviewed several counties’ Comprehensive Education Facilities Plans (CEFPs) and school closure and/or consolidation requests. The following actions were approved.
Barbour County Schools
- Closure of Belington Middle School, Kasson Elementary/Middle School (Grades 6-8 only), and Philippi Middle School, and their consolidation into Philip Barbour High School
- Merger of respective middle school Grade 5 students into Philippi Elementary School and Belington Elementary School
- Closure of Junior Elementary School and its consolidation into Belington Elementary School
Logan County Schools
- Closure of Verdunville Elementary School and its consolidation into Omar Elementary School
Randolph County Schools
- Closure of Harman K-12 School and its merger into Jennings Randolph Elementary School, Elkins Middle School and Elkins High School
- Closure of North Elementary School and its merger into Jennings Randolph Elementary School
Roane County Schools
- Closure of Geary Elementary/Middle School and Walton Elementary/Middle School, and their consolidation into Spencer Elementary and Spencer Middle School
- Consolidation of Roane County pre-k students into a defined space at Roane County High School
Upshur County Schools
- Closure of Rock Cave Elementary School and its consolidation into French Creek Elementary School
Wetzel County Schools
- Closures of Magnolia High School, Valley High School, Short Line School (Grades 6-8 only), New Martinsville School (Grades 6-8 only), and Hundred Heritage School (Grades 6-8 only), and their consolidation into a newly constructed school in Porter Falls
Complete details are available in the meeting agenda on the WVDE website.
A stream recording of the December WVBE meeting, along with the information presented, is available on the WVBE December meeting page. Graduation rates are available on the WVDE data website.
The next regularly scheduled WVBE meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m., Jan. 14, 2026, in Building 6, Suite 600, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, West Virginia.
