Clay County High School

Q: Is Clay County High School a good school?

Clay County High School ranks 80 th of 112 West Virginia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Clay County High School is a public high school in Clay, West Virginia, serving 533 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Clay County Schools district, which is ranked 46 out of 55 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Clay County High School has several notable characteristics. The school has a significantly higher percentage of white students (99.06%) compared to the state average, and it has consistently underperformed the state in proficiency rates for 11th-grade assessments in mathematics, English language arts, and science. The school's statewide ranking has declined from 8th out of 117 high schools in 2014-2015 to 80th out of 112 in 2023-2024. While the school performs relatively well for special education and low-income students, it struggles with the performance of male and disabled students.

When compared to the nearby Nicholas County High School, Clay County High School has a more homogeneous student population and lower academic performance. Nicholas County High School, while still underperforming the state average in some areas, has a more diverse student body and generally higher academic achievement than Clay County High School. The high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch at Clay County High School (51.63%) suggests that the school may be serving a population with significant socioeconomic challenges, which could be a contributing factor to its academic struggles.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1 Panther Drive
Clay, WV 25043-0729

(304) 587-4226

District: Clay County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
80^th of 112 West Virginia High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,685

Feeder schools for Clay County High School:

Elementary:	Big Otter Elementary School
	Clay Elementary School
	H E White Elementary School
	Lizemore Elementary School
Middle:	Clay Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.2

Number of students: 533

Racial breakdown:

White:

99.1%

Hispanic:

0.6%

Asian:

0.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 51.6%

See top rated West Virginia high schools

Compare Clay County High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Clay County High School ranks worse than 71.4% of high schools in West Virginia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.6. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (99.1%), Hispanic (0.6%), Asian (0.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Clay County High School is 15.2. (See more...)

Compare Clay County High School employs 35 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Clay County High School is $13,685.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Clay County High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Clay County High School 80^th of 112 West Virginia public high schools. (See Clay County High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Clay County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Clay County Schools 46^th of 55 West Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Clay County High School

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Rank History for all students at Clay County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile
2009	55.29	50^th	111	55.0%
2010	52.96	56^th	112	50.0%
2011	38.60	77^th	113	31.9%
2012	21.52	99^th	113	12.4%
2013	28.74	88^th	114	22.8%
2014	69.28	24^th	115	79.1%
2015	83.38	8^th	117	93.2%
2016	72.29	22^nd	119	81.5%
2017	63.43	36^th	122	70.5%
2018	19.94	98^th	115	14.8%
2019	24.52	89^th	114	21.9%
2021	15.42	100^th	113	11.5%
2022	38.32	71^st	112	36.6%
2023	36.38	69^th	112	38.4%
2024	28.60	80^th	112	28.6%

See the entire list of West Virginia High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Clay County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile
2017	64.32	21^st	118	82.2%
2018	38.41	62^nd	103	39.8%
2019	53.80	32^nd	85	62.4%
2023	60.28	32^nd	89	64.0%
2024	49.70	36^th	89	59.6%

See the entire list of Best West Virginia High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Clay County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile
2017	75.46	16^th	121	86.8%
2018	30.59	83^rd	112	25.9%
2021	15.08	102^nd	111	8.1%
2022	40.29	71^st	109	34.9%
2023	40.10	63^rd	107	41.1%
2024	54.51	46^th	110	58.2%

See the entire list of Best West Virginia High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Clay County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile
2019	27.48	5^th	6	16.7%
2021	14.52	8^th	8	0.0%
2022	38.97	5^th	8	37.5%
2023	42.96	8^th	13	38.5%
2024	79.28	2^nd	15	86.7%

See the entire list of Best West Virginia High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Clay County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile
2017	66.95	32^nd	119	73.1%
2018	43.35	69^th	111	37.8%
2019	34.52	67^th	109	38.5%
2021	17.06	99^th	110	10.0%
2022	52.28	48^th	108	55.6%
2023	55.10	42^nd	108	61.1%
2024	27.33	85^th	110	22.7%

See the entire list of Best West Virginia High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Clay County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	16.77	73^rd	84	13.1%
2022	35.34	65^th	91	28.6%

See the entire list of Best West Virginia High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Clay County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile
2017	57.77	42^nd	122	65.6%
2018	8.78	107^th	111	3.6%
2019	21.99	88^th	109	19.3%
2021	19.76	94^th	110	14.5%
2022	22.53	87^th	108	19.4%
2023	28.93	81^st	108	25.0%
2024	32.65	78^th	109	28.4%

See the entire list of Best West Virginia High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Clay County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile
2017	61.76	39^th	122	68.0%
2018	19.24	96^th	113	15.0%
2019	21.84	91^st	112	18.8%
2021	14.40	103^rd	113	8.8%
2022	35.66	75^th	111	32.4%
2023	34.64	74^th	112	33.9%
2024	29.03	78^th	111	29.7%

See the entire list of Best West Virginia High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: West Virginia Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: West Virginia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.7)

67%

33%

Reviews:

by a citizen
Thursday, November 3, 2016

Teachers and staff all work towards whats best for kids Close Quote

by a student
Wednesday, November 11, 2015

As a former student of this school going to a prestigious liberal arts university, this school did not give me the skills I needed to succeed. The faculty are great, but it is the administration and its blatant sexism, racism, and lack of care for education that takes the cake.

The administration cares more about enforcing arbitrary dress code violations (only when a female student breaks the code I might add; male students have free reign) than it does educating students. Having your boxers or briefs showing is acceptable, but heaven forbid your bra strap slip.

I also heard many racist remarks during my years here that were never addressed by the administration. The student body, and even some members of the administration, would utter racial slurs and violent words at the slightest provocation. There is a reason this school is primarily white.

Really, though, it is the lack of education that bugs me the most. I did not learn effective writing skills. I was taught that a five paragraph essay was all that I needed in life. If it was not for the one research paper I had to write in English, I would have very little idea on how to write on a topic for more than two pages. The administration forces teachers to teach to the test, that is, to only follow the state standards and not to go above and beyond.

There is also a deep resentment of teaching sexual education to students, a subject much needed. We did not learn about female anatomy. We did not learn about ovulation or even how to maintain proper hygiene. We did not learn about foreskin or even the parts of genitalia. No, we were taught that premarital sex is the worst thing we could do to ourselves, especially as a female because then our value would diminish. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Clay County High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	768	768
1990	705	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	705
1991	673	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	673
1992	700	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	700
1993	699	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	699
1994	702	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	703
1995	673	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	674
1996	673	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	674
1997	666	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	666
1998	661	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	661
1999	670	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	670
2000	670	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	671
2001	649	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	650
2002	626	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	626
2003	626	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	626
2004	609	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	609
2005	601	1	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	606
2006	602	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	603
2007	633	2	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	636
2008	618	2	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	621
2009	624	5	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	631
2010	613	8	2	0	0	0	0	0	623
2011	616	8	2	0	0	0	0	0	626
2012	594	7	1	0	0	0	0	0	602
2013	585	8	1	1	0	0	1	0	596
2014	528	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	533
2015	534	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	539
2016	550	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	551
2017	521	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	522
2018	542	1	1	2	0	0	1	0	547
2019	532	1	0	5	0	0	3	0	541
2020	497	0	0	3	0	0	3	0	503
2021	516	1	0	4	0	0	2	0	523
2022	534	1	0	6	0	0	1	0	542
2023	528	0	2	3	0	0	0	0	533

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Clay County High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	768	40.3	19.0	n/a
1990	705	41.0	17.1	43
1991	673	41.6	16.1	45.8
1992	700	40.4	17.3	39.7
1993	699	42.6	16.4	48.8
1994	703	44.5	15.8	52.3
1995	674	41.3	16.3	46.7
1996	674	41.3	16.3	46.7
1997	666	40.4	16.5	49.2
1998	661	41.1	16.1	53.3
1999	670	42.4	15.8	65.1
2000	671	44.6	15.0	65.7
2001	650	45.6	14.3	67.4
2002	626	45.8	13.7	71.2
2003	626	45.8	13.7	71.2
2004	609	45.9	13.3	68.6
2005	606	46.4	13.1	70.3
2006	603	45.5	13.3	65.8
2007	636	43.6	14.6	62.6
2008	621	43.1	14.4	56.2
2009	631	41.0	15.4	64.3
2010	623	40.5	15.3	60.5
2011	626	39.7	15.7	57
2012	602	39.4	15.2	62.1
2013	596	41.4	14.3	36.6
2014	533	42.2	12.6	n/a
2015	539	38.0	14.1	57.1
2016	551	40.0	13.7	43
2017	522	42.8	12.1	54.6
2018	547	37.8	14.4	62.2
2019	541	36.9	14.6	59.3
2020	503	33.9	14.8	63.8
2021	523	33.0	15.8	51.6
2022	542	34.0	15.9	n/a
2023	533	35.0	15.2	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Clay County High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	768	40.3	19.0	n/a
1990	705	41.0	17.1	43
1991	673	41.6	16.1	45.8
1992	700	40.4	17.3	39.7
1993	699	42.6	16.4	48.8
1994	703	44.5	15.8	52.3
1995	674	41.3	16.3	46.7
1996	674	41.3	16.3	46.7
1997	666	40.4	16.5	49.2
1998	661	41.1	16.1	53.3
1999	670	42.4	15.8	65.1
2000	671	44.6	15.0	65.7
2001	650	45.6	14.3	67.4
2002	626	45.8	13.7	71.2
2003	626	45.8	13.7	71.2
2004	609	45.9	13.3	68.6
2005	606	46.4	13.1	70.3
2006	603	45.5	13.3	65.8
2007	636	43.6	14.6	62.6
2008	621	43.1	14.4	56.2
2009	631	41.0	15.4	64.3
2010	623	40.5	15.3	60.5
2011	626	39.7	15.7	57
2012	602	39.4	15.2	62.1
2013	596	41.4	14.3	36.6
2014	533	42.2	12.6	n/a
2015	539	38.0	14.1	57.1
2016	551	40.0	13.7	43
2017	522	42.8	12.1	54.6
2018	547	37.8	14.4	62.2
2019	541	36.9	14.6	59.3
2020	503	33.9	14.8	63.8
2021	523	33.0	15.8	51.6
2022	542	34.0	15.9	n/a
2023	533	35.0	15.2	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Clay County High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,559 (11.4%)	$12,127 (88.6%)	$13,685

Data source: West Virginia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Clay County High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 89^th of 114 High schools	Ranks 69^th of 112 High schools	16.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Mathematics (Clay County High School)	13.4	14.8	1.4%
11th Grade Mathematics (Clay County Schools)	13.4	14.8	1.4%
11th Grade Mathematics (West Virginia)	24	21.5	2.5%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Clay County High School)	45.4	41.8	3.6%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Clay County Schools)	45.4	41.8	3.6%
11th Grade English Language Arts (West Virginia)	51.8	49.9	1.9%
11th Grade Science (Clay County High School)	20.6	24.4	3.8%
11th Grade Science (Clay County Schools)	20.6	24.4	3.8%
11th Grade Science (West Virginia)	29.2	27.9	1.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	541	533	1.5%
African American	1	0	100%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	2
Hispanic	5	3	40%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	532	528	0.8%
Two or More Races	3	0	100%

Schools Near Clay County High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				WV Assessment Mathematics (2024)	WV Assessment English Language Arts (2024)	WV Assessment Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	WV Assessment Mathematics 11th Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts 11th Grade	WV Assessment Science 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Clay County High School	Public	9-12	1 Panther Drive	Clay	25043	Clay County	Clay County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 587-4226	533	35	15.2		528 (99.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28.6	80^th of 112 public high schools	28.6%		36.4	69^th of 112 public high schools	38.4%	11	9.7	42.9	20.2	$13,685	$1,559	$12,127
Nicholas County High School	Public	9-12	30 Grizzley Ln	Summersville	26651	Nicholas County	Nicholas County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 872-2141	730	42	17.2		712 (97.5%)	3 (0.4%)	9 (1.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.5%)	41.1	65^th of 112 public high schools	42.0%		33.6	75^th of 112 public high schools	33.0%	10	11.8	46.0	24.2	$11,188	$1,119	$10,070

Clay County High School

Clay County High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Clay County Schools:

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Clay County High School

Rank History for all students at Clay County High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Clay County High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Clay County High School

Rank History for Homeless students at Clay County High School

Rank History for Female students at Clay County High School

Rank History for Disabled students at Clay County High School

Rank History for Male students at Clay County High School

Rank History for White students at Clay County High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Clay County High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Clay County High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Clay County High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Clay County High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Clay County High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Clay County High School

Clay County High School

Nicholas County High School

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