Is Nicholas County High School a good school?

Nicholas County High School ranks 65 th of 112 West Virginia high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Nicholas County High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 730 students attended Nicholas County High School.

What is the racial makeup of Nicholas County High School?

Students at Nicholas County High School are 98% White, 1% Hispanic.

What schools feed into Nicholas County High School?

Nicholas County High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Birch River Elementary School Elementary : Glade Creek Elementary School Elementary : Mt Lookout Elementary School Elementary : Mt Nebo Elementary School Elementary : Panther Creek Elementary School Elementary : Summersville Elementary School Elementary : Zela Elementary School Middle : Summersville Middle School

Nicholas County High School

Summary:

Nicholas County High School is a public high school located in Summersville, West Virginia, serving approximately 730 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Nicholas County Schools district, which is ranked 29th out of 55 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Nicholas County High School's performance on state assessments is generally below the state average, it outperforms the nearby Richwood High School across several metrics, including higher proficiency rates in Mathematics, English Language Arts, and Science for 11th-grade students. The school also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 15.4 to 17.2 over the past few years, which is lower than the ratios of some nearby schools like Webster County High School and Midland Trail High. However, the school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the past decade, with a high of 22nd out of 115 schools in 2013-2014 and a low of 95th out of 112 schools in the most recent 2023-2024 ranking, indicating a decline in relative performance.

Another notable aspect of Nicholas County High School is its significantly higher percentage of white students (97.53% in 2022-2023) compared to the state average and nearby schools, which have a more diverse racial makeup. Additionally, the school's performance varies across different student subgroups, with male students consistently outperforming female students and special education students showing stronger performance compared to the state average in recent years. The school's free and reduced lunch rates have also declined in recent years, from 44.76% in 2020-2021 to an unspecified percentage in more recent years, which could indicate changes in the socioeconomic status of the student population.

Detail:

Public 9-12

30 Grizzley Ln
Summersville, WV 26651-9736

(304) 872-2141

District: Nicholas County Schools

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,188

Feeder schools for Nicholas County High School:

Elementary:	Birch River Elementary School
	Glade Creek Elementary School
	Mt Lookout Elementary School
	Mt Nebo Elementary School
	More...
	Panther Creek Elementary School
	Summersville Elementary School
	Zela Elementary School
Middle:	Summersville Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.2

Number of students: 730

Racial breakdown:

White:

97.5%

Hispanic:

1.2%

Two or more races:

0.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 44.8%

See top rated West Virginia high schools

Compare Nicholas County High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Nicholas County High School ranks worse than 58% of high schools in West Virginia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.15. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Nicholas County High School has the largest high school student body size in the Nicholas County Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (97.5%), Hispanic (1.2%), two or more races (0.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Nicholas County High School is 17.2. 1 high schools in the Nicholas County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Nicholas County High School employs 42.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Nicholas County High School is $11,188. 1 high schools in the Nicholas County Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Nicholas County High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Nicholas County High School 65^th of 112 West Virginia public high schools. (See Nicholas 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:

Nicholas County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Nicholas County Schools 29^th of 55 West Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Nicholas County High School?

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Rank History for Nicholas County High School

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Rank History for all students at Nicholas County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile
2009	50.88	59^th	111	46.8%
2010	44.99	67^th	112	40.2%
2011	49.88	55^th	113	51.3%
2012	47.65	57^th	113	49.6%
2013	43.20	65^th	114	43.0%
2014	69.39	22^nd	115	80.9%
2015	55.55	51^st	117	56.4%
2016	52.13	48^th	119	59.7%
2017	59.64	45^th	122	63.1%
2018	38.78	70^th	115	39.1%
2019	39.88	67^th	114	41.2%
2021	36.63	69^th	113	38.9%
2022	59.58	38^th	112	66.1%
2023	33.60	75^th	112	33.0%
2024	41.15	65^th	112	42.0%

See the entire list of West Virginia High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Nicholas County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile
2017	47.90	53^rd	118	55.1%
2018	22.35	80^th	103	22.3%
2019	45.54	42^nd	85	50.6%
2023	17.38	77^th	89	13.5%
2024	59.01	27^th	89	69.7%

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

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile
2017	73.15	21^st	121	82.6%
2018	44.85	63^rd	112	43.8%
2021	54.08	49^th	111	55.9%
2022	57.62	41^st	109	62.4%
2023	58.63	39^th	107	63.6%
2024	50.52	57^th	110	48.2%

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

Rank History for Homeless students at Nicholas County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	54.75	5^th	13	61.5%
2024	63.16	5^th	15	66.7%

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

Rank History for Female students at Nicholas County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile
2017	67.42	29^th	119	75.6%
2018	59.03	37^th	111	66.7%
2019	61.17	41^st	109	62.4%
2021	46.30	59^th	110	46.4%
2022	42.20	64^th	108	40.7%
2023	31.76	72^nd	108	33.3%
2024	19.14	96^th	110	12.7%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Nicholas County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	31.65	59^th	84	29.8%
2022	47.29	49^th	91	46.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Nicholas County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile
2017	47.47	65^th	122	46.7%
2018	23.76	86^th	111	22.5%
2019	29.37	79^th	109	27.5%
2021	29.55	79^th	110	28.2%
2022	69.56	28^th	108	74.1%
2023	38.55	65^th	108	39.8%
2024	59.51	39^th	109	64.2%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Nicholas County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2017	54.95	23^rd	47	51.1%

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

Rank History for White students at Nicholas County High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WV State Percentile
2017	57.09	48^th	122	60.7%
2018	37.02	68^th	113	39.8%
2019	35.67	73^rd	112	34.8%
2021	32.20	74^th	113	34.5%
2022	56.30	44^th	111	60.4%
2023	32.91	75^th	112	33.0%
2024	38.86	67^th	111	39.6%

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

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Enrollment information for Nicholas 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	741	741
1990	678	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	678
1991	679	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	679
1992	684	2	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	687
1993	732	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	732
1994	727	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	727
1995	738	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	738
1996	738	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	738
1997	720	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	720
1998	696	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	697
1999	674	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	675
2000	609	0	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	612
2001	597	2	3	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	604
2002	627	2	5	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	635
2003	627	2	5	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	635
2004	652	1	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	656
2005	604	3	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	611
2006	601	2	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	608
2007	845	3	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	855
2008	830	2	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	837
2009	832	2	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	838
2010	797	6	1	2	0	0	0	0	806
2011	784	7	0	1	0	0	0	0	792
2012	763	7	0	2	0	0	2	0	774
2013	719	10	2	3	0	0	2	0	736
2014	713	11	3	4	0	0	3	0	734
2015	720	10	4	5	0	0	3	0	742
2016	701	7	5	4	0	0	3	0	720
2017	678	5	5	4	0	0	1	0	693
2018	687	3	2	4	0	0	2	0	698
2019	659	4	2	3	0	0	0	0	668
2020	655	4	1	6	1	0	0	0	667
2021	659	3	2	3	1	0	0	0	668
2022	688	3	3	7	1	0	2	0	704
2023	712	3	2	9	0	0	4	0	730

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 Nicholas County High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	741	44.0	16.8	n/a
1990	678	44.0	15.4	16.1
1991	679	43.2	15.7	15.6
1992	687	40.5	16.9	19.2
1993	732	42.0	17.4	17.9
1994	727	40.5	18.0	17.3
1995	738	44.0	16.8	24.8
1996	738	44.0	16.8	24.8
1997	720	43.5	16.6	23.9
1998	697	44.0	15.8	26.4
1999	675	43.5	15.5	27.3
2000	612	42.5	14.4	30.1
2001	604	38.5	15.7	41.7
2002	635	38.5	16.5	39.2
2003	635	38.5	16.5	39.2
2004	656	38.0	17.3	43.4
2005	611	38.0	16.1	52.7
2006	608	37.0	16.4	44.4
2007	855	51.0	16.8	45.1
2008	837	50.0	16.7	52
2009	838	50.5	16.6	43.1
2010	806	51.0	15.8	45.9
2011	792	48.1	16.4	39.3
2012	774	48.0	16.1	45
2013	736	48.0	15.3	47.3
2014	734	46.0	15.9	51.5
2015	742	46.0	16.1	51.6
2016	720	46.0	15.6	55.8
2017	693	45.0	15.4	31.2
2018	698	45.0	15.5	53.2
2019	668	44.0	15.1	43
2020	667	43.7	15.2	43
2021	668	43.2	15.4	44.8
2022	704	43.2	16.2	n/a
2023	730	42.2	17.2	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 Nicholas County High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	741	44.0	16.8	n/a
1990	678	44.0	15.4	16.1
1991	679	43.2	15.7	15.6
1992	687	40.5	16.9	19.2
1993	732	42.0	17.4	17.9
1994	727	40.5	18.0	17.3
1995	738	44.0	16.8	24.8
1996	738	44.0	16.8	24.8
1997	720	43.5	16.6	23.9
1998	697	44.0	15.8	26.4
1999	675	43.5	15.5	27.3
2000	612	42.5	14.4	30.1
2001	604	38.5	15.7	41.7
2002	635	38.5	16.5	39.2
2003	635	38.5	16.5	39.2
2004	656	38.0	17.3	43.4
2005	611	38.0	16.1	52.7
2006	608	37.0	16.4	44.4
2007	855	51.0	16.8	45.1
2008	837	50.0	16.7	52
2009	838	50.5	16.6	43.1
2010	806	51.0	15.8	45.9
2011	792	48.1	16.4	39.3
2012	774	48.0	16.1	45
2013	736	48.0	15.3	47.3
2014	734	46.0	15.9	51.5
2015	742	46.0	16.1	51.6
2016	720	46.0	15.6	55.8
2017	693	45.0	15.4	31.2
2018	698	45.0	15.5	53.2
2019	668	44.0	15.1	43
2020	667	43.7	15.2	43
2021	668	43.2	15.4	44.8
2022	704	43.2	16.2	n/a
2023	730	42.2	17.2	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 Nicholas County High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,118 (10.0%)	$10,070 (90.0%)	$11,188

Data source: West Virginia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Nicholas 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 67^th of 114 High schools	Ranks 75^th of 112 High schools	8.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Mathematics (Nicholas County High School)	19.9	18.2	1.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Nicholas County Schools)	16.4	14.6	1.8%
11th Grade Mathematics (West Virginia)	24	21.5	2.5%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Nicholas County High School)	46.1	42.2	3.9%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Nicholas County Schools)	44.1	40.8	3.3%
11th Grade English Language Arts (West Virginia)	51.8	49.9	1.9%
11th Grade Science (Nicholas County High School)	25.5	18.2	7.3%
11th Grade Science (Nicholas County Schools)	23.6	18.5	5.1%
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	668	730	9.3%
African American	4	3	25%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	2
Hispanic	3	9	200%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	659	712	8%
Two or More Races	0	4

Schools Near Nicholas 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 6th Grade	WV Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	WV Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	WV Assessment Mathematics 11th Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts 6th Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts 7th Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts 8th Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts 11th Grade	WV Assessment Science 8th Grade	WV Assessment Science 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
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
Richwood High School	Public	9-12	16414 Webster Rd	Craigsville	26205	Nicholas County	Nicholas County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 846-2684	340	20	17.4		334 (98.2%)	4 (1.2%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17.8	95^th of 112 public high schools	15.2%		18.4	98^th of 112 public high schools	12.5%	3				6.6				35.5		19.7	$11,975	$835	$11,140
Nicholas County Career/Technical Center	Public	9-12	215 Milam Addition Rd	Craigsville	26205	Nicholas County	Nicholas County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 742-3024	0	16	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
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
Midland Trail High	Public	6-12	26719 Midland Trail	Hico	25854	Fayette County	Fayette County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 658-5184	623	35	17.8		611 (98.1%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.8%)	31.4	73^rd of 112 public high schools	34.8%		29.9	81^st of 112 public high schools	27.7%	8	22.2	47.9	21.1	8.3	33.3	36.6	42.2	45.2	16.7	21.4	$12,373	$1,425	$10,948
Webster County High School	Public	7-12	1 Highlander Dr	Upperglade	26266	Webster County	Webster County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 226-5772	526	45	11.8		509 (96.8%)	7 (1.3%)	7 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	24.9	85^th of 112 public high schools	24.1%		39.6	66^th of 112 public high schools	41.1%	19		25.9	16.3	11.7		48.3	31.4	31.2	23.3	22.1	$11,627	$1,518	$10,110

Nicholas County High School

Nicholas County High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Nicholas County Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Nicholas County High School

Rank History for all students at Nicholas County High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Nicholas County High School

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

Rank History for Homeless students at Nicholas County High School

Rank History for Female students at Nicholas County High School

Rank History for Disabled students at Nicholas County High School

Rank History for Male students at Nicholas County High School

Rank History for Asian students at Nicholas County High School

Rank History for White students at Nicholas County High School

Enrollment information for Nicholas County High School

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

Student/Teacher Ratio Nicholas County High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Nicholas County High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Nicholas County High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Nicholas County High School