Is Zela Elementary School a good school?

Zela Elementary School ranks in the bottom 7.6% of West Virginia elementary schools.

How many students attend Zela Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 80 students attended Zela Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Zela Elementary School?

Students at Zela Elementary School are 100% White.

What schools do graduates of Zela Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Zela Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Summersville Middle School High : Nicholas County High School

Zela Elementary School

Summary:

Zela Elementary School is a small public elementary school in Summersville, West Virginia, serving 80 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. While the school is part of the Nicholas County Schools district, which is ranked 29th out of 55 districts in the state, Zela Elementary has consistently underperformed compared to the district and state averages.

Zela Elementary's academic performance is a significant concern, with proficiency rates well below the district and state averages on the West Virginia Assessments. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Zela had proficiency rates of just 8.3% in 4th grade math, 25% in 4th grade English Language Arts, and 23.1% in 5th grade science. This has contributed to the school's declining statewide ranking, dropping from 58th out of 408 West Virginia elementary schools in 2014-2015 to 340th out of 368 in the 2023-2024 school year. In comparison, nearby schools like Panther Creek Elementary, MT Lookout Elementary, and MT Nebo Elementary consistently outperform Zela on state assessments and have higher statewide rankings.

Another notable factor is Zela Elementary's lack of racial diversity, with a 100% white student population, which is significantly higher than the racial diversity seen in the nearby schools. Additionally, the school serves a higher proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 64.71% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in the 2020-2021 school year. This suggests that the school faces unique challenges in addressing the needs of its student population, and additional resources and support may be necessary to improve academic outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

165 Country Rd
Summersville, WV 26651-4018

(304) 872-1481

District: Nicholas County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
340^th of 368 West Virginia Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,250

Students who attend Zela Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Summersville Middle School
High:	Nicholas County High School

Student/teacher ratio: 9.4

Number of students: 80

Racial breakdown:

White:

100.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 64.7%

See top rated West Virginia elementary schools

Compare Zela Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Zela Elementary School ranks worse than 92.4% of elementary schools in West Virginia. It also ranks last among 8 ranked elementary schools in the Nicholas County Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 15.85. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (100%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Zela Elementary School is 9.4, which is the lowest among 9 elementary schools in the Nicholas County Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Zela Elementary School employs 8.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Zela Elementary School is $15,250, which is the highest among 9 elementary schools in the Nicholas County Schools District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Zela Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Zela Elementary School 340^th of 368 West Virginia public elementary schools. (See Zela Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Nicholas County Schools:

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

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Zela Elementary School.

What do you think?

Your rating for Zela Elementary School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Zela Elementary School

Compare

Rank History for all students at Zela Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WV State Percentile
2009	39.40	292^nd	420	30.5%
2010	45.17	238^th	427	44.3%
2011	37.39	298^th	426	30.0%
2012	52.67	179^th	426	58.0%
2013	47.04	223^rd	428	47.9%
2014	59.26	133^rd	422	68.5%
2015	75.21	58^th	408	85.8%
2016	53.05	187^th	402	53.5%
2017	53.15	184^th	399	53.9%
2018	52.56	174^th	392	55.6%
2019	41.75	219^th	383	42.8%
2021	9.51	378^th	380	0.5%
2022	29.91	290^th	375	22.7%
2023	11.19	358^th	368	2.7%
2024	15.85	340^th	368	7.6%

See the entire list of West Virginia Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Zela Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WV State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2017	31.18	304^th	377	19.4%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Zela Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WV State Percentile
2017	57.49	141^st	382	63.1%
2018	63.37	100^th	368	72.8%
2023	9.54	332^nd	333	0.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Zela Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WV State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2017	50.36	188^th	381	50.7%
2018	45.08	214^th	366	41.5%

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

Rank History for Male students at Zela Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WV State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2017	54.46	168^th	382	56.0%
2018	44.17	200^th	364	45.1%

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

Rank History for White students at Zela Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WV State Percentile
2017	51.90	180^th	382	52.9%
2018	51.60	168^th	374	55.1%
2019	40.57	220^th	373	41.0%
2021	9.23	374^th	376	0.5%
2022	28.94	293^rd	373	21.4%
2023	10.50	359^th	366	1.9%
2024	15.17	341^st	367	7.1%

See the entire list of Best West Virginia Elementary 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: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Zela Elementary School

Compare

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	94	94
1990	123	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	123
1991	117	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	117
1992	158	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	158
1993	136	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	136
1994	145	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	145
1995	150	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	150
1996	150	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	150
1997	147	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	147
1998	156	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	156
1999	163	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	163
2000	166	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	166
2001	153	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	155
2002	128	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	130
2003	128	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	130
2004	123	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	125
2005	129	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	131
2006	133	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	135
2007	104	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	105
2008	108	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	109
2009	119	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	119
2010	107	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	107
2011	120	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	120
2012	107	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	107
2013	107	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	107
2014	100	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	101
2015	92	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	93
2016	76	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	77
2017	98	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	98
2018	89	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	89
2019	89	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	89
2020	94	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	94
2021	102	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	102
2022	88	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	88
2023	80	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	80

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 Zela Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	94	6.0	15.6	n/a
1990	123	9.0	13.6	34.1
1991	117	9.5	12.3	40.2
1992	158	8.5	18.5	44.3
1993	136	8.0	17.0	55.1
1994	145	10.0	14.5	60
1995	150	10.5	14.3	72.7
1996	150	10.5	14.3	72.7
1997	147	11.5	12.8	61.2
1998	156	11.5	13.6	62.8
1999	163	12.0	13.6	77.9
2000	166	13.0	12.8	71.7
2001	155	13.5	11.5	71.6
2002	130	12.5	10.4	70.8
2003	130	12.5	10.4	70.8
2004	125	11.5	10.9	68
2005	131	11.5	11.4	61.1
2006	135	11.5	11.7	66.7
2007	105	10.5	10.0	66.7
2008	109	9.5	11.5	72.5
2009	119	9.0	13.2	65.5
2010	107	9.0	11.8	74.8
2011	120	9.6	12.4	70.8
2012	107	9.0	11.8	69.2
2013	107	9.0	11.8	80.4
2014	101	9.5	10.6	n/a
2015	93	10.0	9.3	52.7
2016	77	10.0	7.7	68.8
2017	98	9.5	10.3	57.1
2018	89	9.5	9.3	80.9
2019	89	9.0	9.8	51.7
2020	94	8.5	11.0	48.9
2021	102	9.0	11.3	64.7
2022	88	10.0	8.8	n/a
2023	80	8.5	9.4	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 Zela Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	94	6.0	15.6	n/a
1990	123	9.0	13.6	34.1
1991	117	9.5	12.3	40.2
1992	158	8.5	18.5	44.3
1993	136	8.0	17.0	55.1
1994	145	10.0	14.5	60
1995	150	10.5	14.3	72.7
1996	150	10.5	14.3	72.7
1997	147	11.5	12.8	61.2
1998	156	11.5	13.6	62.8
1999	163	12.0	13.6	77.9
2000	166	13.0	12.8	71.7
2001	155	13.5	11.5	71.6
2002	130	12.5	10.4	70.8
2003	130	12.5	10.4	70.8
2004	125	11.5	10.9	68
2005	131	11.5	11.4	61.1
2006	135	11.5	11.7	66.7
2007	105	10.5	10.0	66.7
2008	109	9.5	11.5	72.5
2009	119	9.0	13.2	65.5
2010	107	9.0	11.8	74.8
2011	120	9.6	12.4	70.8
2012	107	9.0	11.8	69.2
2013	107	9.0	11.8	80.4
2014	101	9.5	10.6	n/a
2015	93	10.0	9.3	52.7
2016	77	10.0	7.7	68.8
2017	98	9.5	10.3	57.1
2018	89	9.5	9.3	80.9
2019	89	9.0	9.8	51.7
2020	94	8.5	11.0	48.9
2021	102	9.0	11.3	64.7
2022	88	10.0	8.8	n/a
2023	80	8.5	9.4	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 Zela Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,518 (16.5%)	$12,732 (83.5%)	$15,250

Data source: West Virginia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Zela Elementary 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 219^th of 383 Elementary schools	Ranks 358^th of 368 Elementary schools	40.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Zela Elementary School)	21.4	38.5	17.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Nicholas County Schools)	45.3	56.8	11.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (West Virginia)	50.9	51.6	0.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Zela Elementary School)	35.7	23.1	12.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Nicholas County Schools)	39.3	33.7	5.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (West Virginia)	44	39.9	4.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Zela Elementary School)	45.5	6.3	39.2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Nicholas County Schools)	54.3	47.6	6.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (West Virginia)	47.3	45.7	1.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Zela Elementary School)	54.6	18.8	35.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Nicholas County Schools)	52.7	42.4	10.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (West Virginia)	48.8	44.2	4.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Zela Elementary School)	27.8	37.2	9.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Nicholas County Schools)	40.2	35	5.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (West Virginia)	40	34.9	5.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Zela Elementary School)	55.6	31	24.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Nicholas County Schools)	49.1	36.6	12.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (West Virginia)	47.2	41.2	6%
5th Grade Science (Zela Elementary School)	38.9	6.2	32.7%
5th Grade Science (Nicholas County Schools)	36.2	22.8	13.3%
5th Grade Science (West Virginia)	35.4	30.3	5.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	89	80	10.1%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	0	0
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	89	80	10.1%
Two or More Races	0	0

Schools Near Zela Elementary 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 3rd Grade	WV Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	WV Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts 3rd Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts 4th Grade	WV Assessment English Language Arts 5th Grade	WV Assessment Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Zela Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	165 Country Rd	Summersville	26651	Nicholas County	Nicholas County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 872-1481	80	9	9.4		80 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15.8	340^th of 368 public elementary schools	7.6%		11.2	358^th of 368 public elementary schools	2.7%	18		8.3	30.8		25.0	23.1	23.1	$15,250	$2,518	$12,732
Summersville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	108 McKees Creek Rd	Summersville	26651	Nicholas County	Nicholas County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 872-1421	361	27	13.3		350 (97.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	42.1	224^th of 368 public elementary schools	39.1%		37.3	250^th of 368 public elementary schools	32.1%	26	56.9	37.5	34.9	43.1	32.5	51.2	27.9	$11,966	$1,729	$10,237
Mt Nebo Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	110 Schoolhouse Ln	Mount Nebo	26679	Nicholas County	Nicholas County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 872-2440	110	9	12.9		110 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	98.6	3^rd of 368 public elementary schools	99.2%		80.5	50^th of 368 public elementary schools	86.4%	47	90.0		81.3	90.0		87.5	56.3	$12,637	$1,467	$11,169
Glade Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7950 Webster Rd	Summersville	26651	Nicholas County	Nicholas County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 872-2882	152	9	17.8		152 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	62.2	116^th of 368 public elementary schools	68.5%		67.3	98^th of 368 public elementary schools	73.4%	18	47.6	80.0	53.6	38.1	80.0	53.6	21.4	$10,254	$1,081	$9,172
Mt Lookout Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1945 E Mount Lookout Rd	Mount Lookout	26678	Nicholas County	Nicholas County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 872-2731	122	10	12.8		117 (95.9%)	3 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	72.9	74^th of 368 public elementary schools	79.9%		92.7	15^th of 368 public elementary schools	95.9%	59	52.6	75.0	64.7	31.6	75.0	52.9	52.9	$11,464	$1,649	$9,814
Lizemore Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Lizemore Lion Road	Lizemores	25125	Clay County	Clay County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 587-4823	105	10	10.6		102 (97.1%)	2 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)	10.4	360^th of 368 public elementary schools	2.2%		31.3	283^rd of 368 public elementary schools	23.1%	77		25.0	23.1		25.0	7.7	15.4	$10,737	$2,030	$8,707
Ansted Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	27 School Street	Ansted	25812	Fayette County	Fayette County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 658-5961	190	14	13.5		182 (95.8%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.2%)	43.9	213^th of 368 public elementary schools	42.1%		58.2	134^th of 368 public elementary schools	63.6%	79	45.5	25.9	56.3	51.5	29.6	53.1	25.0	$13,490	$1,774	$11,716
Panther Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	10068 Canvas Nettie Road	Nettie	26681	Nicholas County	Nicholas County Schools	No	No	No	No	(304) 846-6808	245	18	13.6		241 (98.4%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	75.6	67^th of 368 public elementary schools	81.8%		68.4	90^th of 368 public elementary schools	75.5%	23	65.2	58.3	69.7	65.2	54.2	51.5	36.4	$11,775	$1,072	$10,702
Clay Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	219 Church Street	Clay	25043	Clay County	Clay County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 587-4276	314	24	13.0		308 (98.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.6%)	41.5	231^st of 368 public elementary schools	37.2%		42.5	215^th of 368 public elementary schools	41.6%	16	51.1	40.5	33.3	42.6	54.1	37.5	25.0	$13,896	$2,945	$10,951
Divide Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	Propps Ridge Road	Lookout	25868	Fayette County	Fayette County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(304) 574-1443	212	14	15.7		208 (98.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.9%)	42.7	221^st of 368 public elementary schools	39.9%		32.3	274^th of 368 public elementary schools	25.5%	53	50.0	32.4	37.9	38.9	23.5	51.7	44.8	$13,180	$1,540	$11,640

Zela Elementary School

Zela Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Nicholas County Schools:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Zela Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Zela Elementary School

Rank History for Special Education students at Zela Elementary School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Zela Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at Zela Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Zela Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Zela Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Zela Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Zela Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Zela Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Zela Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Zela Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Zela Elementary School

Frequently Asked Questions about Zela Elementary School

Rate Zela Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Sign up for updates!