Public schools in Charleston, WV
29 open public schools with an address in Charleston, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
29
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
12,062
28 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
14.9:1
West Virginia median 13.3:1
Charter schools
1
1 virtual
An overview of Charleston public schools
The federal directory lists 29 public schools in Charleston, WV: 17 elementary, 5 middle, 4 high, 3 combined or other. The 28 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 12,062 students, an average of 431 per school. The largest campus is West Virginia Virtual Academy (1,654 students), and the largest elementary school is Elk Elementary Center (475).
Kanawha County Schools operates the most schools here (28), plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 14.9:1, higher than the statewide school median of 13.3:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
School districts and agencies serving Charleston
Elementary schools in Charleston
17| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chamberlain Elementary School Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 225 | 15.5:1 | |
| Cross Lanes Elementary School Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 294 | 13.4:1 | |
| Edgewood Elementary School Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 413 | 11.8:1 | |
| Elk Elementary Center Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 475 | 13.8:1 | |
| Flinn Elementary School Kanawha County Schools | PK–04 | 430 | 15.1:1 | |
| Holz Elementary School Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 304 | 16.4:1 | |
| Kanawha City Elementary School Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 242 | 13.4:1 | |
| Kenna Elementary School Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 180 | 16.4:1 | |
| Malden Elementary School Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 160 | 10.7:1 | |
| Mary C. Snow West Side Elementary Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 453 | 13.3:1 | |
| Montrose Elementary School Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 224 | 14.9:1 | |
| Overbrook Elementary School Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 375 | 17:1 | |
| Piedmont Year-Round Education Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 279 | 10.7:1 | |
| Ruffner Elementary School Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 271 | 13.9:1 | |
| Ruthlawn Elementary School Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 225 | 13.2:1 | |
| Shoals Elementary School Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 191 | 13.6:1 | |
| Weberwood Elementary School Kanawha County Schools | PK–05 | 247 | 15.4:1 |
Middle schools in Charleston
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Jackson Middle School Kanawha County Schools | 06–08 | 488 | 15.7:1 | |
| Horace Mann Middle School Kanawha County Schools | 06–08 | 385 | 14.5:1 | |
| John Adams Middle School Kanawha County Schools | 06–08 | 740 | 17.8:1 | |
| Sissonville Middle School Kanawha County Schools | 05–08 | 521 | 17.4:1 | |
| West Side Middle School Kanawha County Schools | 06–08 | 374 | 12.5:1 |
High schools in Charleston
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital High School Kanawha County Schools | 09–12 | 1,051 | 17.4:1 | |
| Carver Career and Technical Center Kanawha County Schools · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | — | — | |
| George Washington High School Kanawha County Schools | 09–12 | 1,145 | 22.5:1 | |
| Sissonville High School Kanawha County Schools | 09–12 | 564 | 15.2:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Charleston
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grandview Annex Kanawha County Schools | PK–PK | 18 | 0.1:1 | |
| KCS Alternative Learning Kanawha County Schools · Alternative School | KG–12 | 134 | 14.9:1 | |
| West Virginia Virtual Academy West Virginia Virtual Academy · Charter · Virtual | KG–12 | 1,654 | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White76.2%
- Hispanic1.8%
- Black12.2%
- Asian1.4%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial8.1%
Enrollment-weighted across 28 Charleston schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (12,062 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Charleston
How many public schools are in Charleston, WV?
The current NCES directory lists 29 open public schools with a location address in Charleston: 17 elementary, 5 middle, 4 high, 3 combined or other. Together they reported 12,062 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Charleston?
Schools with an address in Charleston belong to 2 education agencies, led by Kanawha County Schools (28 schools), West Virginia Virtual Academy (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Charleston?
George Washington High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Charleston, with 1,145 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Charleston?
Yes. 1 of the 29 public schools in Charleston are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including West Virginia Virtual Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Charleston schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Charleston public schools is 14.9:1, higher than the West Virginia school median of 13.3:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Charleston guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby West Virginia cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All West Virginia cities