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B−

Jefferson County School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 5 towns

Serves Charles Town, Ranson corporation, Shepherdstown, Bolivar and Harpers Ferry.

Charles Town’s School Grade B− better than 45% of West Virginia school districts

Students
8,386
Schools
16
Spent per student
$15,294
WV $15,637
Students per teacher
15:1
Debt
$36.6M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Jefferson County School District

  • Its letter, B−: results better than 45% of West Virginia districts
  • 15 students per teacher
  • Debt of $36.6M, about $4,359 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B−: better than 45% of the 56 West Virginia school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math above the state, 2021–22
B+
GraduationFour-year graduation below the state, class of 2023
D
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
B−Charles Town 9,329B−Ranson corporation 6,853B−Shepherdstown 1,522Bolivar 983Harpers Ferry 266

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Charles Town. Grade by grade →

PK–59 elementary schoolsThis district
6–8Charles Town Middle SchoolThis district
9–12Washington High SchoolThis district

Test scores vs. WV

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency32%
State average 32.2% · 4,389 students tested
Reading / language arts46%
State average 41.3% · 4,391 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)88%
State average 92.6% · 688 in the class

100% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$15,294 per student · 2% below WV
Spending
Classroom instruction 56%Support & administration 39%Other 5%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 49%State 43%Federal 7%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
8,506’20
8,682’21
8,389’22
8,242’23
8,386’24

About steady since 2020–21.

Students
White 70%Hispanic 14%Two or more races 9%Black 6%Asian 2%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%

Schools in the district

16 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with West Virginia’s other public schools.

T A Lowery Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Shenandoah Junction
B−
531 students18:1
South Jefferson Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Charles Town
B−
453 students17:1
Blue Ridge Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Harpers Ferry
D−
372 students13:1
Page Jackson Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–2 · Charles Town
366 students17:1
Driswood Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Shenandoah Junction
A−
348 students15:1
Shepherdstown Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Shepherdstown
A
310 students15:1
Ranson Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Ranson
D−
256 students12:1
North Jefferson Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Kearneysville
C
247 students11:1
C. W. Shipley Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Harpers Ferry
A+
348 students14:1
Wright Denny Intermediate School
Elementary · Grades 3–5 · Charles Town
B+
376 students16:1
Charles Town Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Charles Town
B−
603 students12:1
Harpers Ferry Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Harpers Ferry
A−
550 students13:1
Wildwood Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Shenandoah Junction
C
429 students12:1
Shepherdstown Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Shepherdstown
B+
308 students11:1
Washington High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Charles Town
A−
1,458 students19:1
Jefferson High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Shenandoah Junction
A
1,431 students16:1

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within West Virginia.