Mercer County Schools
Public school district · Mercer County · West Virginia · NCES district ID 5400840
Mercer County Schools spent $13,583 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, below the middle: 83% of the other West Virginia districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 spent more (median $14,361). Its 24 schools enrolled 8,268 students in 2024-25; 48.6% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $14,226 per student, up 4.7% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 89% (West Virginia: 92.6%).
NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method
Spending per student among West Virginia's largest districts
Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. Among the 10 districts shown, Mercer County Schools ranks 8.
Where the money came from
$142,114,000 in revenue: 48.6% state, 24.2% local and 27.2% federal. Total spending including $12,403,000 of capital outlay was $132,713,000, or $15,279 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$69,121,000 49%
- Local$34,378,000 24%
- Federal$38,615,000 27%
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 49 districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).
Enrollment fell from 2022-23 to 2024-25
8,686 students in 2022-23, 8,526 students in 2023-24, 8,268 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.
Teachers and students per teacher
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 8,686 | 597.5 | 14.5 |
| 2023-24 | 8,526 | 589.0 | 14.5 |
| 2024-25 | 8,268 | 583.0 | 14.2 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$34,033,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $3,918 per student
Mercer County Schools booked $34,033,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 626 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $54,366 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 67 in 100 West Virginia districts with a figure (state median $53,375, 55 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average West Virginia teacher salary at $50,315 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
| Program | Teacher salaries | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Regular programs | $26,899,000 | 79.0% |
| Special education | $5,733,000 | 16.8% |
| Vocational | $909,000 | 2.7% |
| Other programs | $492,000 | 1.4% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $3,465 in 2018-19, $3,624 in 2019-20, $3,755 in 2020-21, $3,712 in 2021-22, $3,918 in 2022-23.
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).
State test results, 2021-22
In 2021-22, the students tested in Mercer County Schools scored proficient or above: 39% in reading and 30% in math, against 41.3% in reading and 32.2% in math across West Virginia. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within West Virginia, not across states.
| Subject | This district | West Virginia | Students tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and language arts | 39% | 41.3% | 4,189 |
| Math | 30% | 32.2% | 4,198 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.
Graduation rate, class of 2023
89% of the 548 students in Mercer County Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 92.6% across West Virginia. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out, and counts those who earned a regular diploma by 2023. Every state computes it the same way under federal law, though each sets its own diploma requirements.
| This district | West Virginia | |
|---|---|---|
| Four-year graduation rate | 89% | 92.6% |
| Students in the class | 548 | 18,443 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express: ED shows district rates as ranges (for example 90-94%) and leaves out small classes.
16 elementary schools, 4,074 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenwood School (K-8) | 614 | 13.4 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
| Princeton Primary School | 448 | 12.1 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
| Bluefield Primary School | 349 | 13.4 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
| Mountain Valley Elementary School | 273 | 10.9 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
| Bluefield Intermediate School | 269 | 12.8 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
| Mercer Elementary | 258 | 12.6 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
| Montcalm Elementary School | 256 | 12.2 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
| Melrose Elementary School | 239 | 15.9 | All free (CEP) | Not Title I |
| Athens Elementary School | 233 | 12.6 | All free (CEP) | Not Title I |
| Lashmeet/Matoaka Elementary School | 181 | 12.5 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
| Straley Elementary School | 172 | 12.7 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
| Brushfork Elementary School | 171 | 12.7 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
The other 4 elementary schools
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakvale School | 168 | 10.8 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
| Bluewell Elementary School | 167 | 10.4 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
| Spanishburg | 159 | 11.0 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
| Sun Valley Elementary School | 117 | 14.6 | All free (CEP) | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
3 middle schools, 1,418 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pikeview Middle School | 502 | 15.1 | All free (CEP) | Not Title I |
| Princeton Middle School | 488 | 11.6 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
| Bluefield Middle School | 428 | 13.7 | All free (CEP) | Schoolwide program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
4 high schools, 2,441 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton Senior High School | 925 | 16.8 | All free (CEP) | Not Title I |
| Pikeview High School | 629 | 19.1 | All free (CEP) | Not Title I |
| Bluefield High School | 618 | 17.7 | All free (CEP) | Not Title I |
| Montcalm High School | 269 | 13.8 | All free (CEP) | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
1 other school, 335 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Springs Early Learning Center | 335 | 39.4 | All free (CEP) | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
Contact Mercer County Schools
- Website: boe.merc.k12.wv.us
- Phone: (304) 487-1551
- Office: 1403 Honaker Ave, Princeton, WV 24740
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.
What to look at next about Mercer County Schools
- West Virginia districts by spending per studentMercer County Schools ranks 41 of 49 West Virginia districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($13,583).#41 of 49
- Every school district in West VirginiaMercer County Schools is the number 9 by size of 61 West Virginia districts, with 8,686 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#9 of 61
- Putnam County SchoolsThe next larger West Virginia district: 8,993 students in fall 2022, $13,757 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$13,757
- Jefferson County SchoolsThe next smaller West Virginia district: 8,389 students in fall 2022, $14,424 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$14,424
- Compare Mercer County Schools with Putnam County SchoolsEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- Princeton Senior High School, its largest high school925 students in 2024-25, 16.8 per teacher.925
- Teacher salary spending across West VirginiaMercer County Schools spent $54,366 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $53,375); spending, not a salary.$54,366
- Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.
Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).
Questions about Mercer County Schools
How many schools and students are in Mercer County Schools?
24 schools were open in 2024-25 (16 elementary, 3 middle, 4 high, 1 other), enrolling 8,268 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does Mercer County Schools spend per student?
$13,583 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the West Virginia median for districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $14,361 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $14,226 per student, up 4.7% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does Mercer County Schools' money come from?
$142,114,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 48.6% state, 24.2% local and 27.2% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in Mercer County Schools live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,087 of the 9,198 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 22.7%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.How much does Mercer County Schools spend on teacher salaries?
$34,033,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $3,918 per student. Divided by the 626 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $54,366 per teacher, more than 67 in 100 West Virginia districts (state median $53,375). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average West Virginia teacher salary at $50,315 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).How do students in Mercer County Schools do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in Mercer County Schools scored proficient or above: 39% in reading and 30% in math, against 41.3% in reading and 32.2% in math across West Virginia. West Virginia's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.What is the graduation rate in Mercer County Schools?
89% of the 548 students in Mercer County Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 92.6% across West Virginia. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23.What is Mercer County Schools' NCES district ID?
5400840. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.
Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.
Sources
Every federal file behind this record
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
- Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
- EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
- EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23: the class of 2023 for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
- NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25