Enrollment
592
West Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Fairmont, WV
West Fairmont Middle School
Federal NCES profile for West Fairmont Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 540072001249
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Fairmont Middle School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the West Virginia median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most West Virginia schools.
- #1 of 8
- public schools in Fairmont · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.1:1
- students per teacher
- 592
- students enrolled
West Fairmont Middle School has class sizes near the West Virginia median. Computed live against every West Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Fairmont Middle School ranks #1 of 8 public schools in Fairmont, WV.
School address
District: Marion County Schools · West Virginia
NCES ID 540072001249 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.1:1
vs 13.1:1 West Virginia avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Fairmont Middle School compares with West Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Fairmont Middle School
West Fairmont Middle School is a large elementary school in Fairmont, West Virginia, enrolling 592 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.1:1 puts it in the larger third of West Virginia schools by student-teacher ratio.
Enrollment of 592 puts it in the larger third of West Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 643 scored West Virginia schools.
Its student body is led by White (76%) and Two or More (10%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 40/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 296 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Discipline events run high: 198 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 592 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Marion County Schools also operates Fairmont Senior High School (835 students) and East Fairmont High School (725 students) alongside West Fairmont Middle School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How West Fairmont Middle School compares
West Fairmont Middle School on the metrics families compare, against West Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs West Virginia | West Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.1:1 | ▲ 8% | 13.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 592 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.1:1
Leaner classes than 56% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
592
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
14.1:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 65% in West Virginia - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
23.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$14,086
per pupil, district-wide
- below West Virginia avg of $14,844
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 296 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
86
in-school suspensions + 112 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 33.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 75.8%
Two or More 10.3%
African American 9.8%
Hispanic or Latino 2.5%
Asian 1.5%
Largest group: White at 75.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.4, West Fairmont Middle School is more mixed than the West Virginia school average of 17.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Marion County Schools, which includes West Fairmont Middle School.
$14,086
Per student
-5%
vs West Virginia
Avg $14,844
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.0%
State 51.4%
Federal 12.6%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How West Fairmont Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairmont Senior High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Fairmont High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Marion High School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Fairmont Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Watson Elementary School | Smaller | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Fairmont Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 835
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 725
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 671
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 647
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 383
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of West Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~592 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Fairmont Middle School's federal record.
- Compare West Fairmont Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Marion County Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about West Fairmont Middle School
How many students attend West Fairmont Middle School?
West Fairmont Middle School has 592 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Fairmont, WV.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Fairmont Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Fairmont Middle School is 14.1:1, which is 8% higher than the West Virginia average of 13.1:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Fairmont Middle School?
The largest demographic group at West Fairmont Middle School is White at 75.8% of enrollment, in Fairmont, WV.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Fairmont Middle School?
West Fairmont Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does West Fairmont Middle School rank among public schools in Fairmont?
By Resource Investment Index, West Fairmont Middle School ranks #1 of 8 public schools in Fairmont, WV. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Fairmont on the city page.
Is West Fairmont Middle School a good school?
West Fairmont Middle School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the West Virginia median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most West Virginia schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Marion County Schools?
Besides West Fairmont Middle School, Marion County Schools also operates Fairmont Senior High School (835 students), East Fairmont High School (725 students), and North Marion High School (671 students). See the Marion County Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.