The top reported proficiency rate is 25% in English language arts. The lowest is 13% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Duval Pk-8
Duval Pk-8 sits along Straight Fork in Griffithsville, a small unincorporated community in eastern Lincoln County, West Virginia. The school serves pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and operates as a regular public school within the Lincoln County Schools district. Griffithsville is a scattered rural settlement along West Virginia Route 3, southeast of Hamlin, the county seat. There is no traditional downtown, and the built environment consists of residential spread across rolling hills near the Guyandotte River. Families drawn to outdoor life will find hiking and fishing in the surrounding area, but civic amenities, additional shopping, and services are concentrated in Hamlin a short drive to the northwest.
The school's enrollment is modest for a pre-K through eighth grade campus. Its student body is nearly entirely white, with only a handful of students identifying as multiracial or Black. No other racial or ethnic groups are represented in the reported figures. Data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education enrollment, and English learner status were not available, so the economic profile of the student body and the share of students receiving specialized services cannot be characterized from the information provided. A parent wanting to understand the school's poverty rate or its special populations would need to ask the school directly.
State assessment results from the most recent school year show a pattern of low proficiency across most grade levels and subjects. In math, the earliest tested grades struggled most, with third grade showing no students reaching proficiency and fourth grade only slightly above that. Fifth grade was the strongest, with roughly a third of tested students proficient, before dropping back in the middle grades. Eighth grade landed in between. English language arts results were generally stronger than math but still modest, with the upper grades outperforming the lower ones. Seventh and eighth grade ELA proficiency reached the mid-thirties in percentage terms, the highest results the school posted. Science was tested only in fifth and eighth grade, and both showed very low proficiency, with fifth grade particularly weak. Participation rates were high across nearly every grade and subject, so the results reflect broad test-taking rather than a small or selective group.
Only a single year of assessment data was available, so there is no trend to describe. Whether these results represent a temporary dip or a persistent pattern cannot be determined from what was provided. A parent considering this school may want to look into what improvement plans or interventions the school and district have in place, particularly in the early elementary grades and in science.
No graduation rate applies here, since the school does not serve high school grades. Program offerings, course access details, staffing ratios, discipline data, and attendance figures were not provided, so the picture of what happens inside the building beyond test results is limited. The school does not operate as a charter or magnet school.
Housing in the Griffithsville area is inexpensive compared with both state and national benchmarks. The typical home value sits well below the West Virginia state median and far below the national median, and values have been declining modestly over the past year. Rent data was not available. The broader community appears to be experiencing population stagnation or decline, with no major new housing developments or commercial projects identified. No specific major employers were found in publicly reported sources, and labor-force participation in the area is described as low, with service occupations representing the largest employment group.
What this adds up to is a small rural school in a quiet, affordable, and sparsely developed community. The academic results are a clear soft spot, particularly in the early grades and in science, and a family weighing this school should treat that as a primary question to explore with the administration. The setting itself will appeal to families who value space, low cost of living, and access to the outdoors, and who are comfortable with the tradeoffs of rural isolation and limited nearby amenities.
See more original research from School Decision →