The top reported proficiency rate is 47% in English language arts. The lowest is 38% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Jennings Randolph Elementary School
Jennings Randolph Elementary sits on Scott Ford Road in Elkins, the county seat of Randolph County, serving children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is a regular public school within Randolph County Schools, the district that covers this stretch of the Allegheny Highlands.
The school is small for its grade band, with enrollment spread fairly evenly across the early grades. The student body is predominantly white, with small numbers of Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students. Data on free or reduced-price lunch was not reported, nor were counts for students with individualized education programs or English learners, so a parent looking for those indicators of the school's economic and special-population context would need to ask the school directly.
On state assessments, Jennings Randolph showed a mixed profile in the most recent year. In English language arts, the strongest results came in the upper elementary grades, with fourth graders demonstrating the highest proficiency rate and fifth graders not far behind. Third-grade ELA was the lowest-performing grade level. Math results followed a similar pattern, with fourth grade again the strongest, while third and fifth grade proficiency sat below the fourth-grade mark but close to each other. Science was tested only in fifth grade, and proficiency there fell in a middling range. Participation was full across all tested grades and subjects. The state did not report average scale scores, and because only one year of data is available, no trend can be drawn yet. A parent may want to look into year-over-year patterns as future results accumulate.
Because Jennings Randolph serves only pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, there are no state assessment results for grades six through eight and no graduation rate. These gaps reflect the school's grade band, not a lack of reporting on tested students.
Elkins itself is a small city that functions as a regional hub for the surrounding highlands. Publicly reported sources describe a downtown core along Davis Avenue with locally owned shops, restaurants, and bars, anchored by civic and institutional employers. Two hospital complexes, Davis & Elkins College, the headquarters of the Monongahela National Forest, and a federal building all sit within the city. The former railyard has been redeveloped into commercial space with a Rotary Amphitheater hosting a farmer's market, festivals, and concerts. Multiple National Register historic districts give the built environment a small-town historic texture. The city's strategic plan, as described on the city website, prioritizes more walkable streets and growth in tourism, healthcare, and wood-products. Corridor H, a four-lane highway, connects Elkins westward toward Interstate 79, with long-term plans for extension to Interstate 81 in Virginia.
Housing in the area is relatively affordable. The typical home value in the school's zip code sits below the state benchmark and well below the national figure, with a price-to-income ratio that suggests homeownership is within reach for many local families compared to much of the country. Year-over-year home value growth has been modest. Rental data was not available for this area.
The district brief for Randolph County Schools turned up no recent referendums, curriculum changes, property-tax shifts, or other parent-relevant developments with lasting impact. This means the picture here is steady-state rather than one of active transition.
For a family considering Jennings Randolph, the academic results suggest a school where upper-elementary reading and language arts are a relative bright spot, while math and third-grade ELA are areas where proficiency rates leave room for growth. The school's small size means each grade-level cohort is modest, which can mean more individual attention but also means results can swing with small changes in a given year's group of students. The community offers a historic small-town setting with genuine civic and cultural life, outdoor recreation at the doorstep of a national forest, and housing costs that compare favorably to state and national levels. A parent weighing this school would benefit from asking about the missing economic and special-population data, and about how the school supports students below proficiency in math and early reading.
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