West Virginia school population numbers continue to decline rapidly.
Total student registration dropped by 8,270 pupils compared to the prior year, according to yearly certified enrollment figures made public this week by the state Department of Education.
Every public school system in the state experienced student population decline of up to 14 percent.
The Department of Education did not elaborate on reasons for the sharp decline but did note that this year was the first for universal eligibility for the Hope Scholarship, the financial aid for families whose students are pursuing education outside the public school system.
More than 25,000 students were approved to receive the first round of Hope Scholarship payments this year. About 15,000 students used the Hope Scholarship during the 2025-26 school year.
Overall state population loss is also a likely contributing factor.
Over the past decade, West Virginia’s population has been steadily declining, consistently ranking among the steepest population drops in the United States. The state’s population fell from about 1.84 million in 2015 to 1.766 million in 2025.
This year’s public schools report showed that every single county in the state — along with two of West Virginia’s seven charter schools — experienced diminishing student numbers.
Roane County had the steepest decline with a 14.89% reduction, followed by the Virtual Preparatory Academy down 10.51%, Mingo County down 9.65%, Lewis County down 8.1%, Calhoun County down 7.74% and Randolph County down 7.19%.
Jackson and Pleasants counties experienced lower enrollment decreases with 0.8% and 0.2%, respectively.
Overall, this year’s statewide enrollment number was 226,687 students.
Last year’s enrollment was 234,957.
That represents a 3.5% decrease in enrollment since last school year.
The big single-year loss is part of a broader downward trend.
The system has lost more than 23,000 students since the 2022-23 school year, and more than 46,000 students over the past 10 years – a 17% decline.
West Virginia’s student enrollment for the 2013-14 school year was 281,013.
For the 2016-17 school year, enrollment was 273,170.
In 2020-21, after school was disrupted by the covid-19 pandemic, schools lost 9,276 students, dropping to a total of 252,357.
West Virginia schools are largely funded through a seven-step formula that is based largely on student population.
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