Schools made big changes after a national report in 1970 said U.S. education was falling behind. Graduation became harder, and testing increased.

As the state's population plummeted, many small schools closed and were consolidated into large schools. Some counties now have only one high school.

Private schools kept growing, and in recent years, charter schools have opened too. A new program, the Hope Scholarship, now gives families taxpayer money to help pay for private education, but some worry it takes money from public schools.

The state has struggled to find enough teachers due in part to lower salaries than surrounding states. In 2018, every school personnel in the state went on strike for better pay and benefits, winning their fight after nine days.

West Virginia’s test scores in reading, math, and science are among the lowest in the country. More students are graduating, and some progress has been made in early reading. However, challenges like teacher shortages, low pay, a broken foster care system, and student poverty and homelessness continue to affect learning across the state.