About KCS


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About Kanawha County Schools

Kanawha County Schools (KCS) is the largest school system in West Virginia. The district serves more than 23,900 students, representing the region's diverse socioeconomic mix. KCS is comprised of 42 elementary schools, 12 middle schools and one alternative center, eight high schools and one alternative center, two career and technical education/adult centers, and two community education centers. The Kanawha County School System is dedicated to providing a world-class education that ensures success for every student in the 21st century. KCS serves students located across 913.38 square miles.


Mission Statement

Kanawha County Schools will provide a world-class education system that ensures all students are college and career ready for today and beyond.


We Believe

  • All students can achieve.

  • Quality teaching is the key to student success with consistent student and teacher engagement in the school and in classroom activities.

  • Effective leadership skills are essential for creating and maintaining effective schools for current and future learners.

  • Schools, parents, and communities must be partners in learning.

  • Schools must be safe and caring places.

  • All teachers must be teachers of literacy skills, including literacy in technology.

  • Students and teachers must be prepared for life-long learning in a global society.


2023-2024 Goals

Goal 1 - Improve the Social/Emotional Health and Well-Being of Students and Staff

Measure 1:   Students with positive social and emotional health will be likely to attend school on a regular basis. As a result, overall student attendance in Kanawha County Schools, grades K-12, will increase by an average of 1% during the 2023-2024 school year. This will be measured and monitored consistently through daily data available in Performance Matters and end-of-year data in Zoom for students and through the Power School Smart Find Express attendance system and payroll system for teachers and all staff. Support will be available to all employees through the new Employee Assistance Program. STUDENT ATTENDANCE: FY 2024 TBD FY 2023 Attendance Rate for all students in Kanawha County Schools: 92.21%, an increase of 0.22% (Less than 1%) FY 2022 Attendance Rate for all students in Kanawha County Schools: 91.9% Chronically Absent Students: Decrease from 26% (FY2022) to 24.73% (FY2023) (decrease of 1.23%) Teacher/Staff Attendance: 95% no change from FY 22 to FY 23.  

Measure 2:  100% of ESSERF Funds designated to support the Instructional Process and the Social Emotional Well-Being of students will be identified in the ESSERF budget and verified by ongoing ESSERF budget expenditures through the 2023-2024 school year.

Measure 3: Kanawha County Schools will increase the four year and five year graduation rate for students by 1% annually.

Measure 4:  Title IV funds will be used to support instruction by improving student well-being, student social/emotional health, and overall student instruction.

Goal 2: Good Teaching and Student Engagement will be evident in 100% of Kanawha County Schools classrooms, measured by samples of principal/specialist's classroom walkthrough comments and next steps (recorded in Schoology), grades that reflect the implementation of effective lesson planning, and educator evaluations.

Measure 1: Active teacher and student engagement will be evident in all classrooms, monitored through the identified steps. 1. Attendance at the Engagement session for principals at the August 11 Superintendent's Conference. 2. An updated "LOOK FORS" document will be developed to measure both teacher and student engagement. 3. Classroom Walkthroughs to measure teacher and student engagement and next steps in Schoology. 4.Lesson plans will reflect engaging instruction. 5. Educator Evaluations will reflect quality, engaging instruction as at least Emerging (for new teachers), Accomplished, or Distinguished.

Measure 2: Support Data: WV Summative Assessment MATH --2024 Math PM: 46.78% of students in Grades 3-8 will meet proficiency standards in math measured by the WV Summative Assessment (grades 3-8). --2024 Expected Math PM: 49.16% of students in Grades 3-8 will meet proficiency standards in math measured by the WV Summative Assessment (grades 3-8). --2022 Actual Results: 34% of students in Grades 3-8 achieved proficiency or above in math, with an additional 30% achieving partial mastery. --2023 Actual Results: 36% Proficient or Above Grades 3-8 (2% Increase) --2024 Actual Results: TBD WV Summative Assessment ELA 2022 ELA PM: 55.45% of students in Grades 3-8 meet proficiency standards in ELA, as measured by the WV Summative Assessment (grades 3-8). 2023 Expected ELA Performance Level: 57.52 % of students in Grades 3-8 will meet proficiency standards in ELA measured by the WV Summative Assessment (grades 3-8). 2022 Actual Results: 42.6 % of students in Grades 3-8 achieved proficiency or above in ELA (INCLUDES WRITING) 2023 Actual Results: 41% of students in Grades 3-8 achieved proficiency or above in ELA (INCLUDES WRITING) (decrease of 1.6%) 2024 Actual Results: TBD ELPA-21 Summative Assessment, Grades K-12: 12% of EL students achieved proficiency in English Language (Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening) and exited services, with monitoring academic progress in place through the Title III program. 80% of EL students demonstrated progress toward English proficiency and achieved partial proficiency in English. Only 8% remained at the negligent level and have not achieved partial proficiency. A closer look at the data indicated the 8% are students new to Kanawha County, WV, or the United States.

Measure 3:  Increase Academic Achievement in schools identified for Comprehensive Support for Improvement (CSI), West Side Middle School, Sharon Dawes Elementary School, Dunbar Intermediate, *Weimer Elementary, and East Bank Middle. *Closing at the end of the 2023-2024 school year

Goal 3:  All Kanawha County Teachers will utilize data to plan and provide data driven instruction to students using a variety of formative and summative assessments. This will be measured by attendance at instructional monitoring meetings, attendance at training sessions on PL Days through the staff development monitoring system, True North Logic, and supporting documentation collected by principals and district leaders.

Measure 1:  All Kanawha County Teachers will effectively use data provided through a variety of assessments to monitor student progress for instruction, effective intervention, attendance, and social emotional well-being, as needed, in all classrooms. Data will come from the following sources: 1. principal and district administration walkthroughs, observations, and focus groups. 2.) Data reports through ELERS (PK), DIBELS8, The DIBELS 8 (K-2) Dyslexia Screener (K-2), SAVVAS, Literature Footprints checklists, CIA Benchmark Assessments (3-8), IMAs (3-8), SAVVAS Success Maker Math (K-8) and Reading (K-12), ALEKS ((9-12), ELPA 21 Screener and ELPA Summative Assessment, WV Summative Assessment (K-8), SAT (11th), Student Attendance, Behavioral Referrals in WVEIS, and overall data compiled in ZOOM and Performance Matters.

The full KCS 2023-2024 Strategic Plan is available here

The Administrative Organizational Chart is available here.


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