About Kanawha County Schools
Kanawha County Schools (KCS) is the largest school system in West Virginia. The district serves over 26,000 students, representing the region’s diverse socioeconomic mix. KCS is comprised of 43 elementary schools, 13 middle schools and one alternative center, eight high schools and one alternative center, two career and technical education centers, one adult center, 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.
Kanawha County Schools will provide a world class education that ensures all students are college and career ready for the 21st Century.
- All students CAN achieve.
- Quality teaching is the key to student success.
- Schools, parents and community must be partners in learning.
- Schools must be safe and caring places.
- All teachers must be teachers who prepare ALL students for college AND career readiness.
- Effective leadership skills are essential for preparing ALL students for college and career readiness.
Goal 1. The Kanawha County School District will provide sustained learning opportunities and resources to 100% of our school personnel to enable them to provide a Safe and Engaging Learning Environment daily, throughout the 2015-2016 school year, as follows:
1.1 Decrease incidents of aggressive behavior and bullying by 2% each year through 2020, as measured by ZOOMWV-e, and Bright Bytes System.
1.2 Be prepared respond to crisis situations by providing professional development to 100% of KCS employees through Safe Schools Online and ALICE by December 21, 2015, as measured by completion records and credit issued for all online sessions and documentation of mock crisis drills in all schools.
1.3. Improve student attendance and truancy by 3% annually through collaboration with various programs and by providing personal and cognitive engagement strategies that motivate students and increase a sense of belonging, as measured by increased IPI and Gallup Personal Engagement data.
Goal 2. The Kanawha County School District will provide support, training, resources, and program opportunities to all schools in order to ensure that ALL students are College AND Career Ready upon graduation from high school, as follows:
2.1. Improve the graduation rate annually with the ultimate goal of 90% for all students by May 2020, as measured by ZOOMWV.
2.2. Improve the percentage of college and career ready students by 2% annually, as measured by Compass Benchmarks, ACT, and SAT.
2.3. Provide higher expectations for all students by enhancing CTE programs and increasing the percentage of students enrolled in enhanced CTE programs by 2% annually; increasing the percentage of students enrolled in Advanced Placement classes by 1% annually, and increasing the percentage of students earning college credit through AP by 2% annually, as measured through ZOOMWV Course Schedules, College Board Data for AP Exams, and Identified CTE program completers earning industry recognized credentials.
2.4. Continue emphasis on early childhood education through access to Pre K for all four-year-olds and through a comprehensive Literacy Program for all students in grades K-3, with 90% proficiency for all third grade students by 2020, as measured by the SMARTER BALANCE and comparison to the fourth grade NAEP exam.
Goal 3. The Kanawha County School District will increase effective communication with all stakeholders by March 2016, as measured by results of the Hanover Survey, and implemented as follows:
3.1 Kanawha County Schools will provide messages and announcements about all important activities, initiatives, programs, closings, calendar changes, other changes, academic achievement, positive news, etc. to 100% of stakeholders who are willing to receive the messages through the KCS APP, KCS Web Page, Parent Link Calls, ENGRADE (Parents and Students), monthly newsletter, and Press Releases (to be measured by the number of communications shared and then reviewed at the 2016 Management Retreat.
3.2 Kanawha County Schools will provide positive community service messages via various media sources to all stakeholders and the general public each school year.
Goal 4. The Kanawha County School District will attract and retain teachers who are:
1. highly effective in the delivery of instruction and
2. highly qualified, with the goal of 100% of Kanawha County Schools students being taught 100% of the time by teachers who are both effective and highly qualified, for 180 days per year, as measured by the percentage of HQT and outcome of the educator evaluation by July 1, 2018.