Kanawha County Schools, West Virginia, elections
| Kanawha County Schools |
|---|
 |
| District details |
| School board members: 5 |
| Students: 23,433 (2023-2024) |
| Schools: 66 (2023-2024) |
| Website: Link |
Kanawha County Schools is a school district in West Virginia (Kanawha County). During the 2024 school year, 23,433 students attended one of the district's 66 schools.
This page provides information regarding school board members, election rules, finances, academics, policies, and more details about the district.
Elections
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Kanawha County Schools, At-large
General election
General election for Kanawha County Schools, At-large
Incumbent Ric Cavender and incumbent Jim Crawford Sr. won election in the general election for Kanawha County Schools, At-large on May 10, 2016.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Ric Cavender (Nonpartisan) |
| ✔ |  | Jim Crawford Sr. (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Kanawha County Schools, At-large
General election
General election for Kanawha County Schools, At-large
Incumbent Becky Jordan, incumbent Pete Thaw, and incumbent Ryan White won election in the general election for Kanawha County Schools, At-large on May 13, 2014.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Becky Jordan (Nonpartisan) |
| ✔ |  | Pete Thaw (Nonpartisan) |
| ✔ |  | Ryan White (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Election rules
Election dates and frequency
School board general elections in West Virginia are held on the date of the statewide primary election on the second Tuesday in May every two years in even-numbered years.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6, Section 3-5-1, and Section 18-5-1b
Below are the recent/upcoming dates for all public school districts in the state. There may be exceptions to these dates for specific districts because of local charters and district-specific exceptions and carve-outs.
- Filing deadline date: January 31, 2026
- General election date: May 12, 2026
Election system
School board members in West Virginia are elected through nonpartisan general elections without primaries.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6 and Section 3-5-1
Party labels on the ballot
School board elections in West Virginia are nonpartisan, which means party labels do not appear on the ballot for school board candidates. West Virginia Code says that school board members must be "nominated and elected by the voters of the respective county without reference to political party affiliation."
See law: West Virginia Code Section 18-5-1
Winning an election
In West Virginia, the school board candidate that receives the most votes is elected to office provided the requirement that "no more than two school board members can be elected from the same county magisterial district" is met.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6, Section 3-5-1, and Section 18-5-1b
Term length and staggering
School board members in West Virginia have four-year regular terms.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6
West Virginia Code does not require specific election staggering for school board members. In most districts, however, as close to half of board seats as possible are up for regular election every two years.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6, Section 3-5-1, and Section 18-5-1b
Representation: at large vs. by sub-district
West Virginia Code does not say whether school board members must be elected at-large or by sub-district. It does state that no more than two school board members can be elected from the same county magisterial district. Each county is divided into at least three and no more than 10 magisterial sub-districts. As of 2023, six school districts in West Virginia elected board members by sub-district and the other districts elected board members at large.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 18-5-1
Filing deadlines and swearing-in dates
The deadline in West Virginia for school board candidates to file certificates of announcement declaring candidacy is on the last Saturday in January in the same year as the election (even-numbered years). The filing must be received or postmarked before midnight on the day of the deadline. Certificates of announcement must be sword statements before public notaries and must contain the election date, the office sought, the legal name and ballot name of the candidate, the candidate's residential address, and a good faith statement.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-7
School board candidates in West Virginia can begin filing certificates of announcement when the filing window opens on the second Monday in January in the same years as the election (even-numbered years).
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-7
Newly elected school board members in West Virginia officially take office on July 1 following their election.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6 and Section 3-5-1
About the district
School board
Kanawha County Schools consists of five members serving four-year terms. To find information about school board meetings, click here.
| Name | Year assumed office | Year term ends |
|---|---|---|
| Kate White | 2028 | |
| Ric Cavender | 2016 | 2028 |
| Jim Crawford Sr. | 2000 | 2028 |
| Tracy White | 2018 | 2026 |
| Becky Jordan | 2002 | 2026 |
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District map
Overlapping state house districts
The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[1]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $109,522,000 | $4,490 | 25% |
| Local: | $145,623,000 | $5,970 | 34% |
| State: | $176,062,000 | $7,218 | 41% |
| Total: | $431,207,000 | $17,678 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $416,491,000 | $17,074 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $322,623,000 | $13,226 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $194,679,000 | $7,981 | 47% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $26,771,000 | $1,097 | 6% |
| Administration: | $27,514,000 | $1,127 | 7% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $73,659,000 | $3,019 | 18% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $82,868,000 | $3,397 | |
| Construction: | $7,226,000 | $296 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $10,211,000 | $418 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $0 | $0 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements. To protect student privacy, percentages are reported as ranges for groups of 300 students or fewer. If five or fewer students were included in a data set, the data will display as "PS."[2]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 29 | 70-74 | 14 | 25-29 | <50 | 20 | 31 |
| 2018-2019 | 42 | 75-79 | 23 | 35-39 | PS | 37 | 44 |
| 2017-2018 | 41 | 75-79 | 23 | 40-44 | <50 | 39 | 43 |
| 2016-2017 | 37 | 25 | 35-39 | >=50 | 34 | 39 | |
| 2015-2016 | 34 | 65-69 | 19 | 30-34 | >=50 | 30 | 36 |
| 2014-2015 | 32 | 70-74 | 18 | 30-34 | >=50 | 29 | 33 |
| 2013-2014 | 47 | 80-84 | 32 | 45-49 | >=50 | 40-44 | 48 |
| 2012-2013 | 50 | 85-89 | 32 | 50-54 | >=50 | 40-44 | 53 |
| 2011-2012 | 51 | 80-84 | 37 | 45-49 | <50 | 60-69 | 53 |
| 2010-2011 | 47 | 75-79 | 32 | 50-54 | <50 | 70-79 | 49 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 40 | 70-74 | 21 | 30-34 | <50 | 28 | 42 |
| 2018-2019 | 47 | 70-74 | 27 | 45-49 | PS | 38 | 50 |
| 2017-2018 | 46 | 75-79 | 27 | 45-49 | >=50 | 40 | 48 |
| 2016-2017 | 47 | 35 | 45-49 | >=50 | 41 | 49 | |
| 2015-2016 | 47 | 75-79 | 31 | 40-44 | >=50 | 40 | 50 |
| 2014-2015 | 46 | 75-79 | 32 | 45-49 | >=50 | 40 | 48 |
| 2013-2014 | 50 | 70-74 | 36 | 50-54 | >=50 | 35-39 | 52 |
| 2012-2013 | 52 | 80-84 | 37 | 50-54 | >=50 | 45-49 | 54 |
| 2011-2012 | 52 | 80-84 | 38 | 50-54 | <50 | 60-69 | 54 |
| 2010-2011 | 53 | 75-79 | 39 | 50-54 | >=50 | 60-69 | 54 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 88 | >=90 | 80-84 | 60-79 | PS | 80-89 | 88 |
| 2018-2019 | 86 | >=90 | 80-84 | >=80 | PS | >=80 | 86 |
| 2017-2018 | 83 | >=90 | 75-79 | >=80 | PS | >=50 | 84 |
| 2016-2017 | 83 | >=90 | 80-84 | >=80 | PS | >=50 | 83 |
| 2015-2016 | 86 | >=90 | 85-89 | >=50 | PS | >=50 | 86 |
| 2014-2015 | 80 | >=90 | 75-79 | 60-79 | PS | 81 | |
| 2013-2014 | 76 | >=80 | 70-74 | >=50 | PS | 76 | |
| 2012-2013 | 71 | >=80 | 60-64 | >=50 | PS | PS | 73 |
| 2011-2012 | 72 | >=90 | 65-69 | >=50 | PS | 73 | |
| 2010-2011 | 71 | >=80 | 60-64 | PS | PS | 72 |
Students
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[3]
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | 23,433 | -1.8 |
| 2022-2023 | 23,864 | -2.2 |
| 2021-2022 | 24,392 | -1.3 |
| 2020-2021 | 24,721 | -2.9 |
| 2019-2020 | 25,429 | -1.3 |
| 2018-2019 | 25,764 | -2.0 |
| 2017-2018 | 26,272 | -1.3 |
| 2016-2017 | 26,625 | -2.7 |
| 2015-2016 | 27,346 | -2.2 |
| 2014-2015 | 27,936 | -1.6 |
| 2013-2014 | 28,378 | -0.6 |
| 2012-2013 | 28,548 | 0.4 |
| 2011-2012 | 28,429 | -0.1 |
| 2010-2011 | 28,458 | -0.1 |
| 2009-2010 | 28,481 | 0.1 |
| 2008-2009 | 28,465 | 0.4 |
| 2007-2008 | 28,350 | 0.9 |
| 2006-2007 | 28,104 | 0.4 |
| 2005-2006 | 27,999 | 0.1 |
| 2004-2005 | 27,979 | -1.2 |
| 2003-2004 | 28,306 | -0.4 |
| 2002-2003 | 28,417 | -0.7 |
| 2001-2002 | 28,616 | -2.2 |
| 2000-2001 | 29,250 | -2.9 |
| 1999-2000 | 30,106 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Kanawha County Schools (%) | West Virginia K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.1 | 0.7 |
| Black | 10.0 | 4.2 |
| Hispanic | 1.1 | 2.4 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Two or More Races | 7.1 | 4.5 |
| White | 80.5 | 88.1 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[4]
As of the 2023-2024 school year, Kanawha County Schools had 1,796.27 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 13.05.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 9.00 |
| Kindergarten: | 89.00 |
| Elementary: | 832.27 |
| Secondary: | 860.00 |
| Total: | 1,796.27 |
Kanawha County Schools employed 81.00 district administrators and 114.00 school administrators as of the 2023-2024 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 81.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 82.00 |
| School Administrators: | 114.00 |
| School Administrative Support: | 46.00 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 414.00 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 26.33 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 94.50 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 44.00 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 50.50 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 10.50 |
| Library/Media Support: | 0.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 162.00 |
| Other Support Services: | 766.00 |
Schools
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[5]
About school boards
Education legislation in West Virginia
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| School Boards | Education Policy | Local Politics | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
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