An Analysis of Student Attendance and Academic Performance at Pocahontas County High School: Trends, Connections, and Contextual Factors (2020-2024)
1. Executive Summary
This report provides a comprehensive analysis of student attendance and academic performance in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science at Pocahontas County High School (PCHS) over the four academic years from 2020-21 to 2023-24. The analysis seeks to understand trends in these areas and explore the relationship between student attendance and state assessment scores. A critical component of this report is the examination of contextual factors, particularly the findings of a West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) Special Circumstance Review conducted in October 2024, which led to the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) declaring a State of Emergency for Pocahontas County Schools in February 2025 due to significant issues identified at PCHS.1
Key findings indicate that while precise longitudinal PCHS-specific data for all metrics across all four years is not fully available in the public domain, existing district-level data and state benchmarks suggest significant academic challenges. The Education Recovery Scorecard for Pocahontas County Schools (grades 3-8) reveals performance below national averages in both reading and mathematics. These district-level trends, coupled with the severe systemic deficiencies identified at PCHS—including lack of Personal Education Plans (PEPs), unprepared student schedules, leadership challenges related to data systems and support, inadequate school safety, and non-compliant special education procedures 1—create a deeply concerning picture.
The report posits that these fundamental operational and leadership failures at PCHS are likely substantial contributors to both chronic absenteeism and depressed academic outcomes. The connection between regular school attendance and student achievement is well-established, and the disruptive environment described at PCHS would foreseeably undermine both. Recommendations focus on addressing these foundational systemic issues as a prerequisite for sustainable academic improvement. This includes strengthening leadership and governance, rebuilding student support systems, ensuring operational stability, implementing robust data management practices, and fostering a safe and conducive learning environment. The State of Emergency, while indicative of severe challenges, also presents a critical opportunity for targeted intervention and comprehensive reform to improve outcomes for students at Pocahontas County High School.
2. Introduction
Purpose and Scope
This report aims to deliver a detailed analysis of student attendance patterns and academic performance on state-mandated assessments in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science at Pocahontas County High School (PCHS) over the last four academic years (2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24). A central objective is to investigate the potential interconnections between student attendance rates and their corresponding test scores, providing insights into factors influencing educational outcomes at the school.
The Critical Context of Pocahontas County High School
The analysis of PCHS cannot be divorced from its recent and highly significant contextual challenges. In February 2025, the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) declared a State of Emergency for Pocahontas County Schools.1 This declaration was a direct consequence of a Special Circumstance Review of Pocahontas County High School conducted by the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) Office of PK-12 Academic Support in October 2024, a review initiated at the request of the County Superintendent.1
The key findings from this review highlighted profound operational and systemic deficiencies at PCHS, including 1:
An absence of any process to develop student Personal Education Plans (PEPs).
Failure to prepare student schedules in advance of the 2024-25 school year.
A lack of expertise among school leaders and insufficient access to the West Virginia Education Information System (WVEIS) for essential tasks such as transcribing grades.
Inadequate county-level mentorship and support for the new high school principal.
Insufficient security measures leading to inadequate safety supports within the school.
Special education processes and procedures that did not meet state or federal standards. These findings paint a picture of a school environment facing substantial difficulties, which inevitably impacts all facets of student life, including attendance and academic achievement. The assessment system in West Virginia is designed to measure student performance and drive improvement; however, when juxtaposed with such severe operational deficiencies as those found at PCHS, it becomes apparent that assessment outcomes may reflect systemic failures as much as, or even more than, student learning within a functional educational setting. Addressing the school's academic standing will necessitate confronting these foundational problems.
West Virginia's High School Assessment and Accountability Framework
West Virginia employs a comprehensive assessment program to measure student learning and school effectiveness. For high school students, particularly those in Grade 11, the primary assessments include:
SAT School Day: This serves as the general summative assessment for 11th-grade students in ELA (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing - ERW) and Mathematics. In Spring 2024, West Virginia transitioned from a paper-pencil SAT to a new staged-adaptive digital SAT School Day, which also shortened testing time.
West Virginia Alternate Summative Assessment (WVASA): This assessment is designed for students in grades 3-8 and 11 with significant cognitive disabilities who receive instruction via the West Virginia Alternate Academic Achievement Standards. It covers ELA, Mathematics, and Science.
Science Assessment: For the general population of 11th-grade students, science understanding is partly gauged through an "Analysis in Science" score, which is reported as part of the SAT School Day results. A dedicated science assessment, the WVASA Science, is administered to Grade 11 students with significant cognitive disabilities. Statewide science proficiency, often reported based on WVGSA results for grades 5 and 8, was 29% in 2024.
Student attendance is also a key component of the West Virginia Accountability System, with schools monitored for the "Percent of students absent for more than 10% of instructional days" (chronic absenteeism). National research underscores the detrimental impact of chronic absenteeism on academic achievement, and the WVDE has emphasized the importance of in-person instruction and efforts to decrease chronic absenteeism statewide. The issues identified at PCHS, such as inadequate safety and chaotic scheduling 1, could reasonably be expected to contribute to poor attendance, creating a significant hurdle to academic success.
Data Sources and Methodological Note
This report draws upon publicly available data from various sources, including WVDE publications and reports, College Board SAT Suite reports, Pocahontas County Schools communications and website information, and other educational data platforms.
It is important to acknowledge potential limitations in data availability. Access to specific, disaggregated PCHS-level historical data for all requested metrics over the four-year period proved challenging, partly due to some state data portals being inaccessible during the research period 2 or data not being consistently published at the individual school level for all years. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the 2020-2021 academic year, with the WVDE noting missing academic achievement data for that school year in its accountability calculations. This report will utilize the most recent and relevant data available, clearly indicating when PCHS-specific figures are not available and relying on district-level (Pocahontas County Schools) or state-level data for context and comparison. "2024" data cited in sources typically refers to the 2023-24 academic year.
3. Pocahontas County High School: Performance and Attendance Analysis (Last Four Academic Years: 2020-21 to 2023-24)
This section examines trends in academic performance and student attendance at Pocahontas County High School (PCHS) across English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science for the academic years 2020-21 through 2023-24. As noted, 2020-21 academic achievement data may be incomplete due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Attendance Data for PCHS:
Consistent, PCHS-specific aggregated attendance rates (such as average daily attendance or chronic absenteeism percentages) for each of the past four years are not readily available in the provided documentation. The WVEIS Parent Portal for Pocahontas County Schools does allow parents to view individual student daily and period attendance, which confirms that such data is collected at a granular level. However, for this report, specific historical aggregated PCHS data was not accessible.
Statewide, chronic absenteeism has seen a decrease, from 29% in 2022 to 24% in 2024. Without PCHS-specific data, it is difficult to ascertain if the school mirrors this trend. Given the significant operational issues identified at PCHS 1, it is plausible that chronic absenteeism could be a substantial challenge. Attendance Works provides a useful framework for monitoring attendance, categorizing students based on missed school days: satisfactory (less than 5%), at-risk (5-9%), moderate chronic absence (10-19%), and severe chronic absence (20% or more). Such metrics are vital for targeted interventions.
3.1. English Language Arts (ELA) Performance and Attendance
PCHS ELA Score Trends (SAT School Day - Evidence-Based Reading and Writing - ERW):
Specific SAT ERW mean scores or the percentage of PCHS students meeting the College and Career Readiness Benchmark (a score of 480 on the ERW section of the SAT) for each of the last four years are not detailed in the provided materials.
For context, statewide in 2024 (representing the 2023-24 school year), 45% of Grade 11 students met proficiency standards in ELA on the SAT School Day, an increase from 44% the previous year.
The Education Recovery Scorecard for Pocahontas County Schools, focusing on grades 3-8, indicated that reading performance was below the 2019 national average. Specifically, the average performance was -1.23 grade equivalents relative to the 2019 national average in 2022, and this declined further to -1.27 grade equivalents in 2024. While this data pertains to younger students, persistent literacy challenges in the earlier grades often carry forward into high school. Niche.com reports that 38% of students in Pocahontas County Schools are at least proficient in reading, though the specific year and grade levels for this figure are not provided, making it a general indicator.
If PCHS ELA scores mirror the district's elementary and middle school reading recovery trends and fall significantly below the state average of 45% proficiency, it would point to substantial, systemic issues in literacy instruction and support. Such challenges likely begin before students reach high school and are then compounded by the specific operational deficiencies at PCHS. The lack of Personal Education Plans (PEPs) at PCHS 1 is particularly detrimental, as these plans are essential for identifying students struggling with ELA and providing tailored support. Without PEPs, it is difficult to systematically address individual learning needs and ensure students are on a path to literacy proficiency.
PCHS Attendance Trends (as related to ELA):
As PCHS-specific attendance data is unavailable, a direct year-by-year correlation with ELA scores cannot be precisely drawn.
Analysis: Connection between ELA scores and attendance at PCHS:
Generally, skills assessed in ELA, such as reading comprehension, critical analysis, and writing, are developed through consistent engagement with texts, instruction, and practice. Absenteeism directly reduces this engagement, making it difficult for students to keep pace with curriculum, participate in discussions, and receive timely feedback. Learning loss due to absenteeism can be particularly acute in ELA.
Table 1: PCHS ELA (SAT ERW) Performance and Attendance Trends (2020-21 to 2023-24) - Illustrative Template
Note: The following table structure is provided as a template for how PCHS should track and analyze this data. Specific PCHS data for all cells across all years is not available in the provided research.
This table, once populated with actual PCHS data, would be invaluable for identifying trends in ELA performance and its potential correlation with attendance, contextualized by statewide benchmarks.
3.2. Mathematics Performance and Attendance
PCHS Mathematics Score Trends (SAT School Day - Math):
Similar to ELA, specific PCHS SAT Math mean scores or the percentage of students meeting the College and Career Readiness Benchmark (a score of 530 on the Math section of the SAT) for each of the last four years are not available in the provided materials.
Statewide in 2024, 36% of Grade 11 students met proficiency standards in Mathematics on the SAT School Day, up from 35% the previous year.
The Education Recovery Scorecard for Pocahontas County Schools (grades 3-8) showed math performance to be significantly below the 2019 national average. In 2019, the average was -0.81 grade equivalents; this dipped to -1.41 in 2022 but showed some recovery to -1.05 grade equivalents by 2024. Despite this partial recovery, performance remains well below the national pre-pandemic average, indicating persistent challenges. Niche.com reports that 36% of Pocahontas County Schools students are proficient in math, again, a general district indicator without specific year or grade level detail.
A notable point of examination arises from a statement by Pocahontas County Schools claiming it "is home to a highly successful mathematics program, with students achieving some of the highest math scores in the state". This assertion appears to conflict with the district's own Education Recovery Scorecard data for grades 3-8, which shows math performance considerably below national benchmarks, and the relatively low statewide high school math proficiency rate. If PCHS SAT Math scores are also found to be low, this discrepancy would need careful investigation. It could suggest a disconnect between perceived successes at earlier grade levels and actual college readiness outcomes at the high school, or the claim might be based on outdated information or different metrics not aligned with state or national standards. Such a narrative, if inaccurate, could impede efforts to identify and address genuine weaknesses in the mathematics program, which would likely be exacerbated by PCHS's documented systemic problems like chaotic scheduling and lack of individualized student support through PEPs.1
The WVDE's launch of a "Unite with Numeracy" initiative to improve math proficiency underscores statewide concerns in this area. However, PCHS's ability to effectively implement or benefit from such an initiative could be severely compromised by its existing operational and leadership challenges.1 Effective implementation of new educational programs requires a stable and organized environment, which appears to be lacking at PCHS.
PCHS Attendance Trends (as related to Math):
As with ELA, PCHS-specific attendance data is unavailable for a direct year-by-year correlation with Math scores.
Analysis: Connection between Mathematics scores and attendance at PCHS:
Mathematics is a highly cumulative subject. Concepts build upon one another, and missed instruction due to absenteeism can quickly lead to significant learning gaps that are difficult to close. Regular attendance is crucial for understanding sequential mathematical concepts, participating in problem-solving activities, and receiving necessary support.
Table 2: PCHS Mathematics (SAT Math) Performance and Attendance Trends (2020-21 to 2023-24) - Illustrative Template
Note: The following table structure is provided as a template for how PCHS should track and analyze this data. Specific PCHS data for all cells across all years is not available in the provided research.
Populating this table with PCHS-specific data would allow for an analysis of math performance trends in relation to attendance, and critically, would help to objectively assess the district's claims about its math program success against standardized state benchmarks.
3.3. Science Performance and Attendance
PCHS Science Score Trends (SAT School Day "Analysis in Science" or WVASA Science):
For most 11th-grade students in West Virginia, there isn't a standalone statewide science accountability test equivalent to the SAT sections for ELA and Math. Instead, the SAT School Day reports an "Analysis in Science" score, which is derived from questions across the Reading, Writing and Language, and Math Test sections that have a science context. The West Virginia Alternate Summative Assessment (WVASA) in Science is administered to students with significant cognitive disabilities in grades 5, 8, and 11. Specific PCHS performance data on the SAT "Analysis in Science" or WVASA Science for the past four years is not available in the provided materials.
Statewide, overall science proficiency (likely reflecting WVGSA scores for grades 5 and 8, as these are the grades with direct summative science assessments for the general student population) was reported as remaining flat at 29% in 2024. This figure provides a general benchmark of science performance in the state but is not directly comparable to a Grade 11 PCHS metric without specific PCHS Grade 11 science assessment data.
The nature of science assessment at the high school level for accountability purposes (primarily an indirect measure via the SAT for most students) may mean that science performance receives less targeted attention or intervention compared to ELA and Math. An "Analysis in Science" score, being cross-sectional, might not effectively pinpoint specific gaps in science content knowledge or skills in the same way a dedicated subject-matter test could. If PCHS science performance is weak, addressing it would require a careful examination of the curriculum, instructional practices, and whether the current primary assessment method provides sufficiently actionable data, especially within the context of the school's broader systemic issues.1
PCHS Attendance Trends (as related to Science):
PCHS-specific attendance data is unavailable for a direct year-by-year correlation with Science scores.
Analysis: Connection between Science scores and attendance at PCHS:
Science education often involves laboratory work, inquiry-based learning, and the development of complex conceptual understanding. Absenteeism can cause students to miss critical hands-on experiences, sequential explanations of scientific principles, and collaborative learning opportunities, all of which are vital for mastering science content and skills.
Table 3: PCHS Science (e.g., SAT Analysis in Science/WVASA) Performance and Attendance Trends (2020-21 to 2023-24) - Illustrative Template
Note: The following table structure is provided as a template for how PCHS should track and analyze this data. Specific PCHS data for all cells across all years is not available in the provided research. The "Statewide Science Proficiency" benchmark would need to be carefully selected for relevance (e.g., Grade 8 WVGSA for general context, or if a specific Grade 11 state indicator for science exists).
The successful population and analysis of this table would depend on the consistent availability of a relevant Grade 11 science performance metric for PCHS. Its current difficulty to populate may itself reflect how science achievement is tracked for accountability at the high school level in West Virginia for the general student population.
4. Contextual Factors Impacting PCHS Performance: The Special Circumstance Review and Its Implications
The academic performance and attendance patterns at Pocahontas County High School cannot be understood in isolation. They are deeply embedded within a context of significant, officially recognized systemic challenges. The WVDE Special Circumstance Review of PCHS in October 2024, and the subsequent declaration of a State of Emergency in February 2025, revealed critical failures in fundamental school operations and leadership.1 These findings are not merely incidental; they represent core deficiencies that directly and profoundly impact the learning environment, student support, and consequently, student outcomes.
Deep Dive into the WVDE Special Circumstance Review Findings (October 2024):
The review identified several key areas of concern at PCHS.1 The following table details these findings and their potential repercussions:
Table 4: Key Findings and Implications from the PCHS Special Circumstance Review (October 2024)
These findings, taken together, depict a school environment struggling with fundamental aspects of educational delivery and administration. They are not isolated incidents but rather interconnected symptoms of a systemic breakdown. Such a dysfunctional environment inherently undermines any efforts towards academic improvement or consistent student attendance. The declaration of a "State of Emergency" is a formal acknowledgment of this severe systemic failure.
Broader District and State Context:
The challenges at PCHS also exist within a wider context:
Pocahontas County Schools Chronic Absenteeism: While statewide chronic absenteeism rates have shown improvement (decreasing from 29% in 2022 to 24% in 2024), the specific chronic absenteeism rate for PCHS or Pocahontas County Schools as a whole is not detailed in the provided information. However, the systemic issues identified at PCHS (e.g., safety concerns, scheduling chaos) are strong potential drivers for high rates of chronic absenteeism at the school level.
Academic Recovery: West Virginia has been recognized for notable academic recovery efforts post-pandemic, with a Harvard University study citing the state as 6th in math growth and 11th in reading growth nationally between 2022 and 2024. However, the Education Recovery Scorecard for Pocahontas County Schools (grades 3-8) presents a more sobering picture for the district. Math performance, while showing some rebound from a 2022 low, remained at -1.05 grade equivalents relative to the 2019 national average in 2024. More concerningly, reading performance declined further, from -1.23 grade equivalents in 2022 to -1.27 grade equivalents in 2024 relative to the 2019 national average. This suggests that Pocahontas County, and by extension PCHS, may not be participating in the broader statewide recovery trend, particularly in reading. Local factors, including the systemic issues at PCHS, appear to be significant enough to counteract or suppress positive state trends.
Enrollment Trends: Pocahontas County Schools has experienced a consistent decline in student enrollment over several years. District enrollment dropped from 982 students in the 2019-2020 school year to 893 in the 2022-2023 school year. While this is a district-wide trend, declining enrollment can have implications for resource allocation and program offerings at PCHS.
The failure of the county to provide adequate support and mentorship for the new PCHS principal 1 stands out as a critical lapse in district-level responsibility. Effective school leadership is pivotal for navigating challenges and driving improvement. Without proper support, a new principal, especially in a school with pre-existing difficulties, would face immense obstacles in managing complex systems like WVEIS, ensuring orderly scheduling, implementing PEP processes, maintaining safety, and overseeing special education compliance. This lack of county support likely contributed directly to the leadership's inability to perform effectively, allowing problems to fester or worsen. Any recovery plan must therefore address not only school-level leadership capacity but also the county's system for supporting its school leaders.
5. Discussion: Synthesizing Findings and Multi-Layered Insights
The available data and contextual information paint a challenging picture for Pocahontas County High School. While precise, year-over-year PCHS-specific performance and attendance data is limited in the public sphere, the combination of district-level trends for younger grades, statewide benchmarks, and, most critically, the severe findings of the WVDE Special Circumstance Review 1, allows for a robust discussion of the likely interplay between attendance, academic outcomes, and the school's operational environment.
Overall Trends and Interplay:
The expectation is that PCHS academic performance in ELA, Math, and Science would show a strong correlation with student attendance. Nationally, chronic absenteeism (missing 10% or more of school days) is a well-documented predictor of lower academic achievement and higher dropout rates. At PCHS, the systemic issues identified—such as chaotic scheduling, lack of individualized student support through PEPs, and safety concerns 1—are not only likely to depress academic performance directly by disrupting learning but are also highly probable drivers of poor attendance. Students are less likely to attend, and less able to learn effectively, in an environment that feels disorganized, unsupportive, or unsafe. This creates a detrimental cycle: systemic failures contribute to absenteeism, and absenteeism further exacerbates academic deficits. It is plausible that this negative feedback loop is firmly in place at PCHS, where operational deficiencies lead to poor student experiences, which in turn drive down attendance and academic performance, potentially further demoralizing staff and students and reinforcing the cycle. Breaking this cycle requires decisive, comprehensive intervention, as initiated by the "State of Emergency."
PCHS Performance in a Broader Context:
Pocahontas County Schools' performance on the Education Recovery Scorecard for grades 3-8, showing math results below the national average and reading results that are both below the national average and declining, suggests that students may be entering PCHS with significant academic disadvantages. These pre-existing challenges are then likely compounded by the high school's own dysfunctional environment. The district's assertion of a "highly successful mathematics program" warrants careful scrutiny when contrasted with these objective data points and the low statewide proficiency in high school math. If PCHS SAT math scores reflect similar underperformance, it would indicate a serious disconnect between perception and reality, potentially hindering necessary reforms.
The "Why" Behind the Numbers:
The findings of the Special Circumstance Review 1 provide compelling explanations for why academic performance and attendance might be suffering at PCHS.
Low ELA scores are likely not solely due to instructional quality but are compounded by the absence of PEPs to identify and support struggling readers, coupled with high absenteeism reducing exposure to any ELA instruction.
Difficulties in mathematics, a sequential subject, would be exacerbated by scheduling disruptions that interrupt the logical flow of learning, a lack of WVEIS expertise by leadership that hinders progress monitoring, and student absences that create cumulative knowledge gaps.
Science learning, often reliant on hands-on activities and consistent conceptual building, would also suffer significantly from absenteeism and a generally disorganized school environment.
The challenges in obtaining specific, longitudinal PCHS data may itself be indicative of the school's (and possibly the district's) capacity for data management and utilization. The review's finding that PCHS leadership lacked WVEIS expertise for fundamental tasks like grade transcription 1 strongly suggests that robust systems for collecting, analyzing, and using data for continuous improvement related to attendance or academic performance are likely absent. If basic data tasks are a struggle, it is improbable that the school effectively uses data to inform instruction, target interventions, or monitor progress. This weakness in data literacy and management is a significant barrier to improvement, as it becomes difficult to accurately diagnose problems, implement targeted solutions, or measure the impact of interventions.
Furthermore, while chronic absenteeism is a national concern and a focus for WVDE, the problem at PCHS is likely amplified by school-specific negative factors. Generic attendance interventions will probably prove insufficient if the underlying PCHS-specific root causes—such as safety issues, scheduling disarray, and a lack of student support systems—are not concurrently and effectively addressed. Students may be absent not primarily due to individual choice or external circumstances alone, but because the school environment itself presents significant barriers to their regular attendance and engagement.
6. Detailed Recommendations
The findings of this report, particularly the severe deficiencies identified in the WVDE Special Circumstance Review 1, necessitate urgent, comprehensive, and sustained action. The following recommendations are offered for Pocahontas County High School, Pocahontas County Schools leadership, and the West Virginia Department of Education to consider as part of the "State of Emergency" intervention and long-term improvement strategy. These recommendations prioritize establishing foundational stability before more complex instructional reforms can be effectively implemented.
I. Leadership, Governance, and Operational Stability:
Strengthen PCHS Leadership and Administrative Capacity:
Provide intensive, targeted training and ongoing coaching for PCHS administrative staff on core functions, including proficient use of the West Virginia Education Information System (WVEIS) for scheduling, grade management, data retrieval, and reporting.1
The county office must establish and implement a robust, structured mentorship and support program for the PCHS principal and administrative team, with clear performance expectations, regular check-ins, and access to experienced administrative mentors.1
WVDE should consider assigning an experienced school improvement specialist or temporary administrator with a proven track record to PCHS to provide direct, on-site support and guidance during the initial recovery phase.
Ensure Timely and Accurate School Operations:
Immediately overhaul PCHS student scheduling processes to ensure that complete, accurate, and appropriate student schedules are developed and distributed well in advance of the start of each academic year and semester.1 This process must be transparent and involve relevant counseling staff.
Enhance School Safety and Climate:
Conduct a comprehensive, collaborative review of all safety and security measures at PCHS, involving students, parents, staff, and local law enforcement. Develop and implement an updated school safety plan that addresses identified deficiencies.1
Strategically utilize the recently awarded COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program grant ($408,631) to implement tangible safety enhancements and training.
II. Student Support Systems and Academic Environment:
4. Implement Personal Education Plans (PEPs):
* Urgently develop and implement a standardized, school-wide process for creating, monitoring, and regularly reviewing Personal Education Plans (PEPs) for all students at PCHS. PEPs should guide course selection, academic goal setting, career exploration, and intervention needs.1
5. Rectify Special Education Deficiencies:
* Conduct an immediate and thorough audit of all special education processes, procedures, and student IEPs at PCHS to ensure full compliance with state and federal standards.1
* Provide necessary training and resources to all relevant staff to ensure proper implementation of IEPs and provision of services.
6. Improve Attendance:
* Develop and implement a multi-tiered attendance improvement strategy that explicitly addresses the PCHS-specific root causes of absenteeism (e.g., safety, scheduling, lack of support) alongside universal strategies for promoting student engagement, early identification of at-risk students (using frameworks like Attendance Works), and family outreach.
7. Strengthen Academic Programs and Instruction:
* Conduct thorough curriculum audits for ELA, Mathematics, and Science at PCHS to ensure alignment with West Virginia College- and Career-Readiness Standards and to identify and address any curricular gaps.
* Provide targeted, ongoing professional development for PCHS teachers in evidence-based instructional strategies, differentiation to meet diverse learner needs (particularly crucial given previous lack of PEPs and special education issues), and effective classroom management.
* Critically evaluate the district's claim of a "highly successful mathematics program" against objective PCHS SAT Math scores and other relevant data (e.g., Education Recovery Scorecard). Develop a realistic action plan for math improvement if data indicates underperformance.
III. Data Management and Continuous Improvement:
8. Build Data Literacy and Utilization Capacity:
* Implement comprehensive training for PCHS leadership and instructional staff on data analysis, interpretation, and the use of data (from WVEIS, assessments, attendance records, etc.) to inform instructional decisions, target interventions, and monitor student progress.
* Establish clear, routine processes and dedicated time for data review and collaborative problem-solving among staff.
9. Establish External Oversight and Support:
* Given the severity of the issues and the "State of Emergency" status, WVDE and the Pocahontas County Schools central office must establish a clear, long-term framework for ongoing oversight, support, and accountability for PCHS. This should include regular progress monitoring against a detailed, time-bound action plan with measurable objectives. This external support is crucial to ensure that improvements are sustained and the school does not regress after initial interventions.
These recommendations require a phased approach, prioritizing the stabilization of the school environment and core operational functions. Without this foundation, efforts to implement more complex instructional reforms are unlikely to succeed.
7. Conclusion
The analysis of Pocahontas County High School (PCHS) reveals a complex situation where student attendance and academic performance in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are profoundly influenced by severe, systemic operational and leadership deficiencies. While precise longitudinal school-specific data for PCHS across all metrics for the past four years is not comprehensively available in public records, the confluence of district-level academic indicators, statewide benchmarks, and the critical findings of the WVDE Special Circumstance Review 1 points to significant challenges.
The issues identified at PCHS—ranging from the absence of Personal Education Plans and chaotic scheduling to inadequate leadership support, safety concerns, and non-compliant special education procedures—are not minor. They represent fundamental breakdowns in the systems necessary to provide a stable, supportive, and effective learning environment. It is within this deeply troubled context that any discussion of student attendance and test scores must occur. Poor attendance and lagging academic achievement are not standalone problems but are very likely symptoms of these deeper, systemic failures.
The declaration of a "State of Emergency" for Pocahontas County Schools, prompted by the conditions at PCHS 1, signifies the gravity of the situation. However, it also provides a critical juncture—an opportunity for comprehensive reset and systemic reform. Addressing the identified deficiencies will require a concerted, collaborative, and sustained effort from PCHS staff and leadership, Pocahontas County Schools district administration, the West Virginia Department of Education, and the wider community.
Meaningful and lasting improvement in student attendance and academic outcomes at Pocahontas County High School is contingent upon rebuilding the foundational elements of a functional school. The focus must be on rectifying the systemic issues, fostering strong and supported leadership, ensuring operational stability, and creating a safe, orderly, and nurturing environment where all students have the opportunity to learn and succeed. With decisive action and unwavering commitment, PCHS can move towards a future where its students are better served and empowered to reach their full potential.
Works cited
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