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Charleston, West Virginia - 64 schools
An equity score of 17/100 ranks Kanawha County Schools #53 of 56 districts in West Virginia (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $13,227 per pupil, Kanawha County Schools ranks #40 of 56 West Virginia districts by per-pupil spending (West Virginia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
23,864
Total Enrollment
64
Schools
$13,227
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Kanawha County Schools operates 64 public schools serving 23,864 students, placing it among the larger districts in West Virginia. The school portfolio breaks down into 41 combined, 11 middle, 8 high, 4 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage across a sizeable portfolio before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Kanawha County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,227 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 56 West Virginia districts by per-pupil spending. See how West Virginia compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 33.8% local, 40.8% state, and 25.4% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 17/100, ranked #53 of 56 in West Virginia against a state average of 38, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 7 of 64 schools offering Advanced Placement (55 AP courses district-wide), a 279.7:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 31.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 80.0% White, 9.6% African American, 1.2% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is West Side Middle School, with a diversity index of 63.2/100.
Its largest campus is George Washington High School, enrolling 1,145 students (5% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is William J Raglin Center, at 35 students, a 33x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Kanawha County Schools school enrollment varies 33× across entities
Kanawha County Schools school enrollment ranges from 35 students (lowest) to 1,145 students (highest), a spread of 1,110 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity, the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Kanawha County Schools student-counselor ratio is 280:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Kanawha County Schools is typically wider than the Kanawha County Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Kanawha County Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 31.6% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Kanawha County Schools has 64 schools, including 8 high, 11 middle, 4 elementary, 41 combined. Total enrollment is 23,864 students.
How much does Kanawha County Schools spend per student?
Kanawha County Schools spends $13,227 per student. The district has an equity score of 17/100, ranking #53 in West Virginia.
What is the demographic composition of Kanawha County Schools?
Kanawha County Schools students are 80.0% White, 9.6% African American, 1.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Asian, averaged across 64 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Kanawha County Schools?
Kanawha County Schools has an equity score of 17/100, ranking #53 out of 56 districts in West Virginia.