Jefferson County Schools (JCS) reduced its chronic absenteeism rate by 3.9 percentage points (21%), from 18.75% in the 2024-25 school year to 14.85% in 2025-26. Rates improved at 14 of the district’s 16 schools, according to data from the West Virginia Balanced Scorecard.
A student is considered chronically absent when they miss 10% or more of the school year for any reason, including both excused and unexcused absences. In a 180-day school year, that is about 18 days, or roughly two days a month. According to the U.S. Department of Education, students who are chronically absent are significantly less likely to read at grade level and to graduate from high school.
“Our schools, district, families, and community have worked together to provide resources, check-ins, incentives, and more to help our students show up. Students cannot learn if they are not present. This achievement belongs to everyone. We know we will keep working to improve, but this is a big deal for all of us,” said Dr. Chuck Bishop, Superintendent of Jefferson County Schools.
The improvement came from a combination of school attendance teams, truancy diversion specialists, and consistent follow-up and outreach with parents. Schools also focused on creating incentives and an environment where students want to be.
DISTRICTWIDE PROGRESS
The districtwide rate fell 3.9 percentage points, a 21% drop. Chronic absenteeism declined at the high school, middle school, elementary, and primary levels. The largest drop came at the high school level, which fell from 25.79% to 19.50%. Middle schools improved from 17.90% to 15.94% and elementary schools from 12.67% to 10.01%. The district’s primary school, Page Jackson Elementary School, improved from 16.77% to 12.43%.
The number of JCS schools with chronic absenteeism below 10% doubled, from two schools to four.
HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS
Washington High School reduced chronic absenteeism from 25.09% to 17.46%, a 7.6 percentage point drop and the second-largest improvement of any school in the district. Jefferson High School improved from 26.49% to 21.51%, a decrease of nearly 5 percentage points.
MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS
Shepherdstown Middle School posted the largest improvement of any school in JCS. Its rate fell from 23.00% to 14.18%, an 8.8 percentage point drop, taking it from the highest chronic absenteeism rate among district middle schools to the lowest. Wildwood Middle School improved from 18.49% to 15.12%, and Harpers Ferry Middle School moved from 16.83% to 15.89%.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS
North Jefferson Elementary School saw the largest drop among elementary schools, falling 6.6 percentage points from 20.10% to 13.47%. Shepherdstown Elementary School cut its rate by 45%, from 11.63% to 6.43%, the largest percentage reduction in the district. C.W. Shipley Elementary School improved from 12.39% to 7.27%.
Driswood Elementary School now has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the district at 5.17%, down from 8.09%. South Jefferson Elementary School remained under 10% for the second year in a row at 8.67%.
T.A. Lowery Elementary School moved from 14.22% to 10.87%. Ranson Elementary School improved from 15.88% to 13.93%, and Blue Ridge Elementary School moved from 16.01% to 14.29%.
LOOKING AHEAD
The districtwide goal for the 2026-27 school year is a chronic absenteeism rate of 12%, with a target of 10% the following year. As the rate falls, the work does not get easier. The district must keep reducing it while holding on to every gain.
The district’s attendance slogan, Strive for Less Than 5 a Semester, gives families a simple target. Fewer than five absences a semester adds up to fewer than 10 days a year, well below the 18-day mark for chronic absenteeism. If every student met it, JCS would not only reach its goal but far exceed it.
In 2026-27, JCS families can report absences by text message using a dedicated number at each school. Families with questions or concerns about their student’s attendance are encouraged to contact their school directly. Staff are ready to help remove barriers that keep students from being in class.