Kanawha County Board of Education: An Overview
The Kanawha County Board of Education oversees the largest public school district in West Virginia, providing education from preschool through 12th grade. Dedicated to academic excellence, the district operates with a significant annual budget.
Governance and Leadership
The Kanawha County Board of Education is constituted by five members, each elected to a four-year term in a nonpartisan election. The board members are responsible for setting policies and overseeing the operation of the school district. The board appoints the superintendent.
Current Board Members
- Mr. Ric Cavender: Re-elected to his third term on the Kanawha County Board of Education in 2024, Mr. Cavender currently serves as president. He is the Executive Director of Charleston Urban Works (formerly known as Charleston Main Streets), a non-profit organization focused on urban economic development, community development, business district marketing, and public space improvements. Since the programs’ inceptions, the districts have experienced public and private investments totaling over $420 million. He has a combined 23 years of nonprofit and business development experience in Kanawha County. A 2000 graduate of Sissonville High School and 2005 graduate of West Virginia State University (Business Administration - Management & Marketing), Ric currently serves as Past-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Kanawha Valley. He is a 2015 graduate of Leadership West Virginia, serves on the Marketing Committees for the Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau and FestivALL Charleston, as well as the Economic Development Committee of the Regional Intergovernmental Council. In 2018, Ric was among 30 urban development professionals selected worldwide for the Emerging Leaders Fellowship through the International Downtown Association.
- Tracy White: Elected for her first term on the Kanawha County Board of Education in 2018. As a member of the Board, she sits on the Head Start & Preschool Policy Council. Tracy has received both local and national awards for her tireless efforts of improving the lives of people living with diversities. She is a small business owner, a graduate of Nitro High School and studied Psychology at Liberty University. She received her certification as a Christian Life Coach as well as Crisis Counseling and is certified as a Positive Behavior Support Specialist.
- Becky Jones Jordon: Has served on the Kanawha County Board of Education since 2002. She is a lifelong resident of this area and attended Charleston’s west side schools. She received a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from West Virginia University and a master’s degree in Social Work from WVU. Mrs. Jordon has worked many years in the Kanawha Valley in the areas of substance abuse, child protective services, psychiatric services, home health, and with the incarcerated. She is currently working as an addiction therapist in the area. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and serves on the board for Rea of Hope.
- Kate White: Is the parent of three children in Kanawha County Schools. Kate works as an attorney at Legal Aid of West Virginia, a non-profit law firm where she manages programs that provide free legal assistance to low-income and vulnerable West Virginians. A native of West Virginia, Kate graduated with a B.A. from Carnegie Mellon University in 2003, and received her J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law in 2007. She has also served as an AmeriCorps VISTA working to assist low-income women entering or re-entering the workforce. Following law school, she worked as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Louis H. Bloom of the Circuit Court of Kanawha County and also served as counsel to the West Virginia Senate Health Committee during the 2012 legislative session. Kate and her husband, Ryan, live in Charleston with their children. She enjoys being active in her community and at her children’s school. She is an active member of Piedmont Elementary’s PTO, previously serving as President and Vice President, and playing a coordination role in the revitalization of the school’s playground, Celebration Station, through the partnership between Kanawha County Schools, the City of Charleston, and Charleston Rotary. She currently serves as a board member of the YWCA Charleston and volunteers as a youth soccer coach for the West Side Soccer Association. She formerly served as a board member for FamilyCare HealthCenters, East End Main Street, East End Community Association, and the East End Family Resource Center, and was a Read Aloud WV volunteer at Mary C.
- Mr. Jim Crawford Sr.: Has served on the Kanawha County Board of Education since 2000. Mr. Crawford graduated from Winfield High School and West Virginia State University at Institute, where he played varsity football and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. He received his MA Degree in Education from West Virginia University. He and his wife Marilyn are the parents of one son who also teaches in the school system. Jim Sr. is a retired teacher/coach from St. Albans High School having served the Kanawha County School system for fifty-six years and served as an assistant football coach, golf coach, Head Wrestling Coach, Head Girls Track Coach, and Athletic Director Mr. Crawford was a past President of the West Virginia School Boards Association. Crawford is a former Director of the Gazette Relays Track and Field Spring Sports.
Superintendent
- Dr. Tom Williams: Took office on July 1, 2020, and was formerly the deputy superintendent of Kanawha County Schools. He was deputy superintendent for six years. Before that, he served as the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in Kanawha County. He served as principal of St. Albans High School for ten years and as a teacher there for seven years, among other positions in the system. He has been an employee of Kanawha County Schools for 39 years. Dr. Williams was born and raised in South Charleston, WV, and was educated in the Kanawha County School system. He possesses his doctorate in education from West Virginia University. He currently resides in Kanawha County with his wife of 36 years.
Educational Offerings
Kanawha County Schools provides a wide range of educational opportunities:
- Preschool initiatives
- A comprehensive K-12 curriculum
- Virtual learning options
- Career and technical education through facilities such as the Ben Franklin Vocational Center and Carver Career Center.
Key Aspects and Challenges
Kanawha County Schools faced a multimillion-dollar budget crisis for the FY 2012, but had overcome the issue in time.
Standardized Testing
WESTEST (West Virginia Educational Standards Test) 2 is defined by the WVDOE as "a custom-designed assessment for West Virginia students.
Read also: Constraints on Georgia's Education Board
Employee Associations
- AFT-Kanawha Local 4444: Is the locally chartered union of the American Federation of Teachers. AFT-Kanawha represents only teachers in Kanawha County.
- The West Virginia School Service Personnel (WVSSPA): Represents school service personnel in Kanawha County Schools. School service personnel include non-administrative office employees, aides, custodians, transportation, maintenance, and school meal providers.
- The Kanawha County Education Association (KCEA): Is an association of school administrators and teachers for this school district.
Additional Information
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Read also: Highlights of the recent BOE meeting
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