West Virginia Executive Fall 2019 | Page 40

Improving Student Learning Looking Beyond the Traditional School Model KRISTEN UPPERCUE From teachers’ strikes to new legislation, education has been a hot topic in West Virginia for the last few years. With a high school graduation rate of 90.2 percent for 2017-2018, West Virginia currently ranks above the national average, according to the West Virginia Department of Education. However, in rural communities where funding is sparse, the school systems tend to suffer, which trickles down and affects the students’ retention and education experiences. These challenges are not solely found in West Virginia— they are common problems in all of rural America. Roscoe, 38 WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE TX; Vicksburg, MS; and Nashville, TN, have implemented college- and career-focused programs to help their rural communities address these issues that are applicable in the Mountain State. In fact, the P20 program out of Roscoe has been modified to West Virginia’s needs and implemented in Boone County, where it is already making a difference. If tailored to West Virginia’s specific needs, the efforts in Vicks- burg and Nashville could provide blueprints for additional programs that would help push the Mountain State’s school systems toward success.