Citizens identify themselves as being of the following ancestries: German -- 15%, English -- 14%, and Irish -- 13%. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2011) 85.9% of people ages 25 and over are high school graduates, and 23% of those age 25 and over are college graduates. The per capita income of residents in Kanawha County in 2009 was $24,816, and the median household income was $41,747. 14.4% of the population lives below the poverty level. 70.4 of the households are homeowners. Coal continues to be a major force in the county's economy (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011).

Kanawha County Schools (KCS) is the largest school system in West Virginia. The district serves over 28,000 students, representing the region's diverse socioeconomic mix. KCS is comprised of 44 elementary schools, 14 middle schools, eight high schools, two career and technical education centers, one adult center, and two community education centers. According to the West Virginia Department of Education (2011) the demographic of the students is reflective of the county population. 84.1% of the students are white; 13.2% are black; and 1.5% is Asian. The following ethnicities each represent less that 1% of the population -- Hispanic, Indian, and multi-racial. 46.3% of the students come from low socioeconomic environments. KCS serves students located across 913.38 square miles.

In 2010 80.9% of high school seniors graduated high school, while 4.4% of the students were classified as drop outs (West Virginia Department of Education, 2011). The...

The average class size in the district is 14.3 students, and the average administrator/pupil ratio is 158.2. Teachers in the district average 17.1 years of experience. Over half the teachers have earned an advanced degree. However, 7.3% of the classes in the district are taught by teachers who do not meet No Child Left Behind Highly Qualified requirements. These results are comparable with the rest of the state of West Virginia.