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Cabell County reports lower expulsions, steady Crossroads and virtual enrollment
Summary
District staff updated the board on Crossroads Academy and virtual program enrollment, noting 86 students at Crossroads, 52 expulsions this school year and K–12 virtual enrollment patterns as of March 21.
Kurt Mann, a district staff presenter, told the Cabell County Schools Board of Education on April 1 that Crossroads Academy had 86 students enrolled as of March 21 and that district expulsions this school year totaled 52, down from 73 the previous year.
“This numbers are as of March 21,” Mann said while reviewing the Crossroads and virtual enrollment report. He broke Crossroads enrollment into program areas: 20 students in dropout-prevention, one in the pregnancy program, 19 at the youth reporting center, one out-of-state placement and 45 in traditional placements.
The nut graf: the briefing gave the board a snapshot of alternative and virtual options and suggested modest declines in expulsions while virtual enrollment continues to fluctuate.
Mann also reviewed the district’s two virtual tracks. The K–8 virtual program (a regional cooperative) had 85 students in the first nine weeks, peaked at 111 in the second nine weeks, and stood at 97 students in the third nine weeks; the high-school virtual option through West Virginia Learns counted 80 full-time and 95 part-time students in the second semester. Mann explained the part-time designation covers students who remain enrolled at their home brick-and-mortar school but take courses online that Cabell County does not offer locally, such as additional AP options. He said some families have chosen virtual courses because of scheduling needs, parental travel and student anxiety or truancy concerns.
Deputy Superintendent Kelly Watts framed the report as part of the district’s instruction and leadership work. She said the district is monitoring churn between in-person, virtual and homeschool options and noted staff use policy and probation timelines when students do not meet course requirements in the virtual environment.
District staff described the operational burden when students move in and out of programs, citing counselor and registrar workload; Mann and Watts said the district tries to discourage repeated back-and-forth transfers because it can leave students in enrollment limbo. Mann identified staff who lead the programs — including Mr. Paxton and counselor Pinkerman — and said school-level schedules (start times and related arts rotations) account for differing daily hours in the K–8 virtual schedule.
Ending: The board received the enrollment and Crossroads update for information; no vote or policy change on these programs occurred at the April 1 meeting.
