Buckhannon, West Virginia, December 8th, 2025.
First-hand documents released by UPSHUR COUNTY SCHOOLS and by THE WEST VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION have provided the public with verified information regarding academic progress in English Language Arts and mathematics throughout the district, together with the long-term proficiency and attendance goals adopted for the years ahead. These materials, drawn directly from district communications, board-approved minutes, and state accreditation reports, offer the only confirmed account of measurable growth and of the expectations set for continued improvement in the second semester.

An official report published by UPSHUR COUNTY SCHOOLS sets forth that the district has recorded clear gains in student performance across both English and mathematics. The document states that mathematics achievement rose from 41.7 percent in 2022 to 49.67 percent in 2025, and that English Language Arts achievement rose from 46.2 percent in 2022 to 53.36 percent in 2025. The district identifies the Balanced Scorecard, a performance framework established by THE WEST VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, as the instrument through which these results are measured. According to this first-hand release, the district attributes the improvement to sustained instructional efforts and to the consistent use of the Balanced Scorecard indicators to evaluate progress.

A second district communication documents what it describes as continued academic gains. This material affirms increases in achievement and growth in both English and mathematics and explains that instruction, data-review practices, and school-level improvement planning have contributed to these advances. Each of these reports is published directly by UPSHUR COUNTY SCHOOLS and therefore represents first-hand, authoritative accounting of district performance.

Additional first-hand information appears in a district statement dated October 23rd, 2023, in which Superintendent Christine Miller outlined the role of the Balanced Scorecard within the county. The statement confirms that each school in the district receives a Balanced Scorecard with academic, attendance, and progress indicators, and that these indicators guide school-level strategies for improvement. This document is issued directly by UPSHUR COUNTY SCHOOLS and serves as a primary explanation of how the county evaluates academic performance.

Board-approved minutes from the October 7th, 2025 regular meeting of the UPSHUR COUNTY SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION further establish the long-term goals toward which the district is now working. The minutes state that by the 2028–2029 school year, every school in the district is expected to meet its annual proficiency targets in English and mathematics, and that by that same year the district intends to achieve 95 percent daily attendance and a chronic absence rate of 10 percent or lower. These goals, adopted as part of the official record, provide a first-hand account of the district’s expectations for future progress.

First-hand state documentation from THE WEST VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION confirms that the Balanced Scorecard serves as a statewide framework for evaluating districts in the areas of academic achievement, academic growth, attendance, and school success. The accreditation and approval reports issued by the state explain that each county is monitored through these indicators and that district performance is reviewed in accordance with data collected under the Balanced Scorecard system. These state-issued documents establish the foundation upon which Upshur County’s evaluation is based.

Recent media reports have described additional recognitions and specific percentages in attendance improvement, but Appalachian Post reviewed district and state first-hand sources and could not yet locate public documentation confirming those particular figures. Because these details do not presently appear in first-hand district releases, board minutes, or state-issued Balanced Scorecard records, they have not been included here.

The information presented in this report reflects only what can be verified through first-hand documentation issued directly by UPSHUR COUNTY SCHOOLS and THE WEST VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, and no secondary accounts or interpretations have been used.

The Appalachian Post is an independent West Virginia news outlet dedicated to clean, verified, first-hand reporting. We do not publish rumors. We do not run speculation. Every fact we present must be supported by original documentation, official statements, or direct evidence. When secondary sources are used, we clearly identify them and never treat them as first-hand confirmation. We avoid loaded language, emotional framing, or accusatory wording, and we do not attack individuals, organizations, or other news outlets. Our role is to report only what can be verified through first-hand sources and allow readers to form their own interpretations. If we cannot confirm a claim using original evidence, we state clearly that we reviewed first-hand sources and could not find documentation confirming it. Our commitment is simple: honest reporting, transparent sourcing, and zero speculation.

Sources

Primary First-Hand Sources

• UPSHUR COUNTY SCHOOLS, “Upshur County Schools Celebrate Significant Growth in Student Achievement.”
• UPSHUR COUNTY SCHOOLS, “Upshur County Schools Celebrate Academic Gains and Embrace Continued Improvement.”
• UPSHUR COUNTY SCHOOLS, “Balanced Scorecard” statement by Superintendent Christine Miller, October 23rd, 2023.
• UPSHUR COUNTY SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION, approved minutes, Regular Meeting of October 7th, 2025.
• THE WEST VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, district approval and accreditation documentation referencing Balanced Scorecard indicators.