2026 Exemplary Practice School: Huntington High School
Learn more about what makes Huntington High School an Exemplary Practice School.
Improving Student Attendance Through Tiered Interventions
Huntington High School’s attendance improvement journey began after the school was placed on a Comprehensive Support and Improvement – Additional Targeted Support (CSI-ATS) plan, when multi-year data revealed chronic absenteeism rates exceeding 45%, negatively impacting achievement, behavior, and graduation outcomes. In response, Huntington High School implemented a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework and embedded proactive, tiered attendance strategies into the school’s strategic plan to strengthen student engagement, relationships, and community connections.
Through collaborative data review, leadership meetings, and stakeholder feedback, Huntington High School established measurable goals to reduce chronic absenteeism through equitable interventions and positive reinforcement. Chronic absenteeism declined from 45.8% in 2021–2022 to 33.43% in 2024–2025, representing a 12-point improvement.
A decrease in chronic absenteeism with targeted subgroup interventions, contributed to sustained progress and exit from Comprehensive Support and Improvement – Additional Targeted Support status on the West Virginia Balanced Scorecard. Tier I supports emphasized prevention and schoolwide engagement through attendance competitions, PBIS recognition, community partnerships, and consistent celebration of success via social media, announcements, and local media. Tier II interventions focused on early identification and family engagement, including attendance notifications, mentoring, incentive campaigns, and structured monitoring by grade-level teams and counselors.
Tier III support provided individualized, intensive interventions such as one-on-one meetings, home visits, coordinated services with community agencies, and pre-diversion planning to address root causes of absenteeism. The impact has been both measurable and cultural. Attendance improved significantly, and Huntington High School shifted from a compliance-driven approach to one grounded in connection, pride, and shared responsibility.
