71% of children leaving WV schools for homeschooling are chronically absent

By: Amelia Ferrell Knisely

Outlets: West Virginia Watch

Published: February 18, 2026

Words: 870

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 5 days ago

Body Text Preview

The majority of students in West Virginia who left public schools in the last three years were chronically absent, prompting concerns among educational officials and lawmakers that students are exiting the schools to avoid truancy penalties.

A bill in the House of Delegates sought to address the issue by pausing homeschool requests from parents of chronically-absent or truancy children. It was to make sure families weren’t avoiding legal ramifications for truancy.

But, as of …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us