WHAT: 2026 Student Support Conference
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
WHERE: Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, 200 Civic Center Drive, Charleston,WV 25302
The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) will welcome approximately 400 school counselors, school social workers, homelessness liaisons, behavior specialists, administrators and other student support professionals to Charleston for the 2026 Student Support Conference.
The conference features breakout sessions designed to further strengthen supports available to students through public education. Topics include data-informed practices, college and career counseling, behavior supports, student mental health, the Communities In Schools program, family engagement and more.
Central to the conference are nine tracks that comprehensively address the foundation of student support services:
- Communities In Schools: Strategies to ensure students have the support they need to be successful
- Behavior and discipline: Evidence-based practices and intervention strategies that support positive student behavior and well-being
- School counseling: Comprehensive school counseling programs, academic planning, career readiness and student support services
- Family engagement: Strategies to establish meaningful partnerships so families and school staff can work together to support student learning, development and well‑being
- Data-informed strategies: Use of available information such as assessment results, attendance trends, classroom observations and discipline data to guide student support professionals in providing supports and interventions that increase student success
- Homelessness supports: Strategies to strengthen coordination and leverage resources to provide more comprehensive, integrated and effective wraparound supports for students and families experiencing homelessness
- Prevention education: Proactive approaches that equip students with the knowledge, skills and tools to make informed decisions and avoid risky behaviors before they occur
- WVDE initiatives: Initiatives to support educators in promoting student well-being and success, such as the WV Impact+ Coaching Academy, Unite with Numeracy, Ready, Read, Write, West Virginia, ParentGuidance.org and Project AWARE
- Mental health: Evidence-based practices and resources to prioritize students’ mental health, wellness and success
Students today face increasingly complex academic, social, emotional, behavioral and mental health challenges. This conference offers student support professionals the opportunity to learn current best practices, share successful strategies, strengthen professional networks and build the knowledge and skills necessary to address these challenges effectively.
Public schools statewide proactively meet the ongoing needs of students every school year through a continuous focus on supporting the whole child.
Learn more about the conference on the WVDE website.
