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Prevailing wage repeal may have to be revisited, says original sponsor
By Shauna Johnson, WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A “true wage” is what he’s after, but state Senator Craig Blair (R-Berkeley, 15) said he doubts that’s what’s going to come out of the ongoing prevailing wage calculations from WorkForce West Virginia authorized in a new state law.
Data from the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, must be factored in, Blair...
Fewer students, younger teachers cited for drop in state education budget
By Ryan Quinn, The Charleston Gazette
The West Virginia Department of Education’s budget decreased by $85.3 million for the 2015-16 fiscal year, which started last week, because of decreased student enrollment, continued retirements of higher-paid teachers, increased property values and lower required retirement payments.
That’s...
West Virginia Head Start programs share federal funding
The Associated Press
Seven Head Start or Early Head Start programs across West Virginia are sharing more than $17 million in federal funding.
U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito announced the Department of Health and Human Services funding on Thursday. The programs provide health, nutrition, education and social services to West Virginia families and children.
The grants range from...
U.S. Senate to begin overhaul of No Child Left Behind
By Tracie Mauriello, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — The Senate today begins debate on a sweeping overhaul of the No Child Left Behind Act, which set national education standards but quickly became unpopular with teachers and parents because of its emphasis on standardized testing.
The bill would retain the examinations but allow states to decide how much weight to give them when...
State school board president: ‘We have to value education more’
By Carrie Hodousek, MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Amd debates about West Virginia schools playing catch-up during June in order to meet the 180-day requirement, State School Board president Gayle Manchin says parents, teachers and children should value education more.
[“Instead of saying ‘What about 180?’ why aren’t we saying ‘Why isn’t there 200? Or 210?’ (days),” Manchin told MetroNews “...
WV Board of Education is Seeking Feedback on School Policies
By Bethany Butler, WBOY-TV
The West Virginia Board of Education is seeking feedback on school policies. The policies have been placed on a 30-day public comment period by the state board. The WVBE would like to receive feedback on the policies from parents, students, and teachers.
Policy 5100: Educational Personnel Preparation Programs establishes collaborative program review processes to ensure...
Michael Martirano: Project serves to review standards
On July 8, the West Virginia Department of Education, in conjunction with West Virginia University and the West Virginia Board of Education, launched Academic Spotlight, a community evaluation of the West Virginia Next Generation Standards.
I believe that this evaluation is the most important educational work in our state right now.
The standards we are asking the community to provide feedback on are...
New WVBE president to focus on current initiatives and technology
By Sunshine Wiles, WV MetroNews
WVBE president Mike Green has a background in math, science and technology.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Board of Education elected a retired technology industry businessman as its new president.
Mike Green, of Morgantown, was appointed to the board in 2009 for a nine-year term. He’s served the board as vice president since 2013.
“I...
Coaches sound off on school board ruling
By Ryan Pritt, The Charleston Gazette
The West Virginia Board of Education may have passed on a vote regarding year-round coaching in high school athletics on Thursday, but several coaches in the area didn't pass on sounding off on the decision.
Had the rule passed, coaching would've been permitted for athletes all year long with the exception of weekends, July 4th and the week before each sport started.
As...
State board names new officers; White cries foul
By Ryan Quinn, The Charleston Gazette
The West Virginia Board of Education Thursday elected new officers, but the only board member to vote against the choices accused his colleagues of a “back room deal” despite saying he didn’t know who specifically was involved.
“We talk about transparency — I don’t dislike any one of those people, but you don’t pull that kind of crap,” Bill White told the Gazette after...
Education bill to include amendment sponsored by Manchin, Toomey
By Tracie Mauriello, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
WASHINGTON — Standardized tests, states’ rights, passing the trash and early childhood education are all in the mix as Congress wrestles with an overhaul of the No Child Left Behind Act.
The name of the proposed substitute — Every Child Achieves — underscores the unpopularity of the signature legislation of President George W. Bush. Conservatives...
Statehouse Beat: Prevailing wage subpoena latest GOP misstep
By Phil Kabler,The Charleston Gazette
The new legislative leadership continues to be a riches of embarrassment, with their latest faux pas being to subpoena documents they, evidently, already had in their possession.
That was the latest salvo in the GOP leadership’s extreme displeasure with the way WorkForce West Virginia is recalculating the state’s prevailing wage rate for major state-funded...