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Bill would require additional drug prevention programs in public schools
By Alex Thomas, WV MetroNews
A new bill in the House of Delegates would require all West Virginia public schools to have drug awareness and prevention programs for all K-12 students.
House Bill 2195 passed the House Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse Committee Tuesday, and is now in the House Education Committee.
The law would not require any extra funding, according...
Huntington High teacher fired over anti-Muslim tweets
The Herald-Dispatch
A Huntington High School social studies teacher who was suspended two months ago following the discovery of multiple anti-Muslim and racially charged tweets has been fired, Cabell County Communications Director Jedd Flowers told The Herald-Dispatch on Tuesday.
During a special meeting Monday, Flowers said the Cabell County Board of Education voted to approve Mary Durstein's...
Competitive teacher pay is solution to state crisis
Times West Virginian, Fairmont
The teacher shortage in West Virginia is at critical levels.
By last count, there are more than 300 vacant teaching positions statewide, which is stretching the pool of available teachers, especially in specialties and critical areas, such as special education, math and science.
The problem becomes compounded when an illness, medical leave from work or a home...
School districts use job fairs, alternative pathways to attract more teachers
Alex Thomas, WV MetroNews
As public school districts continue to find ways to deal with the state’s teacher shortage, two West Virginia public universities held job fairs last week to give seniors the chance to learn about career opportunities following graduation.
Marshall University held its Educator Expo March 8, and West Virginia State University hosted its Teacher Job Fair...
WV BOE to review 12 applications for state superintendent job
By Carrie Hodousek, WV MetroNews
A dozen people are interested in becoming West Virginia’s next school superintendent.
The state Department of Education would not release any names, but did say 12 people have applied for the job. The deadline to submit applications was Friday.
Applications will be reviewed by the state Board of Education. The board will meet on Thursday to discuss a...
Extension discussion begins Friday for Fayette superintendent George
By Alex Wiederspiel, WV MetroNews
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — The next step in the Fayette County school revitalization process could begin Friday afternoon at a special meeting at the Board of Education Main Office.
That step: making Superintendent Terry George an employee of Fayette County–rather than of the State of West Virginia. George was originally hired by the State Board of Education...
Senate approves legislation to change school starting age
WV MetroNews
Kids would have to be older to enter pre-school programs in a bill that passed the state Senate Thursday.
Currently, the law requires a child to turn four by Sept. 1 for pre-school programs and age five by Sept. 1 for kindergarten. The legislation changes that date from Sept. 1 to July 1, meaning children turning four in that two-month period would have to wait an extra year to enter...
Board president says state’s financial condition probably why only 12 apply to be new state superintendent
By Jeff Jenkins, WV MetroNews
There are at least 10 people still in the running to be the next state superintendent of schools following work done by the state Board of Education Thursday.
There were 12 original applicants for the job to replace outgoing Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano but two were eliminated Thursday because they didn’t meet...
Education Chair: Common Core is Dead in W.Va.
By Ashton Marra, WV Public Broadcasting
Members of the Senate were supposed to take up a bill Thursday to repeal the Common Core education standards and replace them with Math and English standards written some 20 years ago by California and Massachusetts.
The bill, however, was pushed back for the second day in a row, Thursday after the chamber’s Education chair spoke against it.
Senate Bill 524 would...
Missing: GOP budget details; please call Senator Unger
By Brad McElhinny, WV MetroNews
Earlier this week, Carmichael appeared on “Talkline” with Hoppy Kercheval and said the starting point for cuts would be $50 million from DHHR, $50 million from K-12 education and $50 million from higher education.
Democratic Senator John Unger is asking everyone for help locating the whole Republican budget plan.
Unger is asking his fellow Senators. He...
With legislative session on home stretch, is budget compromise possible?
By Brad McElhinny, WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With just about one-third of the West Virginia legislative session remaining, lawmakers and Gov. Jim Justice are feeling each other out over whether there’s room for compromise on their visions for the state budget.
“This process, you have to put something on the table to start the dialogue and the negotiation process and the...
State Board of Education to start streaming meeting audio
By Ryan Quinn, The Charleston Gazette-Mail
The West Virginia Board of Education has agreed to begin live-streaming its meetings starting April 12.
At least as far back as July 2015, Bill White, then a board member, had suggested the board consider televising or live-streaming its meetings. As of January of this year, when White was still a member, the board still hadn’t begun doing so, and White...