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By Ryan Quinn, Charleston Gazette-Mail
February 3, 2020
Curious observers trying to follow what’s going on in West Virginia’s most-populous school system are asking: What happened to the superintendent search?
In the span of just over two weeks, the Kanawha County Board of Education accepted the ...
By Jeff Jenkins, WV MetroNews
February 5, 2020
The “Tim Tebow bill” is back before the state Legislature after the House of Delegates voted against the legislation last year.
The West Virginia Senate Education Committee passed the measure, Senate Bill 131, on a voice vote Tuesday. It would allow home-schoolers to play public school sports in addition to allowing kids at private or religious schools — non-members of the West Virginia Secondary Activities...
By Jake Flatley, WV MetroNews
February 7, 2020
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — There’s a new program in place designed to support schools, educators, school personnel, families and students all across the state affected by the substance misuse crisis.
The West Virginia Department of Education and Marshall University unveiled that program on Thursday: ReClaim West Virginia Initiative.
...
By Ryan Quinn, Charleston Gazette-Mail
February 10, 2020
West Virginia has received high national rankings for feeding children in need during the school day.
But feeding children during the summer is another matter. It’s harder when they aren’t all being driven or bused to school buildings complete with cafeterias and cooks....
By Jeff Jenkins, WV MetroNews
February 11, 2020
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bill opponents said could have caused a third teachers strike in as many years was defeated in a House committee Monday afternoon on a tie vote.
The measure, HB 4043, would have required spouses of state workers who have jobs outside state government but still get their health insurance through PEIA to take their employer’s insurance or pay premiums to the state....
By Brad McElhinny, WV MetroNews
February 13, 2020
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Board of Education voted to accept rules governing the establishment of charter schools in West Virginia.
Only board member Deborah Sullivan, former principal at Charleston Catholic, voted against the rules. Sullivan said her objection is not with how the rules were produced but instead with the charter schools concept.
Sullivan suggested that county...
By Jake Flatley, WV MetroNews
February 14, 2020
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bill to implement training for all teachers, school leaders, paraprofessionals and specialized instructional support personnel on ‘trauma-informed practices’ in schools is headed to the House floor.
House Bill 4649, which would do require the state board to...
By Brad McElhinny, WV MetroNews
February 17, 2020
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As the state Senate starts consideration of a major tax overhaul this week, the Democrats who would be needed for passage have questions.
“We’re still mulling it over,” said Senator Ron Stollings, D-Boone.
The Republican majority in the Senate has talked for months about opening up the state Constitution to allow property taxes on manufacturers to be cut.
...By Jeff Jenkins, WV MetroNews
February 19, 2020
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The House of Delegates is moving its own Tim Tebow bill that includes a few key differences from the bill the Senate passed earlier this session.
The bill, HB 3127, was approved by the House Education Committee on a voice vote Tuesday morning. It would allow...
By Phil Kabler, Charleston Gazette-Mail
During discussion in Senate Finance Committee Monday on how to close a potential $300 million fiscal hole that a proposed phase-out of a variety of personal property taxes would blow into county, school board and municipal budgets, Deputy Revenue Secretary Mark Muchow made a very astute observation.
Muchow — one of the sharpest minds ever to grace the hallways of the Capitol — noted that if the state’s dirt-low...
By Brad McElhinny, WV MetroNews
February 21, 2020
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State schools superintendent Steve Paine is departing even sooner than expected.
The state Board of Education has announced an emergency 3 p.m. meeting today to accept Paine’s retirement, effective immediately.
The meeting announcement says the state board...