News

Lawmakers study innovation zones in depth

By Jim Wallace

The bill to establish a process for creating school innovation zones received much attention and close scrutiny from the House Education Committee, and it’s now getting the same type of examination from the Senate Education Committee.

The Senate Education Committee took up House Bill 2836 on Tuesday with a presentation from Lydia McCue of the Department of Education. On Thursday, Senate Education Chairman Bob Plymale, D-Wayne, appointed a subcommittee to study the bill further and report back to the full committee next week.

Senators made it clear early on that they had many questions about the bill but also that they supported its concept. Several of those questions were about how the innovation zone process would affect the authority of local school boards. McCue partially addressed that issue in her presentation by saying that school board members would be affected in two ways.

“I think schools are weighed down by lots of responsibilities of things that people from the outside want them to do.” – Lydia McCue of the Education Department

“First of all, they would have to approve the innovation, but they also would have to be willing to allow innovation and creativity,” she said. “I think schools are weighed down by lots of responsibilities of things that people from the outside want them to do. That comes not only from the state Board of Education but also from the local board of education. So there would have to be a process put into place to negotiate with the local board of education.”

McCue explained that her role in the innovation zones proposal was to develop a concept paper on the subject. Key themes in that paper, she said, were to promote innovation and creativity and to elevate the teacher’s voice in solving problems. It recognizes that the “top-down” method is not the best way to effect change, she said, so the bill would give teachers the latitude to work with principals to develop prototypes that could later be scaled up for use elsewhere, if they prove successful.

“Encouraging people to participate in innovation is difficult,” McCue said. “I think we’re going to have to do a good job of marketing this to teachers.”

 

Department would oversee innovation proposals.

Although teachers would have to come up with the ideas and initiate the process, the Department of Education would make sure that any proposal considered would have enough support and would not cost too much.

“I would not think that we would want to approve an initial proposal that would be so costly that it could never be scaled up in the state.” – Lydia McCue

“There would be an on-site review to make sure there is a critical mass of teachers that are in support of it,” McCue said. “I would not think that we would want to approve an initial proposal that would be so costly that it could never be scaled up in the state.”

The process provides for getting exemptions from state and local education policies. In certain cases, proposed exemptions might need legislative approval. McCue said she would expect that many requests would be for exemptions from the policy that stipulates how many minutes certain subjects must be taught.

But Senate Education Vice-chairman Erik Wells, D-Kanawha, wasn’t sure what authority local school boards would have in the process. McCue responded that the local boards would be involved in negotiations over how much relief from certain regulations could be given to faculty members.

 

House changed bill substantially.

Staff attorney Hank Hager told the senators the House of Delegates made many changes in the bill before passing it. For example, delegates completely rewrote the findings for why school innovation zones should be considered.

Delegates also rewrote a section on how schools would be selected to participate as innovation zones. The most important change would expand on how to establish the level of staff commitment for an application. It specifically refers to the staff commitment for applying for designation as an innovation zone “as determined by a vote by secret ballot at a special meeting of all employees regularly employed at the school.”

Further, the House-passed version replaces a general reference to having support from a school’s community with a provision calling for support from the Local School Improvement Council and the school’s business partners.

“We should make sure the exceptions are not so specific that it is no longer innovative.” – Sen. Clark Barnes

Another change the House made was to list several exceptions to laws and policies that could not be granted. They include: an assessment program administered by the Department of Education, any provision required by No Child Left Behind, and certain provisions of law relating to school personnel transfers, hiring criteria, seniority, reductions in force, posting requirements, etc.

That raised some concern for Sen. Clark Barnes, R-Randolph, who said, “We should make sure the exceptions are not so specific that it is no longer innovative.”

 

Delegates also made suggestions.

In addition, the House-passed version lays out specific items that could be included in an innovation zone plan. They include:

• An emphasis in the early childhood through intermediate grade levels on ensuring that each student is prepared fully at each grade level, including additional intervention strategies for grades three through eight to reinforce the preparation of students who are not prepared fully for promotion or an emphasis in the secondary grade levels on ensuring that each student is prepared fully for college or other post-secondary education, as applicable for the school; and
• An emphasis on innovative strategies that allow academically advanced students to pursue academic learning above grade level or not available through the normal curriculum at the school.

 

Chairman would like to create new schools.

What caught the attention of Plymale was something that was not in the bill. He thought there should be a provision for creating innovation zones outside of established schools. For example, he suggested that West Virginia University might want to set up a school in Monongalia County or Marshall University might want to set up a school in Cabell County to test certain education proposals.

“There is nothing in the concept paper about that,” McCue responded.

State Deputy Superintendent Jack McClanahan added, “We did not have that concept in mind.”

“That’s not quick innovation.” – Senate Education Chairman Bob Plymale

Plymale also expressed concern that the process of taking a proposal through the approval process would be a long one. McClanahan confirmed that it would take about a year for a proposal to go through the process of getting approval, and if it would need legislative approval, it could take a bit longer.

“That’s not quick innovation,” Plymale commented.

McCue responded, “Most innovations fail because of lack of planning and lack of critical mass of the people getting involved.”

Two senators, Wells and Randy White, D-Webster, expressed interest in looking at the experiences of other states that have tried such programs. But McCue said there aren’t any good examples to follow yet. She said Washington and Massachusetts have looked at the concept, but no state has gone beyond that.

After the initial presentation to the Senate Education Committee, Sen. Richard Browning, D-Wyoming, stated that he supports the concept. Barnes said he had already had discussions with representatives of schools that want to participate in the program. “I think we’re going to find several innovative and forward-looking schools,” he said

Wells is the chairman of the subcommittee studying the bill further. Browning and Barnes are also on it. Plymale told them to have the bill ready to go back on the full committee’s agenda on Tuesday.

-- Jim Wallace is a former government reporter for the Charleston Daily Mail and former news director of West Virginia Public Radio. He now works for TSG Consulting in Charleston and writes for several national and West Virginia publications.

 

Bill would limit school board members’ political activities

By Jim Wallace

The Senate Education Committee made several changes to a bill dealing with the training required for county school board members before approving the bill on Thursday. The bill also includes provisions for handling vacancies in superintendents’ positions.

Committee Chairman Bob Plymale, D-Wayne, explained that one of the changes made in House Bill 3208 was to include a provision requested by the state Ethics Commission. He said he expected that some members of the West Virginia School Board Association would not like that part of the bill.

Those provisions had been in Senate Bill 557, which also dealt with school board members’ qualifications. Plymale said he introduced that bill but decided not to bring it up before the committee. Instead, he decided to put its provision into House Bill 3208, which he knew was coming over from the House of Delegates.

 

Ethics Commission wanted changes.

The provision requested by the Ethics Commission addresses the eligibility of school board members, as well as candidates for board positions and members-elect. It clarifies that a board candidate may continue to hold another public office until he or she takes the oath of office as a board member. It also provides a definition of “public office.” Not included in that definition is membership on any other board for which the person does not receive compensation, as long as the primary scope of that other board does not involve public schools.

Much of the committee’s discussion of the bill centered on wording that would prevent a school board member from becoming a candidate or serving as an elected or appointed member of any political party executive committee. Nor could a board member become a candidate for or serve as a delegate, alternate or proxy to a county, state or national political party convention. Likewise a board member could not help raise funds for any candidate for a partisan office.

However, the bill would specifically permit a board member to engage in the following activities:

• Make campaign contributions to partisan or bipartisan candidates;
• Attend political fundraisers for partisan or bipartisan candidates;
• Serve as an unpaid volunteer on a partisan campaign;
• Politically endorse any candidate in a partisan or bipartisan election; and
• Attend a county, state or national political party convention.

Under questioning Howard O’Cull, executive director of the West Virginia School Board Association, said the only concern the organization’s legislative committee had about the bill was the part prohibiting school board members from being delegates to political conventions. One reason some association members have a problem with that, he said, is that an attorney general’s opinion from a few decades ago seemed to approve of such political activity, even though school board members are supposed to be nonpartisan.

“There are some that believe this may disenfranchise [board members] from exercising authority that other individuals have.” – WVSBA Executive Director Howard O’Cull

“There are some that believe this may disenfranchise [board members] from exercising authority that other individuals have,” O’Cull added. Further, he said, there is some question about whether delegate to a political convention should be considered a public office.

“There’s thinking that, even though you may be in a nonpartisan position, you should be able to exercise ability of a partisan nature as long as it does not detract from or become part of your operations at the county board,” O’Cull said.

Sen. Richard Browning, D-Wyoming, then asked him, “Do you think this will discourage candidates for the board of education?”

“No,” O’Cull replied. He said last year only six school board members out of 275 across the state requested exemptions from the Ethics Commission to be delegates at political conventions. “Six people out of 275 is not a great number,” he said.*

“It’s almost like being hypocritical to the public.” – Sen. John Unger

Sen. John Unger noted that school board members would still be able to endorse candidates for partisan offices and volunteer in their campaigns. “How realistic is it to say that elections are nonpartisan for school boards, but many of the members have partisan labels and positions in different political parties that everybody knows anyhow?” he asked. “Then they run as nonpartisan. It’s almost like being hypocritical to the public.”

O’Cull said school board positions are nonpartisan, but the issue is whether those board members should be expected to divorce themselves from all politics.

Unger responded, “People choose to run for this office. So if they’re going to choose to run for board of education, then they have to understand they can’t do this.”

 

Reimbursement for work missed while attending training is not addressed.

In regard to the portion of the bill that deals with training required for school board members, Browning said he had spoken with board members who were concerned about not getting reimbursed for income lost by missing work when they must attend training.

O’Cull said, “That is an issue in some of the counties.” He said there is no mechanism for such reimbursement, but the association has not taken a position on that issue.

Browning also wanted to know why the bill would change the deadline for fixing a superintendent’s annual salary from May 1 to June 1.

“First of all, there’s an inconsistency there,” O’Cull responded. “The salary has to be set by May 1 but the individual appointed by June 1. So what we’re trying to do is make that consistent.”

In cases in which school boards are hiring new superintendents, he said, it’s hard to set a salary before the individual taking the position is set.

The committee passed the bill on a unanimous vote. Sen. Erik Well, D-Kanawha, suggested the committee should request that the bill should go directly to the full Senate without going first through the Senate Finance Committee.

 

Senators are upset that some boards might not notify parents about Schools for the Deaf and Blind.

Another bill that spurred much discussion at Thursday’s meeting was House Bill 2985, which would require school systems to provide information on the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind to the parents or guardians of children with visual or auditory impairments.

“They can’t do that now?” Unger asked. Staff attorney Hank Hager said the school systems could provide that information, but the bill would require them to do it.
“I’m not opposed to providing information, but again, are we micromanaging here in the sense that I thought this was the type of thing that the state board would promulgate a policy so we wouldn’t need a statute?” – Sen. John Unger

“Where is there a problem that we have to require it in law?” Unger asked. “I’m not opposed to providing information, but again, are we micromanaging here in the sense that I thought this was the type of thing that the state board would promulgate a policy so we wouldn’t need a statute?”

Browning responded that he believed it was a monetary issue. He said certain county school boards might not want to notify parents about the Schools for the Deaf and Blind, because they would lose funding for the students who would go to those schools.

State Deputy Supt. Jack McClanahan said the Schools for the Deaf and Blind are trying to increase their enrollment and officials are concerned that local school systems are not distributing information they have been provided. He also said some parents have complained they did not receive information about the Schools for the Deaf and Blind.

Unger reiterated his concern that lawmakers were “going down a dangerous path” of putting into statute what should be handled by policy from the state Board of Education. McClanahan agreed the issue should be handled by a state board policy.

“I guess the question is: Why haven’t you done it then?” Unger asked.

McClanahan explained that the Schools for the Deaf and Blind report directly to the state school board and not to the state superintendent, so the request for a change did not come through the superintendent’s office. “I would like you to give us a shot at doing it,” he told Unger.

“I was pretty appalled as well that we aren’t doing this when you have kids that are in this situation.” – Senate Education Chairman Bob Plymale

Browning then said, “This has been a session that we’ve worried about what’s best for kids… I’m embarrassed that we had to have a bill before us that requires people who are in charge of the school system to do something we all know would be best for the kids.”
Plymale shared Browning’s outrage. “I was pretty appalled as well that we aren’t doing this when you have kids that are in this situation,” Plymale told McClanahan. “It’s very sad that it’s gone this long in the process and there hasn’t been any action by the board. I would like you to express our displeasure that this hasn’t been addressed.”

McClanahan assured Plymale that he would take that message back to the Department of Education. “I’m embarrassed, too, to be honest with you,” McClanahan said. “We’ll make sure that the information gets out.”

Unger said the department should not only make sure that information about the Schools for the Deaf and Blind gets out but also should work with the Department of Health and Human Resources to help notify parents of students with disabilities of all services that could be available for them. McClanahan said that was a good idea.

At the end of the discussion, the committee set House Bill 2985 aside.

 

Other bills passed.

The committee approved House Bill 2538, which deals with funds for students whose first language is not English. The bill would require that any appropriation made to the Department of Education for students with limited English proficiency and learning English as a second language must be distributed to county boards in a manner that accounts for the varying proficiency levels of the students and the capacity of local boards to deliver the programs.

Also on Thursday, the committee approved Senate Concurrent Resolution 24, which requests the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study the implementation of year-round schooling. If the resolution makes it through the legislative process, that issue would then be studied during the monthly interim meetings lawmakers will hold between the end of the current regular legislative session and the beginning of the 2010 regular legislative session.

On Tuesday, most of the committee’s discussions dealt with Senate Bill 2836, the School Innovation Zones Act (which is covered elsewhere in this issue). But the committee also approved a bill to increase the faculty senate allotment for classroom teachers and librarians from $50 to $100. That money is to be spent on academic materials, supplies or equipment to enhance instruction.

However, the committee first made several changes in the wording from the version of House Bill 2069 that came out of the House of Delegates.

Most of the changes were minor, but Hager noted one change in particular. It would specify specific the months in which local school boards could designate two-hour blocks for faculty senate meetings during instructional days. Those months are September, November, January, March and May, which Hager said is consistent with provisions of the school calendar bill, Senate Bill 249, which the Senate passed and sent to the House of Delegates.

 

*_____
Editor’s Note: Based on further conversation with West Virginia Ethics Commission officials, there were three requests for an Ethics Commission Opinion relative to county board members attending political party conventions as delegates, although other county board members may have attended, relying on these Opinions.

-- Jim Wallace is a former government reporter for the Charleston Daily Mail and former news director of West Virginia Public Radio. He now works for TSG Consulting in Charleston and writes for several national and West Virginia publications.

 

Only the strong survive the crossover

By Jim Wallace

Many bills that would have affected West Virginia’s public school system have died, but other education-related bills still have some life in them, because they survived “Crossover Day” on Wednesday.

Crossover Day is the 50th day of the 60-day regular legislative session. It is the last day to consider bills on third reading in their house of origin. In other words, bills that started in the Senate must be approved by the Senate and bills that started in the House of Delegates must be approved by the House. Any bill that fails to do that – other than budget or supplementary appropriation bills – is dead for the session.

Each chamber generally reserves the last 10 days of the session to consider bills that were approved in the other chamber by Crossover Day. Thus, the Senate’s attention is now mainly on House-passed bills, and the House’s attention is now mainly on Senate-passed bills.

Among the bills that cleared the Senate on or before Crossover Day were:

• Senate Bill 56 – Awarding National Board for Professional Teaching Standards salary bonus to certain teachers
• Senate Bill 57 – Relating to certain school coaches’ requirements
• Senate Bill 66 – Relating to school employees’ donated personal leave days
• Senate Bill 249 – Relating to annual school calendar
• Senate Bill 257 – Creating nonvoting student member position on county boards of education
• Senate Bill 258 – Clarifying local fiscal bodies cannot be held liable for certain deficits (the Casual Deficit Bill)
• Senate Bill 274 – Allowing county boards of education to enter into lease-purchase agreements
• Senate Bill 333 – Basing school nurse ratio on total net enrollment
• Senate Bill 373 – Relating to the PROMISE Scholarship
• Senate Bill 435 – Creating Learn and Earn Cooperative Education Program
• Senate Bill 485 – Requiring certain students to undergo dental examination
• Senate Bill 498 – Relating to early childhood education
• Senate Bill 513 – Relating to hiring, termination, transfer and reassignment of school personnel
• Senate Bill 635 – Relating to Progress for Improving Education Council
• Senate Bill 638 – Relating to higher education capital facilities

Among the bills that cleared the House on or before Crossover Day were:

• House Bill 2470 – Exempting all schools that include grades kindergarten through twelve from paying consumer sales tax on items the schools sell
• House Bill 2530 – Relating to further defining professional student support personnel
• House Bill 2836 – School Innovation Zones Act
• House Bill 3105 – Establishing drug-free zones at regularly designated school bus stops

-- Jim Wallace is a former government reporter for the Charleston Daily Mail and former news director of West Virginia Public Radio. He now works for TSG Consulting in Charleston and writes for several national and West Virginia publications.

 

W.Va. schools receive an A in annual technology report

West Virginia is one of only two states to receive A’s for both use of technology and educator capacity to use technology in a new national report.

The 12th annual report, “Technology Counts 2009: Breaking Away From Tradition: E-Education Expands Opportunities for Raising Achievement,” was released this week by “Education Week,” the leading national publication covering K-12 education. Technology Counts issued letter grades to states in two main categories: policies related to the use of technology for learning and policies designed to increase educators’ capacity to use technology. Unlike in past years, the report did not give overall state grades or grades in technology access because of a shortage of data.

“While this report reinforces that we are on the right track, I am cautiously optimistic about our ranking,” state Supt. Steve Paine said. “In a digital world, it is more important than ever that West Virginia makes educational technology a top priority. Technology is the tool that makes 21st Century Learning work. It allows our teachers to share their vast knowledge in a way that grabs the interest of today’s techno-savvy students.”

In 2008, West Virginia also received an A for the capacity to use technology, which highlighted a state’s use of technology in teacher and administrator standards, license requirements and recertification requirements. This year, the state improved to an A from an A- for the use of technology. This category rated each state’s use of virtual school courses and computer-based assessments.

“E-learning has evolved into a position where it is now being used more widely as a tool to offer better courses to high-achieving, as well as low-achieving, students who would not otherwise have access to those classes,” Kevin Bushweller, executive project editor of “Technology Counts” and executive editor of “Education Week’s Digital Directions,” said.

Recent research shows that more than a million K-12 public school students took online courses nationwide during the 2007-2008 school year, a 47 percent jump from 2005-2006. The report also cites research indicating that the quality of online courses can be equal to or better than that of traditional classes.

The West Virginia Virtual School, which began with just three students in 2000, has hundreds of students across the state enrolled in about 2,000 online classes this school year. Most of the students are in middle or high school, although some elementary students also have signed up to take online classes.

The full report is available online at www.edweek.org. For more information, contact the Office of Communications at (304) 558-2699.

Administrative Perspective

Education bills have been winnowed

By Martha Dean, Ed.D.

Since April l was the last day that a bill can emerge from its house of origin, the number of bills that pertain to public education has been seriously diminished. 

There is pretty much a feeling that, if it costs something, we should not pass it. 

By my count, there are 11 Senate bills and 14 House of Delegates bills left. Many of the bills passed by the Senate and House Education committees had second references to the respective Senate and House Finance committees. There is pretty much a feeling that, if it costs something, we should not pass it. 

That feeling has led to the demise of bills such as: Senate Bill 265, which authorized a tax credit for new teachers in critical needs areas; Senate Bill 652, which raised the pay for mentor teachers; House Bill 2620, which would have raised the salary of cafeteria managers and others; and House Bill 2849, which would have required automatic tire chains on all new buses.

The remaining bills are being discussed in the halls of the Legislature and will soon occupy the Education committees. 

 

Several bills moved on the Senate side.

The Senate Education Committee had two meetings this week to take up House bills. On Tuesday, Senate Education passed out House Bill 2069, which increases the amount teachers individually receive from the faculty senate allotment to $100. 

This does not increase cost, but simply gives individual teachers control over $100 instead of $50 out of the $200 per teacher faculty senate funds. The bill has a second reference to Senate Finance, which may be waived because there is no new money needed to implement the bill. 

Two other bills were passed out of Senate Education on Tuesday – House Bill 2335 and House Bill 2904, neither of which directly impact K-12 programs.  The former relates to the federal "Yellow Ribbon G. I. Education Enhancement Program” and the latter concerns higher education rules.

West Virginia Department of Education official Lydia McCue made a presentation on Tuesday regarding House Bill 2836, the School Innovation Zones Act.  House Bill 2836 was assigned to a subcommittee for further study and revision at Thursday’s meeting.  The subcommittee members are Senator Erik Wells, D-Kanawha, Richard Browning, D-Wyoming, and Clark Barnes, R-Randolph.

The Thursday agenda included Senate Concurrent Resolution 24, requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study implementing year-round school. 

There has been an increase over the years in the number of students who come to our schools and cannot speak English.

Committee Substitute for House Bill 2538 passed. It is related to supplemental funding for the provision of alternative programs for limited English proficient students. This bill has a second reference to the Senate Finance Committee. There has been an increase over the years in the number of students who come to our schools and cannot speak English.

Committee Substitute for House Bill 2985 was discussed with action deferred until the next meeting. It deals with providing information to parents/guardians of children who have a visual or auditory impairment concerning the availability of programs at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind.

Sen. John Unger, D-Berkeley, brought up the issue that he believed that this is a state Board of Education policy issue and, since Dr. Jack McClanahan, deputy state superintendent of schools, was present, committee members agreed to have him take it back to the Department of Education and come back with more information about current practice. 

Committee Substitute for House Bill 3208 was amended to include the provisions of Senate Bill 557 and passed the committee. The bill has a second reference to Senate Finance, which Education Committee members agreed to try to waive. This bill addresses several issues concerning board members and board actions.

It clarifies some things the Ethics Committee recommended, such as what types of involvement a board member can and cannot have in political activities. It also changes the dates by which a superintendent must be hired and the salary of the superintendent must be set. Further, it clarifies the terms for interim superintendents and under what conditions an acting superintendent can be named.

Finally, House Bill 3229, relating to creation of the Science and Research Council, passed. It affects higher education.

 

House Education puts off work on Senate bills.

The House Education Committee has not met this week. The committee has several bills that are important to school board members and superintendents. One is the calendar bill, Senate Bill 249, which I have heard may be subject to a complete overhaul in the House.  I foresee that it may go to a sub-committee which will try to agree on minimal changes to the law. If the bill passes the full House, it would be the subject of a conference committee to try to work out the differences with the Senate version. 

The Jobs Cabinet Bill, Senate Bill 513, makes many changes with regard to hiring procedures. I have heard that there is not sentiment in the House Education Committee to take up the bill, which would, in effect, kill consideration for this year. However, there is always room for trading and concessions so we need to watch what happens this week carefully. 

There may be some changes, but I think most people really like the rating system in the bill for describing the quality of child care facilities.  Senate Bill 498, related to early childhood education should see activity. There may be some changes, but I think most people really like the rating system in the bill for describing the quality of child care facilities. 

Senate Bill 57 provides kind of a continuing contract for non-teaching coaches after a successful five years of good evaluations. This bill has seen some activity in previous years, but I don’t believe it has ever gotten this far into the session.

Next week will be active and will go quickly. Since the House speaker has set a standard that the rules will not be waived to allow a bill to be read more than once in one day, all actions of subcommittees and committees on the House side would have to be complete no later than Wednesday to get on the floor by Thursday. If it requires a conference committee to work out differences, it would need to get to the floor by Wednesday at the latest. I imagine Monday and Tuesday will be frantically busy!

Martha Dean, Ed.D., is the executive director of the state School Administrators Association.

 

WVSBA Briefs

WVSBA conducting Mason, Gilmer and Grant County superintendent searches

The Mason, Gilmer and Grant County Boards of Education have contracted with the West Virginia School Board Association to conduct superintendent searches for their county boards.

Advertisements for the positions are listed below:

Mason County.

COUNTY SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT.  The Mason County, WV, Board of Education is accepting applications for County Schools Superintendent.  Must meet WV qualifications for county superintendent. Salary/benefits negotiable. 6 elementary schools; 3 high schools; 1 Career Center (secondary); 1 intermediate school; 4256 students; declining enrollments; 387 professional personnel; 224.5 service personnel; $36.5 million budget, excluding $7.2 million from 89.2 percent excess levy; 2 WV Schools of Excellence; 5 Title I Distinguished Schools; 1 Exemplary High School; 3 newly renovated high schools and career center.  For "Notice of Position Vacancy," Application Form and related materials, contact: Mason County Schools Superintendent Search, c/o W. Va. School Board Association, PO Box 1008, Charleston, WV 25324 or visit www.wvsba.org (preferred).  Application deadline: 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 15, 2009.   
Those interested in the Mason County position have until April 15 to apply for the position.

Gilmer County.

COUNTY SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT.  The Gilmer County, WV, Board of Education is accepting applications for County Schools Superintendent.  Must meet WV qualifications for county superintendent. Salary/benefits negotiable. 4 elementary schools; 1 high school;  Participant in multi-county vocational center; 941 students; declining enrollments; 88.6 (FTE) professional personnel; 51 48.5 (FTE) service personnel; $9.6 million budget; 37.8 percent excess levy ($994,229); For "Notice of Position Vacancy," Application Form and related materials, contact: Gilmer County Schools Superintendent Search, c/o W. Va. School Board Association, PO Box 1008, Charleston, WV 25324 or visit www.wvsba.org (preferred).  Application deadline: 4:00 p.m., Monday, April 20, 2009.

 

Grant County.

COUNTY SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT.  The Grant County, WV, Board of Education is accepting applications for County Schools Superintendent.  Must meet WV qualifications for county superintendent. Salary/benefits negotiable. 3 elementary schools; 2 high schools; 1 middle school, including Union Educational Complex; fiscal agent for the South Branch Career and Technical Center; declining enrollments;  180 professional personnel; 99 service personnel; $19.0 million budget. For "Notice of Position Vacancy," Application Form and related materials, contact: Grant County Schools Superintendent Search, c/o W. Va. School Board Association, PO Box 1008, Charleston, WV 25324 or visit www.wvsba.org (preferred).  Application deadline: 4:00 p.m., Monday, April 20, 2009.   

For information on either posting, please contact WVSBA Executive Director Howard M. O’Cull, Ed.D. His preferred contact information is hocull@wvbsa.org or telephone 304.346.0571.

WVSBA Executive Director Howard M. O’Cull, Ed.D., commented on the  “fine work and contributions to their school systems” made by Ed Toman and Marsha Carr-Lambert, DM (Grant) superintendents in Gilmer and Grant County, respectively.

 

Ohio County.

The Association recently assisted the Ohio County Board of Education in its superintendent search. 

Veteran OCBOE educator George Krelis was selected for that position by unanimous vote of the Ohio County Board.

Superintendent Larry Miller is retiring on June 30.

Last year, the association provided technical assistance to the Hardy County Board of Education in its superintendent search.

 

“Training Committee” to meet April 20, 2009, in Charleston

 

The West Virginia Board of Education/West Virginia School Board Association School Board Member Training Standards Review Committee (TSRC) will meet April 20, 2009, at the Center for Professional Development Offices in Charleston.

The meeting will commence at 1:00 p.m. and is to be adjourned at 3:15 p.m.

A meeting agenda will be included in the April 10, 2009, issue of The Legislature.
The agenda also will be posted on the Association’s Website as required by TSRC regulations.

During this meeting, the “training committee” will:

• Consider members training credit hours received as of the date of the meeting, including training hours acquired at the recent Winter Conference.
• Discuss the WVSBA staff’s proposed programming for its May 2009 videoconference in which the state’s eight Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs) are providing logistical support.
• Review a request from RESA VI concerning a July 2009 proposed training session in regard to “21st Century” learning and its applicability to county boards.
• Receive a request from a county board relative to members’ receipt of credit hours for participating in a retreat wherein external presenters will provide part of the training program(s).
• Review two (2) previous requests for training in which the TSRC sought additional information as to whether or not the training sessions in which board members participated met the state Board-approved definition of training. One such session dealt with a RESA training program, and another was submitted by an individual county board member.
• Discuss recent association programming, particularly in light of new training emphases as determined by the TSRC in consultation with the state Board of Education, legislators, WVSBA members and others.
• Review legislation, if adopted, which “codifies” the TSRC, based on a state Ethics Commission Opinion regarding its “status” in terms of the state’s Open Meeting Laws (OML).
• Consider individual training requests, if any, received by April 20, 2009.

For more information, please contact WVSBA Executive Director Howard M. O’Cull, Ed.D. His preferred contact information is hocull@wvsba.org or telephone 304.346.0571.

State Board of Education member Gayle Manchin (Kanawha) chairs the TSRC, with co-chair Sally Cann, a member of the Harrison County Board of Education.

 

Briefly

2009 Legislative Calendar

1. √ Opening Day – Jan. 14, 2009: Organizational session to elect officers and open and publish election results (WV Const. Art. VI, §18).
2. √ First Day -- Feb. 11, 2009: First day of session (WV Const. Art. VI, §18).
3. √ 20th Day -- March 2, 2009: Submission of Legislative Rule-Making Review bills due (WV Code. §29A-3-12).
4. √ 41st Day --March 23, 2009: Last day to introduce bills in the Senate and the House (Senate Rule 14)and (House Rule 91a). Does not apply to originating or supplementary appropriation bills. Does not apply to Senate or House resolutions or concurrent resolutions.
5. √ 50th Day -– April 1, 2009: Last day to consider bills on third reading in house of origin. Does not include budget or supplementary appropriation bills (Joint Rule 5b).

60th Day – April 11, 2009: Adjournment at midnight (WV Const. Art. VI, §22).

Source: West Virginia Legislature

 

Bill Almanac - Expanded edition to be forwarded Monday, April 6, 2009

A complete “Bill Almanac” will be included in the Monday, April 6, 2009, issue The Legislature.

It will include the status of bills as of that date.

Also refer to “Only the Strong Survive the Crossover” and “The Administrative Perspective” articles posted above.

 

ETC.

Meanwhile in Illinois...

More than a dozen students at Mundelein High School outside Chicago are experimenting with simplifying their lives by going without one modern convenience every month. Last November, they gave up sugar and eating at chain restaurants; in December, they swore off television. In January, they wrote only on used paper, and last month, they avoided buying anything that couldn’t be recycled. Currently, they are doing without cell phones, and this month, it’s the Internet. Nathen Cantu, one of the students, said he and his friends are learning much about self-reliance. “There’s a pride in saying ‘no’ to things,” he said.

Source: The Week, April 1, 2009.

 

Wisdom

“As scarce as truth is, the supply has always been in excess of the demand.” – Josh Billings: Hiz Sayings, 1866. Billings was the pen name of U.S. humorist born Henry Wheeler Shaw (1818-1865)

Soundbites

 

“Most innovations fail because of lack of planning and lack of critical mass of the people getting involved.” – Lydia McCue of the Department of Education on the innovation zone bill

“I think we’re going to find several innovative and forward-looking schools.” – Sen. Clark Barnes on the innovation zone bill

“How realistic is it to say that elections are nonpartisan for school boards, but many of the members have partisan labels and positions in different political parties that everybody knows anyhow?” – Sen. John Unger on a bill to limit school board members’ political activities

“This has been a session that we’ve worried about what’s best for kids… I’m embarrassed that we had to have a bill before us that requires people who are in charge of the school system to do something we all know would be best for the kids.” – Sen. Richard Browning on a bill to require county school boards to provide parents with information about the Schools for the Deaf and Blind

*

 

The Legislature is published by the West Virginia School Board Association. It provides county board of education members, state policymakers, school administrators and the education community information and opinions regarding West Virginia legislative issues. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect official opinion or policies of the WVSBA, unless specifically stated.

West Virginia School Board Association
PO Box 1008
Charleston, WV 25324
Phone (304) 346-0571 • Fax (304) 346-0572 WVSBA.ORG

Richard Snuffer(Raleigh), President

Howard M. O’Cull, Ed. D., Executive Director, Editor
hocull@wvsba.org
Shirley M. Davidson, Administrative Assistant,
Production and Circulation
sdavidson@wvsba.org

Vincit omnia veritas
“Truth conquers all”