West Virginia Board of Education
Balance in Regulations
WVBE President L. Paul Hardesty highlighted the inconsistencies between regulations, requirements and oversight of public schools, charter schools and homeschools. He compared the 1,300-page 2025 West Virginia School Laws Code Book that contains laws passed by the West Virginia Legislature that govern public schools, to a single sheet of paper that outlines all of the legislative requirements for charters schools, and to an index card that shows all the legislative requirements for homeschooling.
“There is a real misconception among the public about the author of the West Virginia Code Book. Every law in the book was passed by the Legislature - not this State Board and not the Department of Education,” Hardesty said. “I am not against school choice, but let’s be equitable and let’s be fair. The rules and oversight of public education and the rules for other school choice options sets one system up for success and the other to fail. I don’t think the public understands the way the game is played and the hand that they’ve been dealt.”
The decrease in county school funding leads many county school boards to close and consolidate schools. The WVBE believes that there needs to be a better public understanding of West Virginia’s funding formula and education laws to understand the impact on local schools. Board members say they remain committed to open communication and are willing to sit down with members of the Legislature to address the challenges outlined during the meeting.
To view the presentation, visit the A Message from West Virginia Board of Education President L. Paul Hardesty [MP4] (15 min, 6.92gb).
