MINUTES

WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION

Board Conference Room

Capitol Building 6, Room 353

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East

Charleston, West Virginia

June 11, 2003

I.   Call to Order

President H. M. Persinger Jr., called the meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education to order at 1:00 p.m. on June 11, 2003, in the Board Conference Room, Capitol Building 6, Room 353, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, Charleston, West Virginia.

The following members were present: President Persinger, Vice-President Sandra M. Chapman, Secretary Ronald B. Spencer,  Delores W. Cook, Barbara N. Fish, Priscilla M. Haden, Sheila M. Hamilton,  Paul J. Morris, David Stewart, State Superintendent of  Schools and  J. Michael Mullen, Chancellor, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.   Member absent was: Lloyd G. Jackson II.

II. Approval of Agenda

Upon motion by Priscilla M. Haden, seconded by Paul J. Morris, the State Board unanimously approved the agenda.

III. West Virginia Non-Public Schools -

The Role of the West Virginia Board of Education and

County Boards of Educations

Karen Larry, Executive Assistant to the State Superintendent, distributed information and  addressed the State Board regarding the State Board's role, in law and policy, regarding non-public schools.  Discussion ensued regarding oversight and accountability issues.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment A.)

IV. Policy 5050 - West Virginia Commission for

Professional Teaching Standards

Karen Huffman, Executive Director, Office of Professional Preparation, Division of Administrative Services, distributed information and addressed the State Board regarding Policy 5050.  Discussion ensued regarding the intent of the statute, the evolution of the commission, and timelines for policy development.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment B and addendum.)

V. Point of Order

President Persinger suspended discussion regarding Policy 5050 and yielded the floor  to Dee Braley.

VI. Draft of the West Virginia  IDEA Improvement Pan

Dee Braley, Executive Director, Office of Special Education, Division of Instructional and Student Services, addressed the State Board regarding the draft IDEA Improvement Plan.  

The Office of Special Education and West Virginia Birth to Three collaborated with representatives of other agencies and parents over a two-year period in developing a process to assess the effectiveness of West Virginia's special education and related services for children birth through age twenty-one who are supported by the Individuals with Disabilities Act, Amendments of 1997 (IDEA 97).  During the process, data was analyzed and needs identified within eight areas specified by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.  Findings and recommendations based on this comprehensive analysis were incorporated into the West Virginia IDEA Self-Assessment Process, 2002-2003 Report.  This Improvement Plan is being developed in response to the priorities identified through the IDEA Self-Assessment Process.   (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment C.)

VII. Policy 5050 - West Virginia Commission for

  Professional Teaching Standards (Continued)

Discussion continued regarding Policy 5050 as to whether policy language was consistent with statute.  Sandra M. Chapman requested that future modifications be color coded to allow the State Board to recognize statutory requirements.  Paul J. Morris spoke in favor of the current policy.  

President Persinger appointed Barbara N. Fish and Sandra M. Chapman to work with Karen Huffman regarding Policy 5050.

VIII. Break

President Persinger called for a break at 2:45 p.m.

IX. Call to Order

President Persinger called the meeting back to order at 3:00 p.m.

X. Policy 2250 - Community Involvement  to Complement Education

Rebecca Tinder, General Counsel to the State Board and the Department, addressed the State Board regarding proposed Policy 2250.  Discussion ensued regarding the scope and intent of the proposed policy.  Following a lengthy discussion regarding the proposed policy, Ms. Tinder was directed to make a number of changes to the policy and to bring the revised version, with the changes identified,  before the Board for action at the June 12 meeting. (Copies appended to Official Minutes, Attachment D.)

XI.  Before/After School Care

Stan Hopkins, Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Technical and Adult Education, distributed information and addressed the State Board regarding the results of a survey regarding public school before and after care programs.  Following discussion, Dr. Hopkins was instructed to continue research on this topic and provide an update at the November 2003 State Board meeting.  Barbara Fish suggested contacting programs, in addition to schools, in an attempt to ascertain  where such programs exist.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment E.)

XII. Content Standards Training

Pamela S. Cain, Assistant State Superintendent, and Deborah Brown, Executive Director, Office of Instructional Services, Division of Instructional and Student Services, distributed a PowerPoint presentation and provided the State Board an update regarding training that has and will occur with regard to the new content standards.  It was suggested that the module be shared with the public and private institutions of higher education.  Dr. Mullen advised that Department staff will be invited to a meeting in July with the appropriate higher education representatives.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment F.)

XIII. Miscellaneous

President Persinger recognized Chuck Nichols, RESA Liaison, who addressed the Board and indicated that beginning in July 2003 the RESA directors will submit reports to Dr. Paine for distribution to State Board members.  Also, RESAs are now in the process of scheduling meetings and the schedules will be shared once they are finalized.

Barbara Fish provided an update regarding the alert from NASBE pertaining to the "Ready to Teach Act" and indicated that concerns regarding the bill have been averted. 

XIV. Legal and/or Personnel Matters

As the presiding officer, President Persinger informed the members that he had identified a matter that needed to be discussed in Executive Session, involving attorney-client privilege, citing W.Va. Code 6-9A-3.

Upon motion by Priscilla M. Haden, seconded by Delores W. Cook, and unanimously carried, the State Board entered into Executive Session at 4:50 p.m.

XV. Return from Executive Session

The State Board returned from Executive Session at 5:32 p.m. at which time President Persinger announced that no action was taken and no decisions were made.

XVI. Future Meetings

The next regular meeting of the State Board will be held June 12, 2003 in Charleston, West Virginia.

XVII. Adjournment

Upon motion by Paul J. Morris, seconded by Sheila M. Hamilton, the State Board adjourned at 5:35 p.m.

                                                               Minutes approved by the State Board on July 10, 2003.

                                      _____________________________________________

                                     H. M. Persinger Jr., President

wvbeminutes6/11/03