Dr. Seal reported that an announced on-site review was conducted at Franklin Elementary Center in Wood County on April 6, 2004. The Office of Education Performance Audits conducted the review which was limited in scope to the performance and process standards relative to school and student achievement. The review also consisted of resource evaluation.

Upon recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Mrs. Cook, seconded by Mr. Spencer, the Board unanimously granted Franklin Elementary Center Full Accreditation status and gave the school and county six months to correct the deficiencies listed in the report. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment D.)

VIII.

State Board Member Reports. Ms. Haden attended a meeting of PASS and discussed her involvement in furthering civic education initiatives. Mr. Morris reported that he has been named a recipient of West Virginia State University's Distinguished Educator of the Year award for 2004. Mr. Spencer distributed, and briefly discussed, minutes of the most recent meeting of the West Virginia School Boards Association/West Virginia Board of Education School Board Member Training Standards Review Committee. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment E.)

Strategic Planning Committee Report. Mr. Morris distributed a copy of the "2004-2005 West Virginia Board of Education Strategic Plan" and requested Steven L. Paine, Deputy State Superintendent of Schools, to provide an overview of the document. The Board's role and responsibility regarding the budgetary process was discussed and it was suggested that Dr. Stewart, in conjunction with Department staff, provide an in-depth presentation regarding the budget with appropriate documentation provided prior to the presentation. Board members were requested to provide feedback regarding the 2004-2005 strategic plan to Dr. Paine no later than May 24. President Chapman requested that members advise her regarding the scheduling of a Board retreat. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment F.)

Legislative Committee Report. Mr. Spencer requested that Dr. Paine provide an update on behalf of the Legislative Committee. Dr. Paine distributed and discussed the "Informal Guidelines for Implementing Public Education Bills Enacted in Regular Session - 2004." (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment G.)

Wellness Committee Report. Liza Cordeiro, Executive Director, Communications Office, Superintendent's Office, discussed public relations initiatives and Mary Kay Harrison, Executive Director, Office of Child Nutrition, Division of Administration Services, discussed suggested actions regarding food and beverage sales in schools.

Upon motion by Ms. Haden, seconded by Mr. Spencer, the Board unanimously accepted the suggested actions regarding food and beverages sales in schools. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment H.)

Grammar Initiative Update. Beverly Kingery, Coordinator, Division of Instructional and Student Services, provided an update regarding the grammar initiative.

Instructional Time Report, Title I Supplemental Services. Keith Butcher, Assistant Director, Division of Instructional and Student Services, provided a report regarding instructional time in 409 Title I supplemental services schools. Susan Barrett, Title I teacher, Cherry River Elementary (Nicholas County), also addressed the Board regarding Title I services offered before, during and after school to students who attend Cherry River Elementary. President Chapman requested that Ms. Barrett contact Dr. Stan Hopkins, Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Technical and Adult Education, regarding the before and after care services offered at Cherry River Elementary.

IX.

President Chapman called for a break at 10:07 a.m

X.

President Chapman called the meeting back to order at 10:23 a.m.

XI.

Upon motion by Mrs. Cook, seconded by Mr. Spencer, the Board unanimously approved/received the consent agenda as previously amended. (Copies appended to Official Minutes, Attachments I-Q.)

minutes of April 14 and 15, 2004. (Attachment I.)

budget supplement and transfer requests for the month of April 2004 as follows: total supplements = $20,557,053 and total transfers = $12,984,653. (Attachment J.)

one (1) new request for a waiver of instructional material and (b) three (3) new requests for waivers of State Board policy. (Attachment K.)

nine (9) county and one (1) RESA applications, representing summer school at twenty (20) county locations. (Attachment L.)

the 2003 Educational Personnel Data Report. (Attachment M.)

Superintendent's report regarding West Virginia Department of Education personnel. (Attachment Mc.)

personnel items for the West Virginia Board of Education. (Attachment N and addendum.)

Fayette County Schools' policy for the employment of substitute teachers in areas of critical need. (Attachment O.)

the West Virginia School Boards Association New County Board Member Orientation for 2004. (Attachment P.)

Policy 2320 - A Process for Improving Education - Performance Based Accreditation System for placement on a 30 day public comment period. (Attachment Q and addendum.)

XII.

Steve McBride, Executive Director, School Improvement, Division of Instructional and Student Services, presented the improvement consultants' recommendations for Atenville Elementary School for the Board's consideration. Atenville Elementary School was designated as Seriously Impaired at the February, 2004 meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education. Policy 2320 states: "Whenever a school is issued seriously impaired status, the West Virginia Board of Education shall appoint a team of improvement consultants to make recommendations within sixty days of appointment for correcting the impairment." At the March, 2004 meeting, the West Virginia Board of Education appointed an Improvement Consultant Team to make recommendations for Atenville Elementary School. It was requested that an item appear on a future agenda to provide an update regarding Lincoln County and that an appropriate press release be issued regarding the re-employment of Superintendent Grizzell to include background information regarding the takeover of the Lincoln County school system.

Upon motion by Ms. Haden, seconded by Mrs. Cook, the Board unanimously approved the recommendations. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment R.)

XIII.

Larry Lamb, Coordinator, Division of Instructional and Student Services, presented a report entitled "Mathematics - Our Future: A Five-Year Plan to Reform Mathematics in West Virginia, K-16" for the Board's consideration. The West Virginia Department of Education has requested a study of the mathematics deficiencies in West Virginia schools and the development of a five-year plan to address those deficiencies. The plan contains a detailed outline and budget necessary for reforming curriculum, instruction and assessment practices in all West Virginia mathematics classrooms. The focus of the plan is to provide on-going, sustained professional development for all West Virginia mathematics teachers.

Upon motion by Mr. Spencer, seconded by Dr. Johnson, the Board unanimously endorsed the five-year plan as the framework for mathematics initiatives in West Virginia. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment S.)

XIV.

Deborah Brown, Executive Director, and Murrell Hoover, Project Coordinator, Office of Instructional Services, Division of Instructional and Student Services, provided a report regarding Project MERIT. Project MERIT is a West Virginia Department of Education and National Science Foundation (NSF) collaborative effort and is in the fourth year of the five year $5.8 million NSF grant. The project goals are to improve both content knowledge and instruction for middle level mathematics teachers and to sustain the changes made in mathematics instruction at this level. The data collected shows the project is meeting its goals and some data has been collected that shows improved student achievement. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment T.)

XV.

President Chapman distributed information regarding the nominees for vacancies on the NASBE Board of Directors.

Ms. Haden moved, and Dr. Johnson seconded, that the Board cast its ballot for Diane Fladmo of Montana as President-elect and Claibourne Smith of Delaware as Northeastern Area Director. The motion was carried unanimously. (Copy, including completed ballot, appended to Official Minutes, Attachment U.)

Dr. Stewart, in follow-up to the Board member reports portion of the agenda, addressed the Board regarding the recent election of board members in Mingo County and the State Board's role and responsibility with regard to counties in which the State Board has previously been in control of local operations.

XVI.

Jane McBride, Superintendent, West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, addressed the Board regarding the June 10, 2004 meeting of the Board at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, Romney, West Virginia.

XVII.

Upon motion by Mr. Morris, seconded by Dr. Johnson, and unanimously carried, the Board adjourned at 11:21 a.m.

Minutes approved by the Board on June 10, 2004.

_____________________________________________

Sandra M. Chapman, President

___________________________________________
Sheila M. Hamilton, Secretary

Minutes were recorded by

Virginia M. Harris

Executive Secretary to

the Board.

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