MINUTES

WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION

Board Conference Room

Capitol Building 6, Room 353

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East

Charleston, West Virginia

January 11, 2006

I.

President Lowell E. Johnson called the meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) to order at 12:30 p.m. on January 11, 2006, in Capitol Building 6, Room 353, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, West Virginia.

The following members were present: President Johnson, Vice President Delores W. Cook, Secretary Priscilla M. Haden, Barbara N. Fish, Robert W. Dunlevy, Burma Hatfield, Jenny N. Phillips and Ronald B. Spencer, and ex officio Steven L. Paine, State Superintendent of Schools. Members absent were Sheila M. Hamilton and ex officios Bruce C. Flack, Interim Chancellor, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, and James L. Skidmore, Chancellor, the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.

II.

Upon motion by Ms. Hatfield, seconded by Ms. Phillips, the Board unanimously approved the agenda.

III.

Dr. Kenna R. Seal, Director, Office of Education Performance Audits (OEPA), reported that an unannounced full county Education Performance Audit, as directed by the WVBE, was conducted in the Hampshire County School System December 5 - 9, 2005. The Team also conducted an announced progress review of the countywide audit findings of February 2005 and the subsequently reported Improvement Consultant Team Recommendations of April 14, 2005.

It was the recommendation of the OEPA that the Hampshire County School System be issued nonapproval status and that extraordinary circumstances exist in the county that constitute major impediments to the provision of education programs and services for students. It was specifically recommended that the position of county superintendent be declared vacant and that the authority of the Hampshire County Board of Education be limited in the areas of personnel and finance until such time that all deficiencies are resolved and the system is providing a thorough and efficient educational program.

IV.

President Johnson called for a break at 1:05 p.m.

V.

President Johnson called the meeting back to order at 1:21 p.m.

VI.

Mrs. Brenda Pyles, President, Mrs. Linda Baker, Member, Mr. Bernie Hott, Member, Mrs. Lisa Hileman, Member, and Mrs. Helen Heatwole, Member, Hampshire County Board of Education, and Ms. Jill Parker (distributed information), Interim Superintendent of Hampshire County Schools, addressed the Board regarding the Education Performance Audit report. Dr. Howard M. O'Cull, Executive Director, West Virginia School Boards Association, addressed the Board regarding county superintendent search procedures.

Mrs. Fish departed the meeting.

Following discussion and upon motion by Ms. Hatfield, seconded by Mrs. Cook, the Board, with six members voting yes and one member, Mr. Spencer, voting no, accepted the Education Performance Audit Report for the Hampshire County School System. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment A and addendum.)

Superintendent Paine issued the following recommendations to the State Board as a result of the recommendations of the OEPA:

1) that the State Board find that adequate progress has not been made in correcting the emergency in Hampshire County Schools

2) that Hampshire County Schools remain on nonapproval status

3) that the State Board limit the authority of the Hampshire County Board of Education as to the expenditure of funds and the employment, discipline and dismissal of personnel and delegate decision-making authority to the State Superintendent regarding these matters

4) that the State Board delegate to the State Superintendent the authority to conduct hearings on personnel matters and school closure or consolidation mattes and subsequently to render the resulting decisions, and the authority to appoint a designee for the limited purpose of conducting hearings while reserving to the State Superintendent the authority to render the resulting decision

5) that the State Board limit the authority of the Hampshire County Board of Education as to the ability to conduct real estate transactions and delegate to the State Superintendent the authority to act in lieu of the Hampshire County Board of Education in a transfer, sale, purchase or other transaction regarding real estate

6) that the State Board delegate to the State Superintendent the authority to replace administrators and principals in low performing schools and to transfer them to alternate professional positions within the county at his discretion

7) that the State Board delegate to the State Superintendent the authority to fill positions of administrators and principals with individuals determined by the State Superintendent to be the most qualified for the positions

8) that the State Board declare the office of county superintendent of schools of Hampshire County to be vacant

9) that the State Board appoint Cynthia Kolsun, Coordinator in the Office of Technical and Secondary Program Improvement, to serve as Interim Superintendent of Hampshire County Schools from January 13, 2006 through February 20, 2006 and that her salary for that period of time be commensurate with the salary of the State appointed superintendent in McDowell County

10) that the State Board direct the Hampshire County Superintendent and the State Superintendent, after consultation with the Hampshire County Board of Education, to jointly develop and present to the State Board at its March 2006 meeting a set of standards that must be met in order for the Hampshire County Board of Education to regain control of the school system

11) that the State Board direct the Hampshire County Superintendent to provide written and/or oral progress reports to the State Board as requested.

Upon motion by Mr. Dunlevy, seconded by Mrs. Cook, the Board, with six members voting yes and one member, Mr. Spencer, voting no, approved the eleven recommendations of Superintendent Paine.

Upon recommendation fo Dr. Seal and a motion by Mr. Spencer, seconded by Ms. Haden, the Board unanimously approved the accreditation status for the schools as listed in the report.

VII.

President Johnson called for a break at 2:20 p.m.

VIII.

President Johnson called the meeting back to order at 2:30 p.m.

IX.

Dr. Seal reported that an announced on-site review was conducted at Ritchie County Middle School in Ritchie County November 30, 2005. The OEPA conducted the review which was limited in scope to the standards relative to school and student performance and progress. The review also consisted of resource evaluation.

Upon recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Ms. Phillips, seconded by Ms. Hatfield, the Board unanimously continued Ritchie County Middle School's Conditional Accreditation status and the Full Approval status of Ritchie County School System and gave the school and county until the next accreditation cycle to correct deficiencies noted in the report with a May 31, 2007 Date Certain to achieve adequate yearly progress. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment B.)

X.

Dr. Stanley Hopkins, Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Technical and Adult Education Services, distributed information and reported that, as a result of the High Schools for West Virginia's Future Task Force Report, revision of Policy 4110 is recommended. Proposed revisions include flexibility in defining compulsory school attendance age limits based upon anticipated code changes; adjustment in the minute requirement for half-day attendance; parental response time; definition of satisfactory attendance to reinstate driver's license; work permit provisions; and, guidelines related to excused and unexcused absences, provision for makeup work, and attendance incentives. Policy 4110 will be recommended for placement on public comment during the High Schools for West Virginia's Future Task Force Report on the January 12 agenda. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment C and addendum.)

XI.

Dr. Kathy D'Antoni, Vice Chancellor, West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education, provided an informational update regarding the EDGE program in West Virginia high schools and the status of the Parental Handbook currently being used as a guidance tool for students and parents. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment D and addendum.)

XII.

Dr. Karen Huffman, Executive Director, Office of Professional Preparation, Division of Student Support Services, presented the TEAC and State protocols for review of educator preparation programs for the Board's consideration. (Copy appended to Official Minutes of January 12, 2006 at Attachment H.)

XIII.

The next regular meeting of the Board will be held January 12, 2006 in Charleston, West Virginia.

XIV.

Upon motion by Mr. Dunlevy, seconded by Ms. Phillips and unanimously carried, the meeting adjourned at 3:21 p.m.

Minutes approved by the Board on February 9, 2006.

___________________________________________

Lowell E. Johnson, President

___________________________________________

Priscilla M. Haden, Secretary

Minutes were recorded by

Virginia M. Harris

Executive Secretary to

the Board.

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