MINUTES

WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION

Board Conference Room

Capitol Building 6, Room 353

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East

Charleston, West Virginia

March 8, 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 March 8, 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, Sheila M. Hamilton, Burma Hatfield, Jenny N. Phillips and Ronald B. Spencer, and ex officios Steven L. Paine, State Superintendent of Schools. Members absent were ex officios James L. Skidmore, Chancellor, the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education, and Bruce C. Flack, Interim Chancellor, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.

II.

Upon motion by Mr. Spencer, seconded by Mrs. Fish, the Board unanimously approved the agenda.

III.

Dr. Kenna R. Seal, Director, Office of Education Performance Audits (OEPA), reported that an announced on-site review was conducted at Hurricane Middle School in Putnam County February 15, 2006. 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 Mrs. Fish, seconded by Mrs. Hamilton, the Board unanimously continued Hurricane Middle School's Full Accreditation status and the Full Approval status of the Putnam County School System and gave the school and county until the next accreditation cycle to correct the noted deficiencies and a May 31, 2007 Date Certain to achieve adequate yearly progress (AYP). (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment A.)

IV.

Dr. Seal reported that announced on-site reviews were conducted at Independence Middle

School, Shady Spring Middle School and Liberty High School in Raleigh County February 7 - 8,

2006. The OEPA conducted the reviews which were 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 Mrs. Cook, seconded by Mr. Dunlevy, the Board unanimously continued Raleigh County's Full Approval status, issued Independence Middle School, Shady Spring Middle School and Liberty High School Conditional Accreditation status and gave the schools and county until the next accreditation cycle to correct the noted deficiencies and a Date Certain as listed in the reports to achieve AYP. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment B.)

V.

Dr. Seal reported that announced on-site reviews were conducted at New Martinsville School and Short Line School in Wetzel County February 21, 2006. The OEPA conducted the reviews which were 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. Haden, seconded by Mrs. Hamilton, the Board unanimously continued Wetzel County's Full Approval status, issued New Martinsville School and Short Line School Conditional Accreditation status and gave the schools and county until the next accreditation cycle to correct the noted deficiencies and a Date Certain as listed in the reports to achieve AYP. Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment C.)

VI.

Dr. Seal reported that an on-site review of the McDowell County School System was conducted October 22 - 26, 2001. A Follow-up Education Performance Audit Team returned to McDowell County Schools November 30 - December 2, 2005 to verify correction of the findings from the original Education Performance Audit.

Upon recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Ms. Phillips, seconded by Mrs. Hamilton, the Board unanimously continued the McDowell County School System's Nonapproval status and issued the schools the accreditation status as listed in the report. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment D.)

VII.

Dr. Seal reported that an announced on-site review was conducted at Summers County High School in Summers County on October 20, 2004 and a draft report of the Team's findings for the school was presented to the WVBE at its December 2004 meeting. A Team returned to Summers County High School February 2, 2006. The purpose of the return visit was to verify correction of

the findings identified during the original individual school Education Performance Audit and recommend a final school accreditation status.

Upon recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Mr. Dunlevy, seconded by Ms. Hatfield, the Board unanimously continued Summers County High School's Conditional Accreditation status and the Full Approval status of the Summers County School System and gave the school and county an October 2, 2006 Date Certain to correct discipline problems. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment E.)

VIII.

President Johnson called for a break at 1:52 p.m.

IX.

President Johnson called the meeting back to order at 2:05 p.m.

X.

Ms. Phillips introduced Mr. Robert Steptoe, Esq., State Director for Rural Development, who distributed information and discussed distance learning and telemedicine (DLT) grants and loan program. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment F.)

XI.

Ms. Karen K. Larry, Executive Assistant to the State Superintendent, Superintendent's Office, provided clarification regarding a McDowell County Schools' waiver request that was deferred from the Board's February 2006 agenda and is slated for action on the Board's March 9, 2006 agenda. (Copy appended to Official Minutes of March 9, 2006 at Attachment F.)

XII.

Ms. Melanie Purkey, Executive Director, and Ms. Rebecca King, Coordinator, Office of Healthy Schools, Division of Student Support Services, presented proposed Policy 2423 for the Board's consideration. (Copy appended to Official Minutes of March 9, 2006 at Attachment G.)

XIII.

Dr. Jorea Marple, Assistant State Superintendent, Dr. Lynn Boyer, Executive Director, Office of Special Education, and Dr. Jan Barth, Executive Director, Office of Student Assessment Services, Division of Curriculum and Instructional Services, distributed information and presented proposed Policy 2520.16 for the Board's consideration. (Copy appended to Official Minutes of March 9, 2006 at Attachment H and addendum.)

XIV.

Mr. Wes Holland, Coordinator, Division of Curriculum and Instructional Services, presented paperless agenda options for the Board's consideration. Further discussion of this project will take place at a proposed Board training event in June 2006.

XV.

President Johnson distributed a copy of the Board's strategic plan for review and discussion at the Board's April 2006 meeting. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment G.)

XVI.

President Johnson called for a break at 3:55 p.m.

XVII.

President Johnson called the meeting back to order at 4:00 p.m.

XVIII.

As the presiding officer, President Johnson 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, and personnel, citing W. Va. Code §6-9A-4(b)(2)(A).

Upon motion by Ms. Hatfield, seconded by Ms. Phillips and unanimously carried, the Board entered into Executive Session at 4:05 p.m.

XIX.

The Board returned from Executive Session at 4:35 p.m. at which time President Johnson announced that no action was taken and no decisions were made.

XX.

President Johnson announced a special meeting of the Board for March 23, 2006 at 1 p.m. in Charleston, West Virginia. The next regular meeting of the Board will be held March 9, 2006 in Charleston, West Virginia.

XXI.

Upon motion by Mrs. Cook, seconded by Ms. Phillips and unanimously carried, the meeting adjourned at 4:40 p.m.

Minutes approved by the Board on April 13, 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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