IV. McDowell County Schools Status Report

Superintendent Manchin (distributed information), with the assistance of Mr. Jeff Nash, Director of Facilities and Transportation, Ms. Suzette Cook, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education, Ms. Peggy Freeman, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education and Personnel, and Ms. Barbara Miller, Director of Technology, provided a detailed progress report of efforts to date to meet the minimum standards for return of local control. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment A.)

V. Break

President Johnson called for a break at 2:32 p.m.

VI. Call to Order

President Johnson called the meeting back to order at 2:45 p.m.

VII. Open Forum - Status of McDowell County School System

Superintendent Paine addressed the assembly regarding the great strides made in the McDowell County school system and recommended that Dr. Howard O’Cull, Executive Director, West Virginia School Boards Association, be contacted to provide assistance to the McDowell County board and also that Dr. O’Cull, Dr. Kenna R. Seal, Director, Office of Education Performance Audits, Dr. Jack McClanahan, Deputy State Superintendent, Superintendent Manchin and the McDowell County board work together to formulate a plan to return control of the county to the local Board. President Johnson requested that Superintendent Paine make the necessary contacts and to bring a proposed plan to the Board at the appropriate time.

McDowell County Board President Georgia West, and members Mr. Mike Callaway and Ms. Linda Evans, addressed the Board regarding the takeover, progress made since the takeover and the future return of control. Ms. Carla Horn, Chief School Business Official for McDowell County Schools, addressed the Board regarding budgetary and financial matters.

VIII. Policy 2520.1, 21^st Century Reading and English Language Arts

Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools

Policy 2520.2, 21^st Century Mathematics Content Standards

and Objectives for West Virginia Schools

Policy 2520.3, 21^st Century Science K-8 Content Standards and

Objectives for West Virginia Schools

Policy 2520.4, 21^st Century Social Studies Content Standards and

Objectives for West Virginia Schools

Policy 2520.14, 21^st Century Learning Skills and Technology Tools

Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools

Dr. Jorea Marple, Assistant State Superintendent, and Ms. Carla Williamson, Special Assignment, Office of Instruction, Division of Curriculum and Instructional Services, distributed and presented Policies 2520.1, 2520.2, 2520.3, 2520.4 and 2520.14 for the Board’s consideration. Policies 2520.1, 2520.2, 2520.3 and 2520.4 have been revised in order to: 1) increase the level of content rigor, 2) raise the depth of knowledge levels, 3) incorporate emerging content areas, 4) increase alignment to NAEP and SAT and ACT frameworks, and 5) insure that the complexity expected by the objectives is fairly distributed and increases in sophistication across grades. Policy 2520.14 combines 21^st century learning skills and 21^st century technology tools into three standards and integrates with content standards and objectives to provide rigor and relevance necessary to prepare student to be productive workers and citizens of the 21^st century.

Since initial placement on comment, the CSOs have undergone alignment studies by Dr. Norman Webb, Wisconsin Center for Educational Research, on the depth of knowledge levels, distribution and appropriateness; a response report with recommendations has been received from the 21^st Century Partnership, and meetings have been held with business, industry and government to receive guidance and input. Based on this information additional revisions to the CSOs were necessary making the former versions obsolete and therefore must be withdrawn from comment and the newly revised versions to be placed on public comment.

Upon motion by Ms. Haden, seconded by Mr. Dunlevy, the Board unanimously withdrew Policies 2520.1, 2520.2, 2520.3, 2520.4 and 2520.14 from public comment, and placed newly revised Policies 2520.1, 2520.2, 2520.3, 2520.4 and 2520.14 on public comment for 30 days. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment B.)

IX. Approval of Exemplary Accreditation Status Schools

Dr. Seal distributed and presented schools recommended for exemplary accreditation status. The WVBE annually reviews the performance data for schools and issues an accreditation status to each West Virginia public school. The School Accreditation Summary lists schools that are Exemplary accreditation status schools. Performance data and high-quality standards reveal that the schools listed in the attachment have achieved this honor.

Upon motion by Mrs. Hamilton, seconded by Mrs. Fish, the Board unanimously granted Exemplary Accreditation status to the schools as listed in the attachment. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment C and addendum.)

X. School District Approval Status and School Accreditation Status

October 2006 Report of Ratings

Dr. Seal distributed an updated School District Approval Status and School Accreditation Status October 2006 Report of Ratings for the Board’s consideration. The WVBE annually rates both schools and school systems on the results of information reviewed from the system of education performance audits.

Upon motion by Mr. Dunlevy, seconded by Ms. Hatfield, the Board unanimously issued the schools and school systems in West Virginia the accreditation/approval status as shown in the October 2006 Report of Ratings. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment D.)

XI. Report on Recommendations of the OEPA Study Committee

Dr. Seal presented the report on the recommendations of the OEPA Study Committee for the Board’s consideration. The OEPA, in collaboration with the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE), conducted a study of the accountability system in West Virginia specifically to review annual performance measures, high quality standards, the accreditation of schools and approval status of counties, and the processes and procedures utilized by the OEPA.

Upon motion by Mrs. Fish, seconded by Ms. Hatfield, the Board unanimously received the report of the OEPA Study Committee. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment E.)

XII. Rockman Report on Virtual School Program

Dr. Marple and Ms. Brenda Williams, Executive Director, Office of Instructional Technology, Division of Curriculum and Instructional Services, introduced Dr. Saul Rockman of Rockman et al. Rockman et al. is a research, evaluation, and consulting company that specializes in examining critical issues in formal and informal education. Dr. Rockman presented the final evaluation results of the three year research study of the West Virginia Virtual School’s Middle School Spanish program. The funding for this research project was provided from a federal ED PACE grant. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment F.)

XIII. West Virginia Center for Professional Development (WVCPD) Update

Dr. Patricia Kusimo, Chief Executive Officer, WVCPD, distributed information and provided an update regarding WVCPD programs and collaborative efforts with the WVDE. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment G.)

XIV. Proposed Official State Multiple List of Instructional Materials

for English Language Arts K-12 (Reading/Literature)

Dr. Marple introduced Mr. Dan Blackwood, Coordinator, Instructional Materials, Division of Curriculum and Instructional Services, who presented the Proposed Official State Multiple List of Instructional Materials for English Language Arts K-12 (Reading/Literature) for the Board’s consideration. (Copy appended to Official Minutes of October 5, 2006 at Attachment G.)

XV. Legal and/or Personnel Matters

President Johnson requested a motion to move into executive session as provided in W. Va. Code §6-9A-3 (matters involving attorney-client privilege) and §6-9A-4(b)(2)(A) (personnel exception).

Upon motion by Mr. Spencer, seconded by Mrs. Hamilton, the Board unanimously moved into Executive session at 4:25 p.m., to discuss matters involving attorney-client privilege and personnel.

XVI. Return from Executive Session

The Board returned from Executive Session at 4:47 p.m. at which time President Johnson announced that no action was taken and no decisions were made.

XVII. Future Meetings

The next regular meeting of the Board will be held October 5, 2006 in McDowell County, West Virginia.

XVIII. Adjournment

Upon motion by Ms. Haden, seconded by Mrs. Hamilton and unanimously carried, the meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m.

Minutes approved by the Board on November 9, 2006.

Lowell E. Johnson, President

Priscilla M. Haden, Secretary

Minutes were recorded by

Virginia M. Harris

Executive Secretary to

the Board.

wvbeminutes10/4/06