MINUTES

WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION

Board Conference Room

Capitol Building 6, Room 353

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East

Charleston, West Virginia

February 14, 2007

I. Call to Order

  President Lowell E. Johnson called the meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) to order at 12:30 p.m. on February 14, 2007, in the Board Conference Room, 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 (via telephone), Burma Hatfield, and Jenny N. Phillips, and ex officios Steven L. Paine, State Superintendent of Schools and Brian E. Noland, Chancellor, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.  Members absent were Ronald B. Spencer and ex officio James L. Skidmore, Chancellor, West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.

II.  Approval of Agenda

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

III. Draft Individual School Education Performance Audit Reports

  for Page Jackson Elementary School and

  Jefferson High School, Jefferson County

Dr. Kenna R. Seal, Director, Office of Education Performance Audits (OEPA), reported that announced on-site reviews were conducted at Page Jackson Elementary School and Jefferson High School in Jefferson County November 29-30, 2006.  The OEPA conducted the reviews which were limited in scope to the standards relative to school and student performance and progress.  The reviews also consisted of resource evaluation.

  Upon the recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Mrs. Cook, seconded Ms. Phillips, the Board unanimously issued Page Jackson Elementary School Full Accreditation status, Jefferson High School Conditional Accreditation status, continued the Full Approval status of the Jefferson County School System, gave the schools and county until the next accreditation cycle to correct any deficiencies reported, and gave Jefferson High School a May 31, 2007 Date Certain to achieve adequate yearly progress (AYP).  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment A.)

IV.  Draft Individual School Education Performance Audit Reports

  for Man Elementary School and Man Middle School, Logan County

  Dr. Seal reported that announced on-site reviews were conducted at Man Elementary School and Man Middle School in Logan County on January 18, 2007.  The OEPA conducted the reviews which were limited in scope to the standards relative to school and student performance and progress.  The reviews also consisted of resource evaluation.

  Upon the recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Ms. Haden, seconded Ms. Phillips, the Board unanimously issued Man Elementary School Full Accreditation status, Man Middle School Full Accreditation status, continued the Full Approval status of the Logan County School System and gave the schools and county until the next accreditation cycle to correct any deficiencies reported. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment B.)

V. Draft Individual School Education Performance Audit Reports

  for Westwood Middle School and Morgantown High School, Monongalia County

  Dr. Seal reported that announced on-site reviews were conducted at Westwood Middle School and Morgantown High School in Monongalia County on December 12-13, 2006.  The OEPA conducted the reviews which were limited in scope to the standards relative to school and student performance and progress.  The reviews also consisted of resource evaluation.

  Upon the recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Ms. Phillips, seconded Mrs. Cook, the Board unanimously issued Westwood Middle School Conditional Accreditation status, Morgantown High School Conditional Accreditation status, continued the Full Approval status of the Monongalia County School System and gave the schools and county until the next accreditation cycle to correct any deficiencies reported with a May 31, 2007 Date Certain to achieve adequate yearly progress (AYP). (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment C.)

VI.  Break

  President Johnson called for a break at 1:40 p.m.

VII.  Call to Order

  President Johnson called the meeting back to order at 1:50 p.m.

VIII. Discipline Without Delay

  Ms. Judy Hale, President, AFT-West Virginia, and Mr. Bob Brown, Executive Secretary, West Virginia School Service Personnel Association (WVSSPA), presented Discipline Without Delay for the Board’s information.  The report presented the findings of a survey conduct by PhoneBase Research among West Virginia residents from all 55 counties.  The survey, commissioned by the AFT-West Virginia and the WVSSPA, was designed to accomplish four primary goals:  1) to gain insight from the citizens of West Virginia about the problems facing public schools in their area, specifically in regard to school safety; 2) to determine the level of job approval that various individuals and groups have achieved based on their roles in keeping schools in West Virginia safe; 3) to find out specific problems within the public school system and ascertain which school safety problems are most prevalent; and 4) to determine which policies or programs the general public would like to see implemented that would be effective in keeping students safe in school. 

  The Board requested that Superintendent Paine meet with various county superintendents, review current Board policies and bring a recommendation for the Board’s consideration that will address the concerns regarding discipline in schools.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment D.)

IX.  School Bus Safety

  Mr. Ben Shew, Executive Director, West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) Office of Transportation, provided an update regarding transportation costs and safety statistics.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment E.)

X.  Praxis Exam Review Process

  Dr. Karen Huffman, Special Assistant to the State Superintendent, Division of Special Projects - Superintendent’s Center for 21st Century Schools, and Dr. Serena Starcher, Coordinator, WVDE Office of Professional Preparation, presented the Praxis exam review process for the Board’s information.  WVBE Policy 5100: Approval of Educational Personnel Preparation Programs, and Policy 5202: Minimum Requirements for the Licensure of Professional/Paraprofessional Personnel and Advanced Salary Classifications, identify the exams required by the WVBE for purposes of educator licensure.  Currently, the Educational Testing Service (ETS) is the provider of the licensure exams required by the WVBE.  The Office of Professional Preparation is working collaboratively with ETS, divisions and offices of the WVDE, institutions of higher education, and educators to review current WVBE-required cut scores on selected Praxis II exams. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment F.)

XI. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)

  Ms. Susan Smith, Coordinator, WVDE Office of School Finance (distributed information), presented information regarding GAAP.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment G.)

XII.  Hampshire County Schools,

Request to Discontinue County Salary Supplements

  Mr. Joe Panetta, Executive Director, WVDE Office of School Finance, presented Hampshire County Schools’ request to discontinue county salary supplements for the Board’s consideration.  Pursuant to the provisions of W. Va. Code §18A‑4‑5a and §18A-4-5b, Hampshire County Schools submitted a request for approval from the WVBE to discontinue the payment of the following county salary supplements to its professional and service personnel, effective July 1, 2007:  $1,400 per year for all professional personnel and $1 per month per year of service, not to exceed $20 per month, for all service personnel.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes of February 15, 2007 at Attachment H.)

XIII. Policy 3233, Establishment and Operation of

  Regional Education Service Agencies (RESA)

  Ms. Betty Jo Jordan, Executive Director, WVDE Office of Technical and Secondary Program Improvement, and Dr. Jack McClanahan, Deputy State Superintendent of Schools, presented Policy 3233 for the Board’s consideration.  A number of typographical corrections were requested prior to the Board’s action on this item at the February 15 meeting.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes of February 15, 2007 at Attachment J.)

XIV.  Future Meetings

  The next regular meeting of the Board will be held February 15, 2007 in Charleston, West Virginia.

XV. Adjournment

  Upon motion by Ms. Haden, seconded by Ms. Phillips and unanimously carried, the meeting adjourned at 4:15 p.m.

    Minutes approved by the Board on March 15, 2007.

    _______________________________________________

  Lowell E. Johnson, President

_______________________________________________

  Priscilla M. Haden, Secretary

Minutes were recorded by

   Virginia M. Harris

Executive Secretary to the Board.

   wvbeminutes2/14/07