MINUTES

WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION

Board Conference Room

Capitol Building 6, Room 353

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East

Charleston, West Virginia

December 12, 2007

I.  Call to Order

  President Delores W. Cook called the meeting of the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) to order at 2:00 p.m. on December 12, 2007, in the Board Conference Room, Capitol Building 6, Room 353, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, West Virginia.

  The following members were present:  President Cook, Vice President Priscilla M. Haden, Secretary Ronald B. Spencer, Robert W. Dunlevy, Barbara N. Fish, Burma Hatfield, Lowell E. Johnson, Gayle C. Manchin, and Jenny N. Phillips, and ex officio Steven L. Paine, State Superintendent of Schools.  Student representative in attendance was Mitchel Kawash of Charleston who attends George Washington High School.  Members absent were ex officios Brian E. Noland, Chancellor, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, and James L. Skidmore, Chancellor, West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.

II. Recognitions

  President Cook recognized Mr. Doug Martin, Teacher, Mingo Career and Technical Center.  Mr. Martin is one of four educators to be named Technology and Learning Magazine’s  2007 National Leaders of the Year.

III. Delegations

  Mr. Leon Ivey (distributed statement), Fayette County parent, addressed the Board regarding the Education Performance Audit Report for the Fayette County School System.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment D.)

IV. Approval of Agenda

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

V.  Education Performance Audit Report for the

  Fayette County School System, Fayette County 

Dr. Kenna R. Seal (distributed information), Director, Office of Education Performance Audits (OEPA), reported that an announced on-site review of the Fayette County School District November 14-16, 2006.  The WVBE reviewed the OEPA report at its January 2007 meeting and declared that extraordinary circumstances existed and issued the county Nonapproval status.  According to W. Va. Code §18-2E-5 the WVBE appointed an Improvement Consultant Team (ICT) to make recommendations for correcting the emergency and gave the county six (6) months to correct the deficiencies in the OEPA report.  The OEPA returned to Fayette County October 22-November 5, 2007, as directed by the WVBE, to conduct a full county audit and review the county’s progress in responding to the ICT’s recommendations.

  Following review and discussion of the most recent audit and upon the recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Mrs. Manchin, seconded by Mr. Dunlevy, the Board unanimously continued the Fayette County School System’s Nonapproval Status until October 2008 and issued the schools the respective approval and accreditation status as listed in the Education Performance Audit report. The Board further directed that a progress report be provided every three months and that Fayette County Schools’ officials work with the Department and the OEPA to develop a strategic plan to be provided to the Board within the next month.  The strategic plan will be reviewed at the next progress report.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment A and addendum.)

VI. Break

  President Cook called for a break at 3:51 p.m.

VII.  Call to Order

  President Cook called the meeting back to order at 4:04 p.m.

VIII.  Draft Individual School Education Performance Audit Report

for Philippi Elementary School, Barbour County

  Dr. Seal reported that an announced on-site review was conducted at Philippi Elementary School in Barbour County October 15, 2007.  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 the recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Dr. Johnson, seconded by Ms. Phillips, the Board unanimously issued Philippi Elementary School Full Accreditation status, continued the Full Approval status of the Barbour County School System and gave the school and county until the next accreditation cycle to correct deficiencies noted in the report. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment B.)

IX. Draft Individual School Education Performance Audit Report

  for Union Educational Complex School, Grant County

  Dr. Seal reported that an announced on-site review was conducted at Union Educational Complex School in Grant County November 1, 2007.  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 the recommendation of Dr. Seal and a motion by Ms. Haden, seconded by Ms. Phillips, the Board unanimously issued Union Educational Complex School Full Accreditation status, continued the Full Approval status of the Grant County School System and gave the school and county until the next accreditation cycle to correct deficiencies noted in the report. (Copy appended to Official Minutes, Attachment C.)

X.  Approval of Programs at Wheeling Jesuit University

  Mr. Nathan Estel, Executive Director, WVDE Office of Professional Preparation, provided information regarding the status of Wheeling Jesuit University's educator preparation programs. 

XI.  Policy 2200, Parent Involvement in Education

  Ms. Betsy Peterson, Coordinator, WVDE Office of Special Programs, Extended and Early Learning, presented Policy 2200 for the Board’s consideration. Following discussion it was decided that Policy 2200 would be removed from the December 13, 2007 agenda in order to allow the addition of language to expand involvement to include the at-large community. (Copy formerly appended to Official Minutes of December 13, 2007 at Attachment P and moved to the Official Minutes of December 12, 2007 at Attachment E.)

XII. Policy 2444.4, Issuance of the State of West Virginia

High School Equivalency Diploma Based Upon Passage

of the General Educational Development (GED® ) Tests

  Dr. Stan Hopkins, Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Technical and Adult Education Services, and Ms. Debra Kimbler, Coordinator, WVDE GED Office, presented Policy 2444.4 for the Board’s consideration.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes of December 13, 2007 at Attachment Q.)

XIII.  Policy 2445.40, Groupings for Textbook Adoption for

  Early Childhood Education, Middle Childhood Education,

  and Adolescent Education

  Dr. Jorea Marple, Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Curriculum and Instructional Services, presented Policy 2445.40 for the Board’s consideration.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes of December 13, 2007 at Attachment R.)

XIV.  Policy 2445.41, "Textbooks" Adoption:

Notice, Request, and Instructions to Publishers

  Dr. Marple presented Policy 2445.41 for the Board’s consideration.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes of December 13, 2007 at Attachment S.)

XV. Policy 5100, Approval of Educational Personnel Preparation Programs

  Mr. Estel presented Policy 5100 for the Board’s consideration.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes of December 13, 2007 at Attachment T.)

XVI. Policy 5202, Minimum Requirements for the Licensure

  of Professional/Paraprofessional Personnel & Advanced Salary Classifications

  Mr. Estel presented Policy 5202 for the Board’s consideration.  (Copy appended to Official Minutes of December 13, 2007 at Attachment U.)

XVII.  Future Meetings

  The next regular meeting of the Board will be held December 13, 2007 in Charleston, West Virginia.

XVIII. Adjournment

Upon motion by Dr. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Dunlevy and unanimously carried, the meeting adjourned at 4:52 p.m.

    Minutes approved by the Board on January 10, 2008.

    _______________________________________________

  Delores W. Cook, President

_______________________________________________

   Ronald B. Spencer, Secretary

Minutes were recorded by

Virginia M. Harris

Executive Secretary to the Board.

   wvbeminutes12/12/07