Board members approved updates to State Board Policy 2445.41, Textbook Adoption: Notice, Request and Instructions to Publishers, at their January meeting.  

The Board also placed several policies on a 30-day public comment period. Policy 2520.16, Alternate Academic Achievement Standards for West Virginia Schools, is among them. This policy is being revised to add science standards to existing reading/language arts and math. Special needs students who are being taught under these standards represent about 1 percent of students being tested by alternate assessment under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.  

The Board also is seeking public comment on Policy 2520.4 through 2520.12, as well as Policy 2520.18 and 2520.55. These policies update content standards and objectives in various disciplines to incorporate 21st century skills and increase rigor. The disciplines include social studies, health, physical education, foreign languages, driver education, dance, music, theater, visual art, American sign language and wellness.  

School administrators, teachers and parents are encouraged to review the documents and make suggestions on improving the policies, which can be viewed by logging onto http://wvde.state.wv.us/policies.