Gov. and First Lady Update WV Board of Ed. on Communities In Schools’ Success

Charleston, W.Va. - The West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) welcomed Gov. Jim Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice to its October meeting today in Charleston. They provided the Board with an update on the Communities In Schools (CIS) program in West Virginia. CIS is a comprehensive initiative that surrounds children with the necessary resources to meet their needs allowing them to stay in school and connect to a pathway of post-secondary success.

The Governor and First Lady championed the expansion of CIS throughout their tenure. Through their work with the West Virginia Legislature and the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE), CIS has expanded to all 55 counties. The program impacts 117,000 students through the work of 298 site coordinators in 285 schools. As a result, 99% of students served have stayed in school with a significant number of them showing improved behavior, academic performance and attendance.

Vulnerable student populations often need assistance extending beyond what schools or any single organization can provide. The site coordinators bring together local resources to meet the unique needs of the child and reinforce supports through consistent and sustained engagement. This allows the child and family to focus on school success.

District Approval Status and Accreditation

The WVBE also approved the 2024 District Approval Status and Accreditation Report. The WVDE Office of Accountability presented the report that provides critical insights into school district performance across 11 indicators. The report provides a public review of each district's operational efficiency (e.g., Finance, Facilities, Special Education), as well as its performance on the West Virginia Balanced Scorecard Indicators of Academic Performance and Student Success (e.g., English language arts [ELA] and Mathematics Achievement and Progress, Attendance, Behavior).

Key findings from the report include:

• For the Attendance Indicator, 91% of districts designated as "On Watch" in 2023 showed a reduction in chronic absenteeism. Additionally, 100% of districts that were designated as "Support" showed a reduction in chronic absenteeism.
• For the ELA indicators, 100% of counties designated as "On Watch" for ELA Achievement last year made gains. No counties were designated in the more intensive categories for ELA Achievement or ELA Progress.
• For the mathematics indicators, 65% of districts designated as "On Watch" for Math Achievement in 2023 made increases. Also, 33% of districts identified as "On Watch" improved in Math Progress.

Districts that have been identified for the same indicator for consecutive years require increased action by the county and the WVDE. The report and WVBE presentation are available on the WVDE website.

Elementary Alternative Education Grants

The WVDE Office of Safety and Tiered Support Systems announced the recipients of the Elementary Alternative Education Grants. These awards, $250,000 each, help counties establish strong multi-tiered systems of support to address advancing and critical needs of students. Smaller grants were awarded to other districts with existing programs.

The WVDE supports counties in addressing needs such as low academic performance, chronic absenteeism, social-emotional and behavioral supports as well as others. Multi-tiered systems are designed on a continuum to provide appropriate responses to deliver evidence-based and focused interventions in the most productive manner possible.

Recipients include:

Quadrant 1	Mercer County Wyoming County
Quadrant 2	Boone County Clay County
Quadrant 3	Hancock County Roane County
Quadrant 4	Berkeley County Marion County
Elementary Alternative Education Grant Awards for Technical Support and Expansion of Existing Programs ($75,000)
Quadrant 1	Raleigh County
Quadrant 4	Monongalia County

WVBE Policies on Public Comment

Policy 5202, Minimum Requirements for the Licensure of Professional/ Paraprofessional Personnel and Advanced Salary Classifications establishes the requirements regarding licensure of educators to work in West Virginia public schools. As changes occur in education, certification and licensure policies must be revised to ensure educational needs are met. This proposed policy implements new statutory requirements and current policy drafting protocol.

Policy 8400, The Charter Public Schools Stimulus Fund resulted from the passage of Senate Bill 47 during the 2023 regular legislative session. It has given the WVBE the responsibility to adopt a policy that creates a Charter Schools Stimulus Fund which allows grants of appropriated public funds to assist with charter school start-up costs. The Professional Charter School Board will administer the fund with oversight from the WVBE. The policy addresses criteria and processes regarding grant awards as well as reporting requirements that the Professional Charter School Board is required to follow.

Policy 5202 is on public comment for 30 days, and Policy 8400 is on public comment for 45 days. Both may be reviewed on the WVDE website.

Documents, agenda items and other information from the October WVBE meeting are located on the WVBE Oct. 9, 2024, calendar listing.

The next regularly scheduled WVBE meeting is 10 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Building 6, Suite 600, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, West Virginia.

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