Public Education

The number of low-income students taking Advanced Placement courses around the nation has more than quadrupled in the last decade, according to the College Board. But a study shows West Virginia is still behind when it comes to making sure low-income students have access to these rigorous classes.

The West Virginia Senate Education Committee is proposing a sweeping $1,000 pay raise for teachers.
 
The bill originally proposed a 2 percent raise.
Committee Chair Bob Plymale says they hope the raise will begin to attract highly qualified teachers.
 
He says many teachers across the state are nearing retirement and the committee wants to compete for new teachers nationally.
 
While the committee doesn't feel an across-the-board raise of $1,000 is competitive enough, Plymale says it's a start.

Test results show bottled water provided to Kanawha County Schools do not contain coliform after a health official discontinued its use Wednesday.

The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department ran tests for coliform, an indicator of bacteria, after complaints that the water had a musty smell and an issue with taste.

West Virginia will receive $3.2 million in federal funding for continued efforts to help low-performing schools.
 
     The U.S. Department of Education announced more than $38 million in school improvement grants for West Virginia and five other states Friday. Education agencies in each state will dole out the funding to districts that demonstrate the greatest need for the funds.
 

The upper chamber passed four bills Monday. They include:

Senate Bill 267

The bill ensure that state courts have jurisdiction over prosecuting unauthorized or fraudulent uses of state purchasing cards when used out of state. Penalties include 1-5 years of imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $5,000.

The natural gas boom begs the question: what do you do with the waste?

A Virginia learning center focuses on good water stewardship.

3-D printers help Marshall University students learn human evolution.

And…what is that pink, teepee-shaped building in Pocahontas County, W.Va., anyway?

Tests conducted more than two weeks after a chemical spill tainted the water supply for 300,000 West Virginians show the presence of the chemical remains in five schools.
 
     The state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management on Friday released the results of water samples taken at 83 schools in five counties.
 

With the Success of the Feed to Achieve Act last year, Senate Majority Leader John Unger is now looking to take on childhood obesity with new legislation. He introduced the Move to Improve Act into the Senate Thursday.

“Move to Improve goes into our middle schools and our elementary schools and really tries to instill in our students the importance of good nutrition and physical activity,” Unger said.

West Virginia School Building Authority executive director Mark Manchin has been named schools superintendent in Harrison County.
 
 The Harrison County Board of Education approved a three-year contract for Manchin on Wednesday. He will begin his new job on July 1.
 

Reactions to reports of formaldehyde in Charleston's water come after Dr. Scott Simonton of Marshall University and the Environmental Quality Board found the chemical in Vandalia Grill's water, the House rejects a resolution that would allow active-duty personnel to vote in the legislature, and researchers from Downstream Strategies raise more questions about this months chemical spill. Also, many county school systems struggle to make 180 days of classroom education.

West Virginia School Building Authority executive director Mark Manchin says he plans to step down to become Harrison County's school superintendent.
 
     The county Board of Education has scheduled a special meeting Wednesday to vote on a proposed contract. School board president David Sturm tells media outlets that he expects the board to approve the contract.
 
     Manchin says he will accept the job if it's offered.
 

Governor Tomblin announced a 2 percent pay raise for teachers during his State of the State Address, but union representatives say the state needs more to keep quality teachers in the classrooms.

West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee said he was glad to hear education is still a top priority for the governor this legislative session, but thinks more can be done for teacher pay.

“We will continue to work with the House and Senate to see if we can improve on that two percent realizing that it’s a starting point,” he said Wednesday.

WV Senate President Jeff Kessler says he thinks he has the support of Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and WV House Speaker Tim Miley to create a future fund for education and other needs, despite budget woes.

Kessler says the plan would set aside a portion of the severance tax on the state's natural gas industry for the fund. But it wouldn't impose any higher tax rates or affect current government programs.

The plan could infuse more money for future teacher pay raises, infrastructure and other needs.

Berkeley County 5th grade teacher Erin Sponaugle is West Virginia's Teacher of the Year and a new book highlights the history of the state's county courthouses.

West Virginia education officials they've made progress on the governor's education priorities but more needs to be done.
 

The Reconnecting McDowell board of directors approved a plan today to purchase property in downtown Welch, W.Va., on which to build much-needed, affordable housing for teachers and other professionals.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded $1,121,678 to Raleigh County Community Action Association in Beckley to continue its Head Start program.

The program serves pre-school aged children at eight sites throughout the county.
 

Head Start is a national program for low-income pre-school children that prepares them for elementary school. The program provides comprehensive education activities in classrooms. It also provides social, nutritional, health and mental health, and transportation services for children and their families.

The Governor’s Education Reform Bill passed through the legislature and was signed into law earlier this year. That bill was seen as a major overall to the state’s public education system which critics said was failing West Virginia students, but was only meant to be the first step in reform.

From preschool to college and beyond, legislators have spent the past nine months hearing from the state Department of Education and the Higher Education Policy Commission about how they’re working to expand their reach and improve the quality of education students’ are receiving.

More than 42,000 West Virginians are employed by the manufacturing industry and state lawmakers were told that number is expected to grow in the coming years, but industry leaders say the state needs to focus on educating those workers now.

President of the West Virginia Manufacturer’s Association Karen Price said the problem with the state’s manufacturing industry is not a job shortage, but a labor shortage.

The West Virginia Board of Education is pledging not to share students' personal information with anyone outside the system.
 
     The move was codified with a resolution passed at the board's regular meeting this week and will eventually become policy.
 
     The Charleston Daily Mail reports that the action was taken in large part to appease those are concerned with West Virginia's adoption of the national Common Core standards for education.