Education Forum Results Being Prepared for Special Session

Public roundtable forums on education in West Virginia are complete and now state officials will examine the information to offer for a special legislative session to address school issues.

The Parkersburg News and Sentinel reports that the state Board of Education heard briefs during its monthly meeting Wednesday from state Superintendent of Schools Steve Paine and Stacie Smith, a state-hired meditator with the Massachusetts-based Consensus Building Institute.

The department says more than 1,600 people attended the roundtables in eight counties. Department staff will go through the discussions and survey data to give lawmakers information for the special session, which Gov. Jim Justice called to address teacher pay raises and other topics.

Paine says the biggest agreement was the need for increased resources to help students’ social, emotional and mental health.