Ashton Marra Published

Local Control Returned to Grant County BOE

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The West Virginia Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday to return local control of the school district to the Grant County Board of Education after nearly five years of intervention.

The system was taken over in 2009 after and audit showed the county was failing in multiple areas, including curriculum, student achievement and lacked leadership.

In 2012, a follow-up audit revealed improvements, but the state BOE remained in control of its finances and personnel, or hiring, practices. 

“Where we came from was a state of confusion,” Grant County Superintendent Dr. Deedra Bolton said, “and that has changed completely.”

On Wednesday, Director of the Office of Education and Performance Audits Gus Penix said Grant County still has a deficit of more than $176,000, but reported the county has a plan to reduce that deficit without going into detail. He recommended the state board vote to return control to the county, which they did without discussion.

“This is when you’re really proud to be a member of the state Board of Education,” Board President Gayle Manchin said after the vote, “when you can listen to stories of the successes that you’re having in your counties.”