The West Virginia Board of Education has declared a state of emergency for Pocahontas County Schools.
The board approved the declaration at their monthly meeting Wednesday based on a report of on-site Special Circumstance Review conducted at Pocahontas County High School in the fall of 2024 at the request of County Superintendent Lynne Bostic.
The report outlines several areas of noncompliance with state school policy, including Principal Nicole Rose-Taylor’s inability to access footage from special education classrooms or release student transcripts due to lack of systems access.
“During the first onsite visit which occurred on October 22, 2024, the principal relayed she did not have access to review the cameras in the special education classrooms, as required by policy and code,” the report states. “The principal stated she had made central office staff aware that she needed access.”
The principal also requested access to the state transcript-sharing platform, but neither access issue had been corrected at the time of a second site visit Nov. 7.
The report indicates that many of the issues go back to staffing and leadership issues. Rose-Taylor was only hired in August 2024, and the school’s counselor left in September but according to the report “a qualified replacement has not been found.”
“The comprehensive school counseling program plan was not current at the time of the review,” said Alexandra Criner, director of accountability for the West Virginia Department of Education. She presented the report to the board Wednesday. “We did not have a certified school counselor employed, but it was evident from the review that the services had been lacking for some time.”
Criner also outlined issues with scheduling and student credits.
“Evidence indicated a student was transcribed inaccurate transfer credits, and that that may have been done as an intentional act and not as just a simple error,” she said.
Criner said that the report was ready for presentation at the board’s January meeting, which was cancelled due to inclement weather, and therefore the county and state department have already started working on some of the identified issues.
Key findings include:
- No process to develop student personal education plans (PEPs)
- Student schedules were not prepared in advance of the 2024-25 school year
- School leaders lacked expertise and the necessary access to the West Virginia Education Information System (WVEIS) to transcribe grades and complete other important tasks
- The county did not provide adequate mentorship or support to assist the new high school principal’s transition into the new leadership role
- Insufficient security measures at the school led to inadequate safety supports
- Some special education processes and procedures did not meet state or federal standards and/or requirements
Pocahontas is the fifth school district to be placed under state control in as many years. Pursuant to WVBE Policy 2322, Pocahontas County Schools now has six months to work on a corrective action plan, and an update will be provided to the board at their August meeting. A lack of progress over the next six months could lead to the vacating of the county superintendent’s position, among other more serious interventions.
State Intervention Updates
The board also heard updates from three districts that were placed under a state of emergency or state control in recent years, including Logan, Hampshire and Upshur counties.
Reports presented to the board indicated that Logan and Upshur counties continue to make steady progress in addressing challenges in finance, operations, leadership, student success and personnel.
The board also voted to release Hampshire County Schools from a State of Emergency in Special Education after determining the district is making progress and will maintain the protocols and practices necessary to support continued improvement.
School Closures and Consolidations
The board approved the closure and consolidation of three schools in Nicholas County, and the closure and consolidation of two schools in Tyler County.
Summersville Elementary School, Glade Creek Elementary School and Summersville Middle School in Nicholas County will be merged into a new Summersville Academic Complex PreK-8, scheduled to open for the 2027-28 school year.
Arthur I. Boreman Elementary School and Sistersville Elementary School will merge into a new Tyler Consolidated Elementary School upon the completion of a new facility scheduled to open for the 2027-28 school year.
Charter Schools Stimulus Fund
The board approved the Charter School Stimulus Fund, which was created by the state legislature with Senate Bill 47 in 2023. The fund, which allocates public funds to assist with charter school start-up costs, will be administered by the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board with oversight from the board.
The fund has never been appropriated money by the legislature since its creation, but the policy establishes an accountability structure for the award and expenditure of these funds.
Charter school advocates have long said a lack of startup funds makes it difficult for brick and mortar charter schools to open in the state. In October House Bill 227 passed during a special session. It authorized a public charter school to apply to the state School Building Authority (SBA) for funding to purchase a building. That process is nearing completion for the distribution of $5 million to the state’s four brick and mortar charter schools.
Personal Electronic Device Usage in Schools
Policy 4374 will be placed on public comment for 30 days from filing and is available on the WVDE website. The policy establishes minimum standards and requirements for county boards of education to limit the use of personal electronic devices by students in grades K-12. This policy was developed to minimize disruptions and ensure these devices do not interfere with the educational process in order to increase academic achievement for public school students.
Many school districts across the state have already taken their own action against device usage in schools in recent years with device bans.
The next regularly scheduled WVBE meeting is 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 12, 2025.