Dispute Resolution Sought in West Virginia School Plan

The state education board says a dispute resolution company out of Massachusetts will come to West Virginia on Monday to find a solution to the dispute over Nicholas County’s plan to consolidate schools into a single campus following flood damage.

State Superintendent Steven Paine tells the Beckley Register-Herald that the company will interview those involved and return in December with recommendations.

State Board of Education President Thomas Campbell says dispute resolution is standard for the Federal Emergency Management Agency in situations like this one.

The state board rejected Nicholas County’s consolidation plan. Paine said Gov. Jim Justice sponsored the resolution process to be fair to everyone involved after West Virginia’s Supreme Court ruled the state board has the constitutional authority to accept or reject the county plan.