The new vice-chairman of the House of Delegates Education Committee believes “there’s a mood for reform” in education in West Virginia.
Del. Josh Stowers, D-Lincoln, was named to the new position Monday by House of Delegates Speaker Rick Thompson. Stowers, a Kanawha County school administrator, left the powerful House Finance Committee to take the job.
“I’m very encouraged that the governor is going to propose some positive reforms and I hope we can enact them,” Del. Stowers said.
It’s anticipated Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin will make a number of proposed education reforms suggested by the education efficiency audit that came out of his office.
“I want to give the governor the opportunity, since it was his efficiency audit, a chance to put his proposals out there,” Stowers said. “At that point I think we can really start to get down to work.”
Stowers says the state does a great job when it comes to investing tax dollars in education but that investment isn’t producing what it needs to produce.
“Our results, with regard to student achievement, aren’t paying the dividends that our investments should be,” Stowers said. “We have fantastic standards. We are well above average in standards and accountability. We’re just not reaching the mark in student achievement and at the end of the day that’s just what we have to see.”
Stowers believes the public trust needs to be restored in the legislative process. He says passing real education reform can boost that confidence.
“Hopefully it’s a watershed moment for education reform in the state of West Virginia,” he said.
The 60-day regular session is set to start Feb. 13.
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joel davis
Did Delegate Stowers read the audit? The governor ignored most of it and picked and choose what he wanted. He ignored the top heavy part of the audit, perhaps afraid of offending the so-called experts who piddle paddle with data and statistics, and who do not work in the classroom, but in actuality take teachers out of the classroom or increase their numbers. He ignored page 124 of the $750,000 audit which says, "Even compared to other education personnel in West Virginia, it would be fair to say that, if what they(teachers) are paid is an indication, THEN TEACHERS ARE THE LEAST VALUED PART OF THE STATE'S EDUCATION STRUCTURE. THAT RUNS COUNTER TO THE OBJECTIVES IDENTIFIED IN THIS REPORT." Governor Tomblin and the senators in favor of this bill as it now stands deliberately left this out of the so called forum. If we want real reform, then the Governor and all legislators would be in the classroom right now helping teachers. No, they just want to say that we have tried throwing money at the problem with not the results we want. Well, they may be true, but the audit says you haven't thrown it at the classroom teacher, but elsewhere--maybe at those who aren't in the classroom.
The fault dear Brutus Senators and Mr. Tomblin is not in the teachers. Yet, the bill just wants to devalue and place the blame on teachers.
March 7, 2013 at 2:07 pm | Report comment