CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State Board of Education President Paul Hardesty says there needs to be more local accountability in West Virginia’s schools.
Hardesty broke policy during last week’s BOE meeting in Charleston and spoke right after delegations to address the need for state lawmakers to act on the issue during the 2024 Regular Legislative Session.
“I have asked the Legislature to enact and take up the Local Accountability Act of 2024 that will hold local boards accountable in this manner. When a superintendent makes a recommendation, if the board arbitrarily overrides that based on Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, what have you, and not on sound doctrine, they’re held accountable,” Hardesty told the board.
Hardesty said he wants to hold county boards of education accountable for not meeting required benchmarks or financial responsibilities.
Last Wednesday, the board declared a State of Emergency in Hampshire County Schools over incomplete services for special needs students. A separate State of Emergency was declared in Upshur County Schools earlier this year over issues with pandemic relief spending. The board also took over the Logan County school system last year due to issues of non-compliance.
“We are a board of policy. Until board members decide on a local level to hold their people accountable and put student achievement first, we’re not going to do any better,” Hardesty said.
During his speech to the board, Hardesty gave no specific details as to what the legislation would entail, but he did mention issues such as teacher shortages.
“We have a chronic absentee rate with our employees that is embarrassing,” he said. “The Legislature is going to have to make their days worth some value in order for them to want to save them.”
Hardesty said 637 schools are operating at 51 percent capacity, which exacerbates the teacher vacancies.
“Until the madness stops and we focus on core instruction in the classroom, and we focus on accountability, we can sit up here and make whatever policies known to man. Nothing is going to happen,” he said.
State lawmakers are in Wheeling for interim committee meetings this week.