Public education faces numerous challenges. From teachers’ shortages to discipline issues to underperforming test scores, providing a free and effective education, as mandated by the West Virginia constitution, is becoming increasingly difficult.
That challenge is being exasperated by a growing number of boards of education that are not fulfilling their responsibility in meeting that constitutional duty.
During its meeting on July 9, the State Board of Education declared a state of emergency for Roane County Schools as the county school system requested for the second time in the last four months for an advance on state funds to cover expenses.
The school system that boasted a $2 million budget surplus in 2021, is now facing a $2.5 million deficit.
Roane County Schools are facing similar challenges as nearly every other county. Last year’s total enrollment was approximately 1,795 students. That is a sharp decline from 2021 when enrollment was around 2,200 students. Population declines have been a driving force and that has resulted in a decrease in state funding. Roane County’s approximately $12 million of the $1.2 billion that West Virginia schools received in pandemic relief funding has been used up.
During an appearance on Metronews Tallkline, State School Board President Paul Hardesty says too often school boards are not making the difficult decisions that are often unpopular but necessary.
“The problem is they [board of education] won’t make the necessary cuts at the board’s office to operate in balanced budgets. And what they do is slowly erode the carryovers that they carried over from times past. And then there becomes a day of reckoning,” Hardesty said on Metronews Talkline.
Roane County Schools is just the latest example of a growing number of districts where the state has been compelled to intervene.
In June, Boone County Schools were seized by the state and the superintendent and assistant superintendent were told to vacate their positions due to a multitude of issues in the district.
The board seized control of Nicholas County Schools in May and fired Superintendent Terrance Beam and the county’s assistant superintendent after it was learned hired a family member who was a registered sex offender to work for the school district.
Problems with the school board in Tyler County led to the board seizing control of that district after the board voted twice to not renew the contract of Superintendent Shane Highley, without any public discussion or explanation.
The board has also seized control of Mingo and Logan County Schools. States of Emergency have been declared for Randolph and Upshur County Schools.
Hardesty ended our conversation with a blunt truth that he said he believes wholeheartedly.
“The old, antiquated model is not working, but yet, no one’s got the guts to try to fix it,” said Hardesty.