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Updated: 2:53 PM Nov 10, 2009
State Board of Education Intervenes in Grant County
Charleston, W.Va. The West Virginia Board of Education intervened in Grant County Schools Monday following a recommendation by the Office of Education Performance Audits.
Posted: 4:54 PM Nov 9, 2009 |
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3 Comments 
The West Virginia Board of Education intervened in Grant County Schools Monday following a recommendation by the Office of Education Performance Audits.
The OEPA told the board that serious county board leadership problems exist in Grant County as well as personnel and curriculum issues.
The OEPA conducted an announced audit of the Grant County School System in early October 2009.
“It looks bleak and we think things are getting worse and not better,” says OEPA Executive Director Kenna Seal. “Students are being deprived of what they deserve from the educational system.”
According to the OEPA report, there has been a collapse of leadership on the board level. The OEPA audit team found several highly irregular actions taken by the board related to state code and state school policy.
“In looking through this report, I was very disturbed,” says West Virginia Board of Education Member Delores Cook. “The bottom line is that the lack of leadership has impacted the students and that is not acceptable.”
Immediately following the unanimous vote in favor of intervention, the board accepted the following recommendations by West Virginia Superintendent of Schools Steve Paine:
- That the state board limit the authority of the Grant County Board of Education as to the expenditure of funds, the employment and dismissal of personnel, the establishment and operation of the school calendar, the establishment of instructional programs and rules and any other areas designated by the state board by rule and delegate decision-making authority to the state superintendent regarding these matters.
- That the state board delegate to the State Superintendent the authority to conduct hearings on personnel matters and school closure or consolidation mattes and subsequently to render the resulting decisions, and the authority to appoint a designee for the limited purpose of conducting hearings while reserving to the state Superintendent the authority to render the resulting decision.
- That the state board limit the authority of the Grant County Board of Education as to the ability to conduct real estate transactions and delegate to the state superintendent the authority to act in lieu of the Grant County Board of Education in a transfer, sale, purchase or other transaction regarding real estate.
- That the state board delegate to the state superintendent the authority to replace administrators and principals in low performing schools and to transfer them to alternate professional positions within the county at his discretion.
- That the state board delegate to the state superintendent the authority to fill positions of administrators and principals with individuals determined by the state superintendent to be the most qualified for the positions.
- That the state board grant the state superintendent the authority to immediately hire Ted Mattern as county superintendent to begin employment in Grant County Schools November 16 and set his salary.
- That the state board direct the Grant County superintendent and the state superintendent, after consultation with the Grant County Board of Education, to jointly develop and present to the state Board at a future meeting a set of standards and/or a strategic plan that must be implemented in order for the Grant County Board of Education to regain control of the school system.
- That the state board direct the Grant County Interim Superintendent and/or Superintendent to provide written and/or oral progress reports to the State Board as requested.
Latest Comments
Be Careful what you wish for. The state may not make things better for your county. Has your superintendent done every thing good for you in that past year?
It's about time.... maybe if and when the state comes down on these county board of educations and hold the administrators and the board members accountable for there decision instead of a slap on the hand our children may start getting a better education. It is not only grant county but let's take a look at Hardy County... in a million dollar deficit one year and the assistant superintendent takes over and ' BAM' in less than a year we are out of the million dollar deficit ... look a little fishy to me why did the state not look into this????????
I THINK IT'S REALLY BAD WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN EDUCATION WHO ARE TO BE EDUCATED CAN'T MAKE RIGHT CHOICES.BUT CONSIDER WHERE THIS IS GRANT COUNTY LOOK AT THERE COUNTYS PAST.CORRUPT INDIVIDUALS IN POSITIONS THROUGH OUT THE COUNTY USING THEIR POWER TO CONTROL PEOPLE GAIN REVENGE TOWARDS PEOPLE GAIN WEALTH JUST PLAIN HAVE THERE WAY. NOT TO DO THE JOB AS IT SHOULD BE DONE. THREE BOARD MEMBERS ARE TO BLAME FOR WHERE THIS HAS GONE. THEY HAVE BE RUNNING THINGS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL NOT ON A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL.IT'S NOT ABOUT THEIR WAY BUT WHAT IS BEST FOR STUDENTS OF GRANT COUNTY.BE WILLING TO WORK AS A TEAM PLAYER HAVE GOOD COMMUNICATING SKILLS,KEEP PERSONAL IDEAS OFF THE JOB.THINK WHAT IS BEST FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN AND STAY SAFE. BUT IT WILL TAKE EVERY EMPLOYEE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO DO THEIR JOB WITH THIS GOAL IN MIND.THEIR NEEDS TO BE A GOOD HOUSE CLEANING IN GRANT COUNTY TOP TO BOTTOM!!!!
