Education in West Virginia

Formal public school Education in West Virginia falls under the auspices of the West Virginia Department of Education. Each county in West Virginia constitutes a school district.

Education administration

West Virginia Board of Education

The West Virginia Board of Education is established in the West Virginia Constitution.^[which?] The Board is vested with general supervision of West Virginia's 618 elementary and secondary schools. Its twelve members include nine citizens appointed by the governor and three non-voting ex-officio members: the State Superintendent of Schools, the Chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, and the Chancellor of Community and Technical Education. The State Superintendent is a constitutional officer who serves at the will of the board. Board members serve overlapping terms of nine years, and no more than five citizen members may belong to the same political party.^{[citation needed]}

The West Virginia Board of Education meets monthly to determine the educational policies of the elementary and secondary schools and to establish the rules that carry into effect state law regarding education. The State Board of Education also has general control, supervision, and management of the business and educational affairs of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind in Romney.^{[citation needed]}

County Boards of Education

For each K-12 school district there is a board of education with at least five members who are chosen by election in non-partisan races. Though no more than two members may reside in the same magisterial district, members are elected by residents of the entire county.^[1] Active teachers and service personnel are not eligible for election to the county Board of Education.^[2] Members are elected to four-year terms in which the election occurs during the regular primary election in even years.^[3]

In addition to the Boards of Education, each district also has an appointed Superintendent. He typically serves as the executive officer of the county school district and is responsible for enforcing policies of the West Virginia Board of Education.^[4] Assignments, transfers, suspensions, and promotions made by the County Superintendent are subject to approval by the county Board of Education. The Superintendent must be a resident of the county in which he serves or in a contiguous West Virginia county.^{[citation needed]}

Each county school district falls within one of eight Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs).^{[citation needed]}

History

Article X of the 1863 state constitution provided for free and universal system of schools.^[5] The 1872 constitution clarified that "White and colored persons shall not be taught in the same school."^[6]

In 1990, teachers in 47 of the 55 counties went on strike for eleven days.^{[citation needed]} On February 22, 2018, teachers and support staff in all the state's counties struck the schools over pay and other issues shutting down all the public schools in the state. After nine days, the Legislature granted pay raises.^[7]

Comparison

West Virginia ranks as one of the lowest scoring states for education in the United States. According to The National Assessment of Educational Progress, the state ranks significantly below the national average in mathematics, reading, writing, and science. This is compared to its surrounding states of Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania who on average score higher than or equal to the national average.^[8]

Schools

Colleges and universities

High schools

Berkeley Springs High School, Berkeley Springs
Bluefield High School, Bluefield
Braxton County High School, Sutton
Bridgeport High School, Bridgeport
Brooke High School, Wellsburg
Buckhannon-Upshur High School, Buckhannon
Buffalo High School, Buffalo
Cabell Midland High School, Ona
Calhoun High School, Mount Zion
Cameron High School, Cameron
Capital High School, Charleston
Chapmanville Regional High School, Chapmanville
Charleston Catholic High School, Charleston
Clay County High School, Clay
Clay-Battelle High School, Blacksville
Cross Lanes Christian School, Cross Lanes
Doddridge County High School, West Union
East Fairmont High School, Fairmont
East Hardy High School, Baker
Elkins High School, Elkins
Fairmont Senior High School, Fairmont
Frankfort High School, Ridgeley
George Washington High School, Charleston
Gilmer County High School, Glenville
Grafton High School, Grafton
Greenbrier East High School, Lewisburg
Greenbrier West High School, Charmco
Hampshire High School, Romney
Hannan High School, Ashton
Harman High School, Harman
Hedgesville High School, Hedgesville
Herbert Hoover High School, Clendenin
Hundred High School, Hundred
Huntington High School, Huntington
Hurricane High School, Hurricane
Independence High School, Coal City
James Monroe High School, Lindside
Jefferson High School, Shenandoah Junction
John Marshall High School, Glen Dale
Keyser High School, Keyser
Lewis County High School, Weston
Liberty High School (Harrison), Clarksburg
Liberty High School (Raleigh), Glen Daniel
Lincoln High School, Shinnston
Lincoln County High School, Hamlin
Logan High School, Logan
Madonna High School, Weirton
Magnolia High School, New Martinsville
Man High School, Man
Martinsburg High School, Martinsburg
Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge
Mercer Christian Academy, Princeton
Midland Trail High School, Hico
Mingo Central Comprehensive High School, Delbarton
Montcalm High School, Montcalm
Moorefield High School, Moorefield
Morgantown High School, Morgantown
Mount View High School, Welch
Musselman High School, Inwood

Nicholas County High School, Summersville
Nitro High School, Nitro
North Marion High School, Farmington
Notre Dame High School, Clarksburg
Oak Glen High School, New Cumberland
Oak Hill High School, Oak Hill
Paden City High School, Paden City
Parkersburg Catholic High School, Parkersburg
Parkersburg High School, Parkersburg
Parkersburg South High School, Parkersburg
Paw Paw High School, Paw Paw
Pendleton County High School, Franklin
Petersburg High School, Petersburg
Philip Barbour High School, Philippi
Pickens School, Pickens
PikeView High School, Princeton
Poca High School, Poca
Pocahontas County High School, Dunmore
Point Pleasant High School, Point Pleasant
Preston High School, Kingwood
Princeton High School, Princeton
Ravenswood High School, Ravenswood
Richwood High School, Richwood
Ripley High School, Ripley
Ritchie County High School, Ellenboro
Riverside High School, Belle
Riverview High School, Bradshaw
Roane County High School, Spencer
Robert C. Byrd High School, Clarksburg
Saint Albans High School, Saint Albans
Saint Joseph Central Catholic High School, Huntington
Saint Marys High School, Saint Marys
Scott High School, Madison
Shady Spring High School, Shady Spring
Sherman High School, Seth
Sissonville High School, Sissonville
South Charleston High School, South Charleston
South Harrison High School, Lost Creek
Spring Mills High School, Martinsburg
Spring Valley High School, Huntington
Summers County Comprehensive High School, Hinton
Teays Valley Christian School, Scott Depot
Tolsia High School, Fort Gay
Trinity High School, Morgantown
Tucker County High School, Hambleton
Tug Valley High School, Williamson
Tygarts Valley High School, Mill Creek
Tyler Consolidated High School, Sistersville
Union High School, Mount Storm
University High School, Morgantown
Valley High School, Pine Grove
Van Junior-Senior High School, Van
Wahama High School, Mason
Washington High School, Charles Town
Wayne High School, Wayne
Webster County High School, Upperglade
Weir High School, Weirton
Westside High School, Clear Fork
Wheeling Central Catholic High School, Wheeling
Wheeling Park High School, Wheeling
Williamstown High School, Williamstown
Winfield High School, Winfield
Wirt County High School, Elizabeth
Woodrow Wilson High School, Beckley
Wyoming County East High School, New Richmond

References

Education, W. V. (June 10, 2013). Graduation Rates Increasing But West Virginia Still Faces Problem Areas. Retrieved March 4, 2014, from West Virginia Department of Education: http://wvde.state.wv.us/news/2794/

West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. (2011). West Virginia College Going Rates By County and High School Fall 2011. Charleston: West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.

^ "WVC 18 - 5 - 1". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2006.
^ "WVC 18 - 5 - 1 A". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2006.
^ "WVC 18 - 5 - 1 B". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2006.
^ "WVC 18 - 4 - 10". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2006.
^ "State Constitution of 1863". West Virginia. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
^ "State Constitution of 1872". West Virginia. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
^ Coyne, Caity (February 22, 2018). "'They just don't care': Boone County school employees rally". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
^ "NAEP State Profiles". www.nationsreportcard.gov. Retrieved March 3, 2023.