As public education faces challenges of declining enrollment and persistent disinvestment of funding and resources, school closures and consolidations continue to threaten access to public education for children in our state. Twenty-five schools were proposed or approved for closure across the state this school year. One county that has been particularly affected is Wood County.…
Education
Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia Daily News, Times West Virginian - Next year, West Virginia taxpayers will subsidize any parent who doesn’t want to send their kid to public school. Read the full article. The price tag? $315 million. House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, said he’s concerned about the state being able to afford the…
Intermountain - This coming Friday we plan to have our second “First Friday Focus on Education” gathering in the Learning Lab at Kump Education Center, 401 S. Randolph Avenue across from Kroger at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 7. Read the full article. We hope to develop more understanding of problems that impede progress in our schools…
West Virginia Watch, Times West Virginian - The price tag for the Hope Scholarship, the state’s education savings account program, will double next year, climbing to more than $100 million. As budget concerns loom, lawmakers are questioning if the state can afford the program that is a hallmark of the Republican-heavy Legislature’s education freedom push. …
West Virginia Watch - More than 25,000 children in West Virginia don’t have access to child care, and last year, budget concerns stalled bills meant to tackle the issue. This year, a new wave of budget questions could put the problem on the back burner. Read the full article. Addressing a web of child care issues was a…
Introduction We are currently in a mental health crisis both nationally and in West Virginia. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, youth across the country were experiencing mental health challenges, but during the pandemic there were steep increases in the number of youth experiencing anxiety and depression. The pandemic led to new stressors for youth, including school…
West Virginia Public Broadcasting - Just one month after his inauguration, the Trump administration has cut thousands of workers across the federal government. The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, headed by Elon Musk, is looking to slash at least $1 trillion in federal spending across dozens of departments. Kelly Allen, executive director of the…
West Virginia Public Broadcasting - On this West Virginia Morning, new Senate President Randy Smith, R-Preston, spoke with news director Eric Douglas for The Legislature Today on Tuesday. They discussed Smith’s legislative priorities, including economic development and broadband issues. Read the full article. And amidst the cuts being made to federal programs, Kelly Allen, executive director of the…
Updated: February 27, 2025 to include pay raises for all school service personnel categories The Hope Scholarship, West Virginia's school vouchers' program, is experiencing exponential growth in program costs. From FY 2024 to FY 2027, when the program is slated to become universal–meaning that public taxpayer dollars will go to families whose children are already…
Mountain State Spotlight, Times West Virginian , Charleston Gazette-Mail- For people across the state who said they need help with water, food, drug addiction and more, Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s proposed budget won’t bring any new money to the table to fix those issues. Read the full article. During budget hearings last week, Mike McKown, the…