CLARKSBURG — (Mental) pencils at the ready, please, for a pop-quiz:
Does your child feel comfortable enough at this school to talk about problems with his principal, teachers or any other staffers?
Are his academic needs being met?
How do you feel about county innovation zones in education? Do you know what they are?
Would you be willing to spring (through your tax dollars) for increased pay for teachers in “high-need” areas, such as math or special education?
Should your local school board be allowed to set its own levy rates for the unique needs of its system?
The above questions, and variations thereof, are included in an online survey at West Virginia Department Education: www.wvde.us/education-public -%20forum/.
While there, you can also register for the upcoming “Education Betterment” forum the department is hosting from 6-8 p.m. April 1 at Robert C. Byrd High School in Clarksburg.
State Schools Superintendent Steve Paine and others have been hosting such forums across West Virginia over the last couple of weeks.
That’s to pave the public comment road, as lawmakers prepare to jump back into Senate Bill 451.
The contentious bill, which never made it out of the recent 2019 Legislative session, is getting another look in May.
Gov. Jim Justice is bringing lawmakers and the bill back for reconvened consideration.
With April 1 looming, and Clarksburg being the closest site to Monongalia County, members of the local Board of Education said they don’t want to get fooled when they motor down Interstate 79 for the roundtable.
The BOE met for nearly 90 minutes last week in special session as they mulled over the particulars and statutes of the bill that champions charter schools and would give the above levy-setting power to local boards.
BOE President Ron Lytle called the meeting, saying he didn’t want to speak on any board members’ behalf in Clarksburg.
Mon Schools Superintendent Eddie Campbell Jr. said the ongoing discussions show him how fortunate the school district here is, compared to others across the state.
Particularly, he said, in some of the teacher enrichment components of the bill, such as the addition of academic coaches and other mentors.
“We’re already doing a lot of these things because of our levy,” he said.
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