By STEVEN ALLEN ADAMS
For the Dominion Post
CHARLESTON — Educational leaders in West Virginia kicked off a campaign emphasizing that public schools are the foundational heart of communities, providing essential services that extend far beyond traditional academics.
Members of the West Virginia Association of School Administrators, representing superintendents in all 55 county school systems, announced the official launch of the “I Love West Virginia Public Schools” campaign during an event Tuesday morning at Herbert Hoover High School in Kanawha County.
“It is fitting that this initiative is being kicked off at Herbert Hoover High School today,” said State Superintendent of Schools Michele Blatt. “Because President Hoover stated in a 1930 speech, that our task is to give every child the opportunity to grow up with a healthy body, a trained mind, a disciplined character, a cheerful faith in himself, and a devotion to our form of government.”
I Love WV Public Schools is an initiative designed to champion the state’s educational system, highlighting the diverse success stories of graduates and the dedication of staff to illustrate the system’s role in preparing students for various life paths. The campaign aims to counter negative narratives by increasing transparency and celebrating measurable growth in student achievement.
“Today marks more than a launch of a campaign,” said Kanawha County Schools Superintendent Paula Potter. “It’s a celebration of the incredible work every day in our public schools. We’re excited to continue to showcase the remarkable accomplishments of pre-K through 12th grade students, while also highlighting the meaningful learning experiences, opportunities, and strong community partnerships that make West Virginia public schools so special.”
“I love West Virginia public schools. Those 6 words are more than a slogan,” said Ohio County Schools Superintendent Kimberly Miller. “They’re a celebration of our students. They are a thank you to our educators. They are a recognition of our service personnel. They are an invitation for every West Virginian to tell the story of why public education matters.”
Despite multiple school choice options — including public charter schools and statewide virtual charter schools, private and parochial schools, home schooling with micro schools and learning pods, and the Hope Scholarship educational voucher program that uses general revenue fund dollars to subsidize private and home schooling — public schools still educate nearly 90% of the state’s school-age children.
“Think about that, nine out of 10 kids in your neighborhood, on your block, and in your family rely on us,” said Jackson County Schools Superintendent Will Hosaflook, the president of the West Virginia Association of School Administrators. “Despite the narrative out there, we have programs that have shown exponential, undeniable growth over the past five years. But our mission is distinct. We are tasked with educating all students. And we need to explain to the public exactly what that looks like. We must continue to value, support and grow what is already working.”
All 55 county school systems have seen decades of decreasing enrollment. According to the state Department of Education, county school systems have seen a reduction of approximately 5,000 students statewide as of the end of the 2025-26 school year, down from 234,957 students enrolled as of the October headcount report 10 months ago.
School enrollment for all county school systems combined has decreased by 15.32% since 2015, driven in part by families leaving West Virginia, deaths outpacing births, and a focus by Republican lawmakers on increasing school choice options.
While county school systems receive local funding through property taxes, levies and bonds, they also receive state funding through a seven-step school aid formula based, in part, on enrollment numbers, with fewer students meaning less state funding year after year.
Decreases in student enrollment have led counties to make hard decisions, including laying off teachers and staff, and closing or consolidating public schools. According to the Department of Education, counties have already closed all the schools included in their 10-year Comprehensive Education Facilities Plans, with between 10 and 20 schools expected to close their doors over the next two school years.
“We are fighting a quiet demographic crisis. Make no mistake,” Hosaflook said. “If our public schools close, our communities close. These are the very communities that built this great state. They’re the towns that made West Virginia where it is today. Our schools are, quite literally, the heart and soul of West Virginia.”
Meanwhile, educational costs continue to increase due to transportation costs in rural school systems and the increase in special education students, a demographic of students the private schools are not required to educate. Special education numbers increased as a percentage of the total student population from 20% to more than 25% over a 10-year period, creating a $224 million deficit in special education funding.
“Public schools do not get to pick and choose,” Hosaflook said. “We don’t close our doors to a child because they have special needs, because they are experiencing poverty, or because they are dealing with trauma. We welcome them.”
The I Love WV Public Schools campaign is about rallying communities around their local schools. It is also about getting the attention of lawmakers to pass bills reforming the school aid formula and freeing school systems from onerous regulations that tie the hands of teachers and administrators and prevent public schools from competing with school choice options.
The West Virginia Association of School Administrators launched a website (tinyurl.com/ILoveWVPS) with resources, events, frequently asked questions, and other information about the state’s public school system. The group also created a video highlighting the roles that public schools play in all 55 counties.
“This is a reaffirmation of our commitment to the students, the educators, the staff, the families, and communities that make West Virginia public schools strong,” said Monongalia County Schools Superintendent Eddie Campbell. “Every day, our public schools prepare the next generation of leaders, innovators, skilled workers, and engaged citizens. They are places where opportunities are created, challenges are overcome, and futures are shaped. That is a story worth telling and one we must continue telling together.”
