WVEA

Governor Joe Manchin challenged members of the state Board of Education Wednesday to be agents of change in public education in the Mountain State.

Manchin made a rare appearance before the board at its monthly meeting. "You must take the lead," Manchin said.

The governor wants to call a special session of the legislature this spring to make major changes in education, but he says the effort would be wasted unless the state Department of Education and the state Board of Education are out in front.

"Take the leadership as a board," Manchin urged. "Are you satisfied with the results?"

The governor says the state has been recognized for changing its standards in recent years, but education results don't match the amount of money West Virginia taxpayers put out.

"The money is there, but the effort needs to be better," Manchin told board members. "The administrative costs are too high."

West Virginia's application for federal Race to the Top funds was turned down last week. There's a second round of funding available with applications due in June. The governor wants to make major changes in education before then in a special session, but not without the state board.

"I think it could be probably one of the boldest, most successful, one of the biggest game changers the state of West Virginia will ever see," Manchin told MetroNews after meeting with the state board. "But it has to be led by the state Department of Education. If the state Department of Education and the personnel and the expertise they have here are not committed to it, it won't happen."