W.Va. not among 'Race to the Top' education finalists
By Davin White
Staff writer
By Alison Knezevich
Staff writer
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia didn't make the cut in the first round of a competition for federal education money, and Gov. Joe Manchin is likely to call lawmakers back to Charleston this spring in hopes of earning a second chance.
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Education announced that West Virginia was not among the 15 states and the District of Columbia named finalists in the first round of the Obama administration's "Race to the Top."
Forty states were vying for a slice of $4.35 billion in grants. Another round of funding will be announced this summer.
During his State of the State Address in January, Manchin said that if West Virginia didn't win in the first round of the race, he would call a special session to make changes to education laws.
The governor reiterated that to the Gazette on Thursday. "I believe a special session will be needed," he said after the announcement was made.
In April, federal education officials will release their findings from states' applications. Manchin wants to examine why West Virginia didn't make the cut and why other states succeeded, he said.
The governor said he didn't know what specific measures lawmakers might take up in a special session. But charter schools are likely to be a central topic.
West Virginia is among 10 states without charter-schools laws. Some education observers believe charter schools -- favored by President Obama and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan -- could help the state's chances of getting the federal funds.
A group formed last year, West Virginians for Education Reform, is pushing for charter schools in the Mountain State.
Manchin said Thursday he had hoped that West Virginia's new "innovation zones" could help its chances in the race. Schools named innovation zones have flexibility with many state laws and policies and let teachers try creative ways to improve student learning.
If the Obama administration feels differently, he said, "then we have to have the courage to move forward if we want to compete."
The governor supports the concept of charter schools, but has said he wants to look into how they would work in a rural setting.
Earlier this week, the governor asked Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, D-Logan, to delay a charter-school measure sponsored by Sen. Erik Wells, D-Kanawha. The governor said he wanted to wait to see the outcome of the state's Race to the Top application.
Teachers unions opposed Wells' legislation, saying it did not protect employee rights.
West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee on Thursday called it "premature" to assume that West Virginia's lack of charter-school laws is why the state wasn't named a finalist in this round of the Race to the Top.
Charter-school issues account for 40 of 500 points on the program's application.
"Without the evaluation of our proposal it's hard to tell where we fell short," State schools Superintendent Steve Paine said. State Board of Education members will discuss the revised application at board meetings in March and April, he said.
Lee contends that innovation zones can impact more students than charter schools.
"We will continue to work with the Senate, the House, and the governor on legislation that will improve quality education for kids in West Virginia," Lee said. "I'm not sure that charter schools is the avenue."
West Virginia Federation of Teachers President Judy Hale said she is researching charter-school legislation in other states and hopes to work with Manchin to "come up with something that is agreeable to everyone."
"All charter-school legislation does not take away rights of employees. I think there's a lot of room for compromise," she said. "A good charter school is good for kids. But we have to make sure it's a good charter school, because there's lots of bad ones out there."
Paine wants to craft changes that respect the state's individuality, and hopes the federal government considers unique characteristics of each state. For instance, Paine has said charter schools that open in Detroit or Chicago are not comparable to West Virginia.
"We have an excellent proposal for our state," he said. "One of the concerns I have is one size does not fit all."
Still, he believes charter schools need to be on the table.
"I'm willing to support trying charter schools so that we try to win the money," he said.
West Virginia stands to gain $80 million if successful in the Race to the Top. Applications for the second round are due in June, and finalists will be announced in August, with the winners named in September.
The 15 states that are finalists in the first round are: Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Kentucky does not have charter-school laws.