Federal funds help develop state teaching base By The Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- With an estimated 16,000 teachers reaching retirement age in the next two years, the state Department of Education is looking for non-teaching professionals who are interested in starting new careers in West Virginia's public schools. The department is using $600,000 in federal funds to finance a Transition to Teaching program. The program helps professionals obtain their teaching certificates by paying for... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Federal_funds_to_develop_state_teaching_base,297.aspx Mon, 31 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT 2010-05-31T12:00:00 New $23B for teacher subsidies falters in House LAURIE KELLMAN Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - A $23 billion payout to save thousands of educators' jobs faltered Thursday - perhaps for good - to election-year jitters among moderate Democrats over deficit spending and only lukewarm support from the White House. The proposal's chief advocate in the House abruptly canceled a committee meeting to put the money in a war spending bill. Its lead sponsor in the Senate gave up trying to do it,... http://wvea.org/news/articles/23_billion_teacher_subsidy_falters_in_US_House,296.aspx Fri, 28 May 2010 10:00:00 GMT 2010-05-28T10:00:00 Education task force works to resolve issues before special session By Mannix Porterfield Register-Herald Reporter BECKLEY — Lawmakers are in recess for now, but when they return, the headmaster is expecting them to knuckle down and pass an ambitious education package with nothing tossed to the side. And Gov. Joe Manchin says no one can say in this two-week break that any opinions were ignored. A special task force composed of education leaders in both the House of Delegates and Senate, along... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Education_task_force_works_to_resolve_issues,295.aspx Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT 2010-05-26T00:00:00 Education Work Group Meets Members work on compromise measures Story by Jack Kane CHARLESTON --  Despite the collapse of last week's Special Session, Governor Joe Manchin is still optimistic about education reform in West Virginia. To that end, a group made up of lawmakers, state education officials, union representatives and... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Education_work_group_meets,293.aspx Tue, 25 May 2010 10:00:00 GMT 2010-05-25T10:00:00 School systems move up starts, but not by a lot by Zack Harold CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Only one of West Virginia's 55 counties will start its school year significantly earlier than in years past, despite legislation that frees administrators to send students and teachers back as early as they please. After two years of prodding by Gov. Joe Manchin, legislators passed House Bill 4040 in January. The new law removes state-mandated school start and end dates for counties. The hope was that counties... http://wvea.org/news/articles/School_systems_move_upstarts_but_not_by_alot,292.aspx Mon, 24 May 2010 11:00:00 GMT 2010-05-24T11:00:00 Manchin says he's optimistic for education reform on 2nd try By Alison Knezevich CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- State lawmakers' special session on education reform might have been doomed from the start, but Gov. Joe Manchin says he believes results will be better the second time around. On Thursday, the governor addressed a work group made up of 10 legislators, state education officials, teachers union representatives and members of Manchin's staff. "Everybody will have input," Manchin told the Gazette... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Manchin_says_hes_optimistic_of_2nd_reform_try,289.aspx Fri, 21 May 2010 09:00:00 GMT 2010-05-21T09:00:00 Education: Ideal pursuit Lawmakers were right to question Gov. Manchin's package of education bills.  The proposals came from a list of recommendations from the state Board of Education, "It's All About the Kids," http://wvde.state.wv.us/aboutthekids/itsallaboutthekids.pdf. State board members insist that the motivation for these bills was not just to qualify for up to $75 million in federal money, but that these proposals are actually in the best interests of the state's students. Aside from the... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Education_Ideal_pursuit,287.aspx Thu, 20 May 2010 09:00:00 GMT 2010-05-20T09:00:00 Special session over until June By Alison Knezevich Charleston Gazette CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- State lawmakers on Wednesday halted their special session, but they say they're not calling it quits on education reform. At a Capitol news conference, Gov. Joe Manchin and legislative leaders announced that they would end the special session -- which started last Thursday - and return for another one starting June 7.   The House of Delegates and state Senate could not agree on much of the eight-item... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Special_session_over_until_June,285.aspx Wed, 19 May 2010 19:00:00 GMT 2010-05-19T19:00:00 W.Va. lawmakers halt education session; to return June 7 Manchin also is dropping his quest for second round of Race to the Top funds by Lawrence Messina The Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia's Legislature abruptly ended its special session Wednesday, with plans to return June 7 and refocus on education amid disagreements over Gov. Joe Manchin's approach to the topic. But with legislative action delayed, West Virginia is dropping its bid for up to $75 million in federal Race to... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Lawmakers_halt_session_to_return_June_7,286.aspx Wed, 19 May 2010 19:00:00 GMT 2010-05-19T19:00:00 House can't reach consensus on education bills By Phil Kabler Staff writer CHARLESTON, W.Va. --  A  special session on public school reform was running out of steam Tuesday, with most of the governor's key education initiatives languishing in the House of Delegates. Gov. Joe Manchin met with Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, D-Logan, and House Speaker Rick Thompson, D-Wayne, Monday evening to make a final pitch for passage of the education reform package. "What I got from that meeting is that the... http://wvea.org/news/articles/House_cant_reach_consensus_on_education_bills,281.aspx Wed, 19 May 2010 10:00:00 GMT 2010-05-19T10:00:00 Special session comes to a halt Manchin drops bid to get federal Race to the Top funds by Ry Rivard Daily Mail Capitol Reporter Craig Cunningham Gov. Joe Manchin, flanked by Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, at right, and House Speaker Rick Thompson, at left, explains a new path for his education reform agenda. Following a six-day special session that ended Wednesday with little agreement between the House and Senate, Manchin said a 10-member work group with members of both houses would meet... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Special_session_comes_to_a_halt,283.aspx Wed, 19 May 2010 10:00:00 GMT 2010-05-19T10:00:00 Diane Mufson: Charter schools may not be worth the financial carrot May 19, 2010 The Herald-Dispatch Sometime in the early 1970s, I heard an interesting philosophy from my Illinois neighbor, an airline pilot. He was an excellent pilot who would eventually fly the giant 747s. At that time he was flying 727s. When asked if he wanted to bid on flying the brand new 737s, he decided he'd wait six months and see how the plane handled. That philosophy of having some time to see how new theories play... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Charter_schools_not_worth_financial_carrot,284.aspx Wed, 19 May 2010 10:00:00 GMT 2010-05-19T10:00:00 Teachers criticize Manchin's education agenda By Davin White CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Five decorated West Virginia teachers say fewer students per classroom, more teacher involvement in leadership decisions and better professional development efforts are needed right now in public schools -- instead of proposed education reforms being considered by state lawmakers. At a news conference Monday afternoon, five teachers joined a conference call with West Virginia Education Association officials and spoke up... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Teachers_criticize_Manchins_education_agenda,278.aspx Tue, 18 May 2010 10:00:00 GMT 2010-05-18T10:00:00 Teachers criticize Manchin's education agenda By Davin White CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Five decorated West Virginia teachers say fewer students per classroom, more teacher involvement in leadership decisions and better professional development efforts are needed right now in public schools -- instead of proposed education reforms being considered by state lawmakers. At a news conference Monday afternoon, five teachers joined a conference call with West Virginia Education Association officials and spoke up... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Teachers_criticize_Manchins_education_agenda,279.aspx Tue, 18 May 2010 10:00:00 GMT 2010-05-18T10:00:00 Senate passes bill requiring annual teacher evaluations By Phil Kabler Staff writer CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- On the fifth day of the special session of the Legislature, the first major piece of the governor's public-education reform package passed one house on Monday. After more than an hour of debate, the Senate passed 28-4 a bill to require annual performance evaluations of all teachers (SB1002). While only four senators voted against the measure, several questioned whether annual evaluations would be... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Senate_passes_evaluation_bill,280.aspx Tue, 18 May 2010 10:00:00 GMT 2010-05-18T10:00:00 What's the plan for this session? By Phil Kabler Staff writer CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Some observations on "hell week" at the Capitol: First, this special session is unlike any other called by Gov. Joe Manchin, who usually makes sure he has the consensus of the House and Senate leadership before he puts items on the call. This has more of a sense of a Bob Wise special session, where the outcomes were anything but assured - including a 2001 session on medical malpractice reform that dragged on for a... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Whats_the_plan_for_this_session,275.aspx Mon, 17 May 2010 10:00:00 GMT 2010-05-17T10:00:00 Bad teachers a touchy subject in education debate West Virginia's teachers groups are on the defensive as lawmakers debate Gov. Joe Manchin's proposed changes to the state's public schools. By The Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia's teachers' groups are on the defensive as lawmakers debate Gov. Joe Manchin's proposed changes to the state's public schools. The West Virginia Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia, have each appealed to the... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Bad_teachers_a_touchy_subject,277.aspx Mon, 17 May 2010 10:00:00 GMT 2010-05-17T10:00:00 Education-reform measures remain a large concern for many legislators By Alison Knezevich  CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- State lawmakers have quickly signed off on some parts of their special-session agenda, but they continue to scrutinize Gov. Joe Manchin's education-reform package. Under legislation (SB1005) sent to the governor Friday, it would be a felony for anyone other than police officers to encourage or entice gun dealers to illegally sell a firearm. Proponents of the measure -- dubbed the "Bloomberg... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Ed_reform_measures_remain_a_concern,273.aspx Sat, 15 May 2010 17:00:00 GMT 2010-05-15T17:00:00 State Legislature considers cash incentives for educators By Lawrence Messina CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia would boost salaries by $1,000 for classroom teachers, principals and assistant principals who work in high-poverty or high-minority schools, through special session legislation under review Friday. Those teachers would earn an additional $500 annually if they ease shortages in math and science instruction. Teachers and administrators throughout the public schools, meanwhile, could win $1... http://wvea.org/news/articles/Legislature_considers_cash_incentives_for_educators,274.aspx Sat, 15 May 2010 17:00:00 GMT 2010-05-15T17:00:00 W.Va. seeks $29M from D.C. for math help Money would be used to send Carnegie Learning software to high schools, middle schools By Davin White CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- To help middle and high school students who struggle with algebra and geometry, West Virginia Department of Education officials asked the federal government for a $29 million grant earlier this week. The money would help correct a "real weakness" in math achievement that has plagued West Virginia students for many years, said state... http://wvea.org/news/articles/WV_seeks_funding_for_math_help,272.aspx Fri, 14 May 2010 11:00:00 GMT 2010-05-14T11:00:00 Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:43:32 GMT http://wvea.org/shared/handlers/newsrss.ashx?cid=16 10 Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:43:32 GMT