Legislature 2008: Public Schools

The Associated Press reports on draft legislation endorsed by an interim subcommittee Monday that would give greater weight to the density of student populations when funding public education.

One state school official "estimated that the legislation would increase education funding by $36.9 million between 2008 and 2011.," AP reports. "Thirteen counties would see gains of $1 million or greater during that time, led by Berkeley County at $2.6 million. Three counties would see a net decrease: Pleasants, at $85,000; Wetzel, at $118,000; and Tyler, at $183,000."

The Journal of Martinsburg, meanwhile, relays concerns and proposals voiced at a recent forum for public school administrators in the Eastern Panhandle.

"While West Virginia’s schools have closed performance gaps and raised achievement standards for all of the subgroups monitored under the No Child Left Behind law in the last four years, an international educational gap is opening ever wider and needs to be addressed," the audience learned.