http://challengewv.org Challenge West Virginia is a statewide organization of parents, educators and other West Virginians committed to maintaining and improving small community schools. Thu, 18 Feb 2010 04:58:56 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Pete Thaw and fellow Kanawha County Board of Education members are to be congratulated and applauded for their in-depth thought, research and actions concerning consolidating schools versus maintaining smaller schools in Kanawha County. Hopefully, their actions against this very controversial consolidation issue will resonate throughout West Virginia and result in ... http://challengewv.org/newsletter/george-edwards-small-schools-are-better/ The Fayette County school system has been taken-over by the state, the latest in a series of take-overs that followed the failure of counties to support school consolidation. "This is an extraordinary circumstance that must be resolved," said state auditors. The system lost accreditation in 2007. The State Board of Education voted ... http://challengewv.org/newsletter/state-takes-over-fayette-school-system-a-blow-to-the-democratic-process/ The National Council for Teacher Equality just released a report that gives West Virginia a D+ for policies that impact teacher quality. West Virginia scored lowest on retaining teachers, and educators say low teacher pay is a cause for concern. The American Federation of Teachers ranks West Virginia 16th in the nation ... http://challengewv.org/newsletter/national-report-gives-wv-d-cites-low-teacher-pay/ Today more than ever classrooms across the United States have more access to computer technology for learning and education. With the changing structure of classrooms, inclusive general education classrooms are accommodating students with differing abilities who need equal access to technology for learning. It is the right of all students ... http://challengewv.org/newsletter/free-accessible-and-assistive-technology-already-on-your-computer-windows-xp-and-windows-vista/ After state education officials issued fuzzy numbers about the state's drop-out rate, a new legislative report says one-in-four WV students drop-out. The study also says students do better in smaller, community schools. Thomas Ramey, Executive Director of Challenge WV said, "It's strange that state school Superintendent Steve Paine told lawmakers that he ... http://challengewv.org/newsletter/state-education-officials-fudge-graduation-rates-state-study-says-community-schools-do-better/ The McDowell County school system has been returned to local control after being operated by the state Board of Education for eight years. The state Board of Education has voted to return control to the McDowell County Board of Education. The state took over the McDowell system in 2001, saying it had ... http://challengewv.org/newsletter/state-returns-control-to-mcdowell-school-system-after-nine-years/ [caption id="attachment_1524" align="alignnone" width="200" caption="Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former governor of West Virginia."][/caption] Today, 1/8/10, marks the eighth birthday of the signing of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the most recent version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Reauthorization of the ... http://challengewv.org/newsletter/governor-wise-on-nclb-anniversary/ FAYETTE SCHOOLS AT RISK OF TAKE-OVER - State auditors are returning to the Fayette County school system to evaluate if problems in previous audits have been corrected. Office of Educational Performance Audits executive director Kenna Seal has announced that an audit team is scheduled for a re-visit. A 2006 audit found problems ... http://challengewv.org/newsletter/fayette-to-be-re-audited-paden-high-hanging-by-thread-state-take-over-of-grant-county-schools/ The recent school consolidation proposal by the Fayette County Board of Education was not in the best interest of the students, teachers or communities in Fayette County. Bigger is not necessarily better. There are better ways of successfully approaching and solving the school problems in our system. Arguments presented to support the ... http://challengewv.org/newsletter/matt-edwards-alternatives-to-school-consolidation-abound/ By Keenan Cummings Clarksburg Exponent Telegram Harrison County schools are putting stimulus money to use by offering innovative technology for students and faculty, officials said. As teaching continues to evolve, technology becomes more and more a centerpiece in the everyday classroom. And through the stimulus funding, Harrison County will bring a new world of ... http://challengewv.org/newsletter/harrison-schools-use-stimulus-funds-for-high-tech/