The Senate Education Committee moved ahead with legislation changing school calendar requirements from days or months to hours.
Amy Nichole Grady
The chairwoman of the committee, Senator Amy Nichole Grady, praised the possibility of flexibility and more local control.
“The quantity of instruction does not equal the quality of instruction,” said Grady, R-Mason, who is also a fourth grade teacher.
“Because we are in school for a longer time does not necessarily mean the quality of instruction is

Senators advanced an $8 million appropriation for a relief fund meant to provide a safety net for financially distressed schools, although they expressed misgivings about the circumstances.
Ben Queen
Senator Ben Queen, R-Harrison, said local officials need to be held accountable for making sure their resources are spent wisely. He would like to avoid being in this position time after time.
“We need to hold people’s feet to the fire,” Queen said.
The bill, HB 4575, originated in the House of

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Senate is poised to send the budget bill to the House earlier than ever before, according to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Jason Barrett.
Jason Barrett
Barrett, R-Berkeley, said the budget document approved by the committee demonstrates a way to get the additional five percent cut to the personal income tax.
“We want to get this conversation started very early,” Barrett said Tuesday on MetroNews “Talkline.” “It was important to me to include the budget as we

CHARLESTON – There is no clear path forward to end a partial federal government shutdown that is impacting the Department of Homeland Security, and according to Senator Jim Justice, that is just the way Democrats want it.

The Senate recessed on Thursday, and lawmakers left Washington, D.C., after Democrats rejected a stopgap spending bill, expressing concern that negotiations for a full-year spending plan were not progressing quickly enough. Democrats are demanding reforms to immigration

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Board of Education has approved a three-year contract extension for county school Superintendent Paula Potter.
Paula Potter
Potter, who has been in the school system for more than 30 years, was chosen as superintendent last July to replace Tom Williams who retired.
Kanawha County Board of Education President Ric Cavender said board members know they want Potter’s steady hand for the next several years.
“We’re all very impressed with the level of detail that

CHARLESTON, W.Va – The United Mine Workers of America is taking aim at proposed gas-fired power plants in West Virginia, saying those projects would take away coal mining jobs, destabilize communities, and fundamentally shift the state’s energy future.
Brian Sanson
The UMWA held a press conference at its District 17 office in Charleston to announce its opposition, and UMWA International President Brian Sanson said West Virginia politicians have a decision to make in this battle.
“West Virginia