| The state Board of Education has seized control of the Preston County school system, citing serious financial, facility, curriculum and leadership problems.
"It looks bleak and we think things are getting worse and not better," said OEPA director Kenna Seal.
"Students are being deprived of what they deserve from the educational system," Seal said.
Jana Freeman, a Challenge WV fellow and advocate for small community schools, said "Preston County should be the shining star of how school consolidation helps education."
"That has not happened, scores and finances have worsened since consolidation," she said.
The county once had nine high schools and now has one consolidated school in Kingwood, creating some of the longest bus rides in West Virginia.
Freeman said the county's wholesale consolidation has promised taxpayer savings, improved curriculum and outcomes, "None has happened," schools are not meeting Average Yearly Progress (AYP), with declining scores and graduation rates.
"Preston County schools that are doing extremely well, Aurora, Rowlesburg and Fellowsville are all small schools," Freeman said.
Preston voters narrowly defeated a $50 million school bond in November that would have built three new pre-K-8th grade schools near Arthurdale, Tunnelton and Kingwood as well as updating other facilities.
The system lost an additional $20 million in School Building Authority funding when it failed by just 61 votes.
"Some of the county's elementary buildings have been neglected for years," said Freeman.
TAKE-OVERS NOT ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL
A state board take-over strips the local school board of all power, limiting its ability to spend money, hire or fire staff, set or manage the school calendar, or create instructional programs.
Schools in Hampshire, McDowell, Mingo and Lincoln counties all remain under state control, some of them for a number of years.
Challenge WV coordinator Thomas Ramey said "Unfortunately, in most counties taken-over by the state, the academic scores have worsened."
State auditors say they found that academic progress has not changed, especially low special education scores.
The county's school buildings are in bad shape, "impeding" the learning process.
They say financial irregularities are at a "critical" level, and the system is not complying with hiring, certification and evaluation issues of staff.
State School Superintendent Dr. Steven Paine said the state will replace administrators and principals in low performing schools.
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