Education panel talks reform, teacher pay, absences, charter schools

CHARLESTON — The state schools superintendent and the leaders of the two teacher unions all want to see education improve, but differ on how to move it forward.

Superintendent Steve Paine, West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee and American Federation of Teacher-West Virginia President Fred Albert shared their thoughts during a West Virginia Press Association Legislative Lookahead session on Friday.

Lee offered praise for the Legislature’s willingness to approve the governor’s proposed 5 percent pay raise for teachers and state employees — the second in two years. “We have to continue with the investment in education that came last year,” he said.

He hopes that the two new education chairs — Sen. Patricia Rucker and Delegate Danny Hamrick, who were invited but were unable to attend – will listen to the experts when they consider education reforms. Those experts are the teachers and service workers in the schools. “If you want to make change for the best, that’s where you go.”

Read more: https://www.dominionpost.com/2019/01/04/education-panel-talks-reform-teacher-pay-absences-charter-schools/