Update on Logan County school district takeover

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A report showed Logan County failed to provide the level of quality that state education leaders are looking for when it comes to school districts.

When the report was presented to the West Virginia Board of Education on Oct. 28, 2022, the state took over the school system and appointed Jeff Huffman as Logan County’s interim superintendent of schools.

Since that takeover, changes have been made. Huffman reported the county’s progress to state board members at the meeting Wednesday.

“Number one, we are focused on students focused on supporting student learning and providing a quality learning environment,” Huffman said.

The report found 46 areas of noncompliance in a wide range of areas.

Huffman’s job for the next four years in Logan County is to turn the system around.

Areas of improvement include:

• Evaluating and prioritizing which programs the county will use to reach strategic plan goals
• Focusing on the West Virginia College and Career Readiness Standards
• Making improvements that lead to conducive and productive school culture and climate
• Ensuring students enrolled in virtual school platforms receive Individual Education Plans (IEP) and interventions as needed
• Conducting all board meetings, discussions and business in open sessions
• Communicating processes, protocols, and procedures to the local board regarding chain of command regarding complaints and concerns
• Requiring contracts appearing on county board agendas to contain the associated services and costs outlined in the contract

One area that directly affects students is the virtual learning issues for special needs students.

“All of our special needs students that were enrolled in virtual learning we revisited those IEPs we had IEP meetings brought parents back in those IEPs were all revised and are being implemented,” Huffman said.

Another area for improvement was the toxic environment reported at the central office.

“I think our focus now is treating one another with respect treating on another with professionalism understanding that we are all equals. We are all working as one team,” Huffman said.

The report also expressed concerns, including the need for maintenance such as an updated electrical system at Logan High School instead of wants like turf fields. Those updates to the high school and security updates to Man Middle School are some of the projects set for construction.

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