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State Profiles
West Virginia
On the last day of the 2002 legislative session, a bill was passed that addressed myriad education-related issues. Unbeknownst to early childhood leaders, advocates, and most of the public, the bill also included a provision for all four-year-old children in West Virginia to have access to pre-k by the 2012-13 school year. The law folds pre-k into the state school funding formula for public schools, and requires county school systems to coordinate their pre-k programs and contracts. Since 2002, participation by four year olds in West Virginia's pre-k program has increased 65 percent, from 26 percent in the 2002-03 school year to
43 percent in the 2006-07 school year. However, this increase has caused a decrease in access for three year olds.
The West Virginia Department of Education works closely with the Department of Health and Human Resources in the development and implementation of the state’s pre-k system. By fall 2012, at least half of all pre-k classrooms must be located in community-based settings unless there is not a sufficient number of such providers, or those that do exist cannot meet program standards or choose not to participate. The program meets 7 of 10 benchmarks set by the National Institute for Early Education Research.
Key Milestones
| 1983 |
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The Public School Early Childhood Education program provided funding for pre-k when a revision to the state school code allowed pre-k programs to be created by local school boards. |
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| 2002 |
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The “Increasing Salaries for Teachers and Service Personnel” bill, authored by Senator Lloyd Jackson, passes, requiring West Virginia school systems to provide access to pre-k for all four year olds by 2012. |
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| 2003 |
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The state board of education adopts a new policy outlining quality requirements for all pre-k classrooms. County plans must be written collaboratively with input from childcare, Head Start, parents, public school educators, and county Departments of Health and Human Resources and submitted annually by county school systems. Counties are required to have approved plans in place before they can draw down state funding for pre-k (special education pre-k funds are exempt from this requirement). Each classroom must use a curriculum chosen from a state-approved list. |
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| 2004 |
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The state board of education approves  The West Virginia Early Learning Standards Framework for all state pre-k classrooms. |
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| 2005 |
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The state board of education revises its 2003 policy on quality requirements to include health and safety standards that align with state childcare licensing requirements and Head Start performance standards. Forty-two percent of eligible four year olds are served. The state legislature removes the requirement that local school districts provide first-year funding for pre-k, clearing the way for more districts to begin offering pre-k.
Five counties already have pre-k for all. Another 10 are two or three years away from achieving that status. Total funding under the state school funding formula has increased by $12.9 million.
NIEER evaluates the West Virginia pre-k program in a report, "The Effects of West Virginia's Early Education Program on Young Children's School Readiness," which finds that the program improves language and math skills for all children. |
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| 2006 |
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An articulation agreement is signed between Fairmont State University’s associate degree program in early childhood and West Virginia University’s bachelor degree for birth-to-five certification. Other West Virginia universities and community technical colleges are working toward similar articulation agreements.
Pre-k enrollment increases by over 2,000 students from the 2002-03 school year to the 2006-07 school year. |
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| 2007 |
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In the 2006-07 school year, statewide participation in pre-k rises to 43 percent. |
Pre-K Champions
Champions for West Virginia pre-k are many, including advocates and representatives from public school, Head Start, childcare, community action, parents, business, and the legislature.
Key legislative champions include former Senator Lloyd Jackson, author of the bill, and Senator Robert Plymale, chair of the state’s Senate Education Committee.
Key state-level administrators include former state superintendent of schools, Dr. David Stewart, former secretary of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Paul Nusbaum, and former commissioner for children and families, Fred Boothe.
West Virginia Kids Count has a major public policy focus on early childhood education. They collect and publish information on early childhood and child wellbeing, identify and support proven early childhood programs, and advocate for public policies that promote early education.
Other notable champions include First Lady Gayle Manchin, Dr. Steven Paine, state superintendent of schools, Dr. Jorea Marple, assistant superintendent of schools – Division of Curriculum and Instruction, and Martha Walker, secretary of Health and Human Resources.
Next Steps for West Virginia
To support ongoing pre-k-for-all efforts and to begin taking these next steps, the legislature must continue to regularly appropriate adequate and increasing funds. Department of Education officials estimate an average increase of $3.2 million per year for the pre-k program. To reach the program's objective of pre-k for all in the 2012-13 school year (defined as 80 percent statewide participation), participation would have to continue to increase by 6 percentage points annually.
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"Redefining ESEA" Webinar
Looking for resources from our Webinar, "Redefining ESEA: The Critical Role of Pre-K and the Early Grades in School Reform Efforts”?
Access our PowerPoint presentation from the March 17 call here.
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Recovery Round-up
You've got questions? We've got answers -- and when it comes to pre-k and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, we've got lots of them. Courtesy of Pre-K Now's federal team, here is our great collection of resources to help you navigate and apply ARRA funding.
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Meeting the Challenge of Rural Pre-K
Families everywhere struggle to find high-quality pre-k programs for their children, but the problem is even more acute in rural areas. Pre-K Now has come out with recommendations for federal policymakers to help states meet the unique challenges of rural pre-k.
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Find High-Quality Pre-K
With Our Checklist
Quality is key to unlocking pre-k's many benefits. Learn what to ask about and look for when choosing a pre-k program for your child.
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Tour a Pre-K Classroom
Through our virtual classroom tour and our short video following real children through their pre-k year, we will help you recognize high quality, understand why it makes a difference, and show you how children benefit.
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The Case for Pre-K in the ESEA
