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ELKINS -- The state Department of Education is "urging" that a State of Emergency be declared within the Randolph County school system, officials said.
Randolph County Board of Education President Rachel Anger announced during Tuesday's regular BOE meeting that Randolph County Schools had received correspondence that day from the state Department of Education. Just before the meeting adjourned, Anger said she was adding an emergency item onto the agenda.
"The newly added item pertains to a formal request received from the West Virginia Department of Education, urging the West Virginia Board of Education to declare a State of Emergency in the Randolph County School system," Anger said.
"This request was made under urgent circumstances and was not known at the time of the original agenda posting. Given the significant and immediate implications this request may have on the operations of our school system, including oversight, personnel and financial obligations, it is essential that the board deliberate promptly and transparently."
"The facts and circumstances surrounding this matter constitute an unexpected event requiring immediate attention," Anger said. "As permitted by law, the board is proceeding with a discussion today to ensure a timely response and appropriate due diligence. We appreciate the public's understanding and interest in this urgent development and reaffirm our commitment to transparency during this process."
Anger said she believed that the letter was making the BOE aware of some kind of state takeover within the Randolph County Schools system. But Superintendent Dr. Shawn Dilly, who also received the letter from the state, told Anger during Tuesday's meeting that the letter had nothing to do with a state takeover at this time.
"Well, it's not a state takeover, don't confuse terms here," Dilly said. "I know we have to be careful, but basically what they indicated to us with the letter is essentially they will be adding us to the agenda that will be posted for the month of June, where they will be making a recommendation to the state Board of Education for a State of Emergency to be rendered to Randolph County Schools."
The West Virginia Department of Education will meet Wednesday, June 11 at 10 a.m., and officials said the Randolph County Schools system's situation will be on the meeting's agenda.
Dilly provided the Board members with a chart, showing the elements of what could potentially be part of the corrective action related to a State of Emergency. He added that it was all contingent on whether or not the state Board of Education approves the recommendation of the state superintendent.
Dilly and Anger said their letters from the state were both received late in the afternoon, making it impossible for them to have a discussion with the other board members about the situation prior to the meeting.
"None of us have had a chance to really process what this means or anything," Anger said.
Dilly agreed, saying, "That email was only sent to you and I, so the rest of the board hasn't had an opportunity to really absorb this information. Not that we would have a bunch of conversation tonight, but I just felt like it would be better to at least give us an opportunity to talk, rather than just saying I received this letter."
Dilly said with Randolph County Schools being under a State of Emergency, it will have to develop a formal plan and then go through a six-month improvement period.
"I'm hoping to get additional guidance because, I'll be honest, I have a lot of experience but I've never gone down the path of a State of Emergency," Dilly said.
Anger requested that the BOE set up work sessions so that a plan could be put in place. Dilly said he would have more information after the state BOE meets next week.
"I'll try to find out some additional information between now and then to see if they can provide us any clarity on the next steps," Dilly said. "Today was really just notifying us so we'd be aware and wouldn't be caught off guard that Randolph County was appearing on the State Board agenda."
Board member Phil Chua said the state's recommendation shouldn't have been a surprise to anybody.
"These wheels were set in motion when we voted on the consolidation of Harman and Pickens," Chua said. "This was a foregone conclusion at that time. This is quicker than I expected and it's based on our decisions during the RIF (reduction in force) and transfer season. But this was going to be coming no matter what, and it probably was going to happen within three years if we had consolidated, unfortunately, because of the drop in the number of kids in this county and the Hope Scholarship draw offs."
Dilly and the BOE agreed to wait and schedule work sessions after the superintendent received more information on what will be expected from the school system while it is in a State of Emergency.
At a special meeting last week, the Randolph BOE voted unanimously to approve a budget for the next school year including a "negative contingency" of $434,388.
Earlier in May, the BOE had decided to report to the state that the county school system will not be able to balance its budget for the upcoming fiscal year.