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Audit Reveals Problems at Schools for the Deaf and Blind - State Journal - STATEJOURNAL.com
A West Virginia Department of Education audit team identified numerous problems at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, or WVSDB, during an audit of the Hampshire County school.
The audit team reported problems with administration, lack of security, meals, dormitories, inadequate instructional materials, incomplete lessons, building lighting and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning and teachers' credentials.
A 13-member audit team conducted the review in June. Kenna Seal, director of the office of education performance audits, authored the 51-page report, which highlights problems at the WVSDB. The report recently was presented to the state board.
Seal said he believes administrators at WVSDB will respond to suggestions offered in the audit and "become a better school."
"The state is not trying to shut the school down. That has never been considered," he said.
Priscilla Haden, president of the state Board of Education, said the audit was needed.
"Until now, the Schools for the Deaf and the Blind were operating outside of the pre-K through 12 accountability system. We recognize that as a problem and have taken steps to address it," she said.
WVSDB superintendent Patsy Shank declined to discuss the audit and referred questions about the review to the state Department of Education. Department spokeswoman Liza Cordiero said the state is going to make sure the right steps are being taken to "fix" the issues at the school.
"The state is looking at the issues short term, but long-term plans are being made already," Cordiero said.
Cordiero said although the school is governed by the Legislature, it ultimately will fall under the same rules as public schools.
"We feel it is very important that these issues are not going to be something that fall by the wayside. These children deserve the same expectations as the children in the mainstream deserve," Cordiero said.
State Superintendent Steve Paine said: "It is unfortunate that the issues at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind have only recently surfaced. Nevertheless, we are taking bold and swift action to correct deficiencies and provide a thorough and efficient education to the students served by both schools.
"The West Virginia Board of Education and the state Department of Education have a responsibility to all students in West Virginia."
To determine performance standards for adequate yearly progress, or AYP, the audit team compared spring 2010 WESTEST results statewide with WVSDB.
Eighteen WVSDB students were tested in mathematics, reading, science and social studies.
The report shows 83.33 percent of the 18 blind, partially sighted and hard of hearing tested were not proficient in mathematics, while 16.67 percent were proficient.
Other issues addressed in the audit included:
No student was taking any academic or career-technical courses at Hampshire High School.
The high school graduate overall college-going rate for WVSDB was 7.6 percent.
The dormitories lacked Internet access.
Severe deficits existed with technology throughout the campus.
Some instructional materials had not been approved, were outdated, were inadequate and or were unavailable.
Some students enrolled in fifth through 12th grades are neither hearing impaired nor visually impaired and will be graduating with a regular diploma.
Sixteen of 53 teachers, about 30 percent, are employed on either an out-of-field authorization or first-class-full-time permit.
"Almost everyone hired does not come with card-carrying credentials," Seal said. "They are certified as a teacher but not with an endorsement to teach for the deaf and the blind."
The reports said the school has an administrative staff of one superintendent, eight directors, three principals, one assistant principal and three coordinators for about 160 students. The audit team said the direct student services were appropriate to support a high-quality curriculum and instructional services. However, the team's analysis of administrative staff revealed a high number of personnel for a small number of students.
A West Virginia Department of Education audit team identified numerous problems at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, or WVSDB, during an audit of the Hampshire County school.
The audit team reported problems with administration, lack of security, meals, dormitories, inadequate instructional materials, incomplete lessons, building lighting and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning and teachers' credentials.
A 13-member audit team conducted the review in June. Kenna Seal, director of the office of education performance audits, authored the 51-page report, which highlights problems at the WVSDB. The report recently was presented to the state board.
Seal said he believes administrators at WVSDB will respond to suggestions offered in the audit and "become a better school."
"The state is not trying to shut the school down. That has never been considered," he said.
Priscilla Haden, president of the state Board of Education, said the audit was needed.
"Until now, the Schools for the Deaf and the Blind were operating outside of the pre-K through 12 accountability system. We recognize that as a problem and have taken steps to address it," she said.
WVSDB superintendent Patsy Shank declined to discuss the audit and referred questions about the review to the state Department of Education. Department spokeswoman Liza Cordiero said the state is going to make sure the right steps are being taken to "fix" the issues at the school.
"The state is looking at the issues short term, but long-term plans are being made already," Cordiero said.
Cordiero said although the school is governed by the Legislature, it ultimately will fall under the same rules as public schools.
"We feel it is very important that these issues are not going to be something that fall by the wayside. These children deserve the same expectations as the children in the mainstream deserve," Cordiero said.
State Superintendent Steve Paine said: "It is unfortunate that the issues at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind have only recently surfaced. Nevertheless, we are taking bold and swift action to correct deficiencies and provide a thorough and efficient education to the students served by both schools.
"The West Virginia Board of Education and the state Department of Education have a responsibility to all students in West Virginia."
To determine performance standards for adequate yearly progress, or AYP, the audit team compared spring 2010 WESTEST results statewide with WVSDB.
Eighteen WVSDB students were tested in mathematics, reading, science and social studies.
The report shows 83.33 percent of the 18 blind, partially sighted and hard of hearing tested were not proficient in mathematics, while 16.67 percent were proficient.
Other issues addressed in the audit included:
No student was taking any academic or career-technical courses at Hampshire High School.
The high school graduate overall college-going rate for WVSDB was 7.6 percent.
The dormitories lacked Internet access.
Severe deficits existed with technology throughout the campus.
Some instructional materials had not been approved, were outdated, were inadequate and or were unavailable.
Some students enrolled in fifth through 12th grades are neither hearing impaired nor visually impaired and will be graduating with a regular diploma.
Sixteen of 53 teachers, about 30 percent, are employed on either an out-of-field authorization or first-class-full-time permit.
"Almost everyone hired does not come with card-carrying credentials," Seal said. "They are certified as a teacher but not with an endorsement to teach for the deaf and the blind."
The reports said the school has an administrative staff of one superintendent, eight directors, three principals, one assistant principal and three coordinators for about 160 students. The audit team said the direct student services were appropriate to support a high-quality curriculum and instructional services. However, the team's analysis of administrative staff revealed a high number of personnel for a small number of students.
