West Virginia’s Senate president emphasized a focus on public schools along with a switch in leadership for the Senate Education Committee this week.
Senator Amy Nichole Grady, a classroom instructor in Mason County, will be the new chairwoman, replacing Patricia Rucker. Both are Republicans.
“Patricia Rucker’s played a vital role and we’ve done just about all you can do for home schooling, charter schools, microschools, Hope Scholarship, all the alternative forms of education, but it’s time to take a deep dive into public education in the state of West Virginia,” Senate President Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, said this week.
Now, organizations that focus on West Virginia classrooms will be watching what the change means.
“I came into this hoping I could use my knowledge from the classroom the best way possible. And I’m glad the Senate president has made this move to say we’re going to focus a lot on public education, and he felt I would be the best to lead that,” Grady, R-Mason, said in an interview with WMOV Radio.
Grady agreed that her classroom experiences will help as the Education Committee considers legislation about public education in West Virginia.
“I think it’s really important and it is invaluable because I have not just my experiences but I have people surrounding me in my colleagues that I can bounce ideas off of. The best thing to make change is to talk to the people who are entrenched in it,” she said.
“Everything should be student-focused and student-centered. I’m really excited about being able to do that and bring their ideas and my ideas together to help.”
West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee said he is glad to hear Grady is ready to hear educators’ views.
“It’s refreshing to have a public school educator as the chair of the Senate Education Committee,” Lee said. “The last few sessions the debate has been on homeschooling and private schooling. I look forward to having the debate go to how to make a good education better. Senator Grady wants to talk to the true experts of education, which is the educators. That’s a refreshing change.”
Lee said he has communicated openly with Grady following her election to the Senate in 2020.
“There have been times that we have disagreed on some issues, just like anyone else, but I have found Senator Grady willing to listen and to want to seek the voice and the input of our public educators,” he said. “That’s all anyone can ask for is to have that voice.”
Fred Albert, the president of American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia, said he appreciates the change in emphasis from “school choice” initiatives to the public school system.
“It was also great to hear she believes that listening to people in the trenches is the best mechanism for positive change for our students and educators. We look forward to having an open line of communication with Senator Grady to work together and improve public education.”
Grady, while acknowledging focus on public schools, said work on other aspects of West Virginia’s education system isn’t finished.
“I completely, 100 percent support school choice, and my votes show that — and I think that providing options for students and parents is really important,” she said on MetroNews’ “Talkline.”
“But equally as important is making sure that those students and parents that choose public education, that they have opportunities that they need as well.”
Grady described being open to ideas but did not specify particular policy points.
“I haven’t sat down and written an agenda because it’s only been a couple of days since it’s been announced,” she said. “And I do have some ideas that I’m not comfortable stating exactly what those are at the moment. I promise as soon as I have something down that says ‘Hey, this is what we’re going to focus on in the beginning,’ I’ll let you know.”
WV Senate President Craig Blair chose @AmyNicholeGrad2 as the new Senate Education Committee Chair replacing Patricia Rucker. Grady discusses with @HoppyKercheval. what she plans to accomplish or work on in this new position. WATCH: https://t.co/yCFQ3nDJuy pic.twitter.com/810rf1Bjbl
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) September 1, 2022
Rucker announced this week that she plans to challenge Blair for presidency of the Senate. Under her, the Education Committee had advanced bills to establish charter schools, the Hope Scholarship for students leaving the public education system and microschools where families cooperate to let children learn in small groups.
The charter schools legislation was part of an omnibus education bill that also included pay raises, increased support personnel for schools, open enrollment, incentives to fill in-demand positions and financial support for small or struggling counties.
“There is no question as to the positive impact that Senator Rucker’s leadership has had on the trajectory of West Virginia’s education system — countless families will benefit for generations to come from her vision and leadership. There is no doubt that our state is better off because of Sen. Rucker’s position as Chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee,” said Garrett Ballengee, executive director of the Cardinal Institute, which advocates for more flexible school options.
“We look forward to working with Senator Grady, as well, in advancing an education system that works for all children, regardless of household income, district, neighborhood, or ZIP. West Virginia has taken giant leaps in education reform in recent years and that progress must be sustained.”
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