Education: New goals are needed for student success
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West Virginians expect their tax dollars will be spent on supporting public schools' effort to educate and prepare students for life and careers after graduation. There have been improvements on that front, but West Virginia Board of Education member James Paul was right to ask a couple of questions recently.
In an opinion piece published in multiple media outlets throughout the state, Paul pointed out that last year 93% of Mountain State high school seniors earned a diploma. That's great. But testing from the spring showed only one in five high school juniors was proficient in math. That's not so great.
"What exactly does a West Virginia high school diploma certify?" Paul asked.
Is being able to meet the bare minimum requirement for graduation what our kids need to thrive in the next chapter of their lives?
We know that in many cases, it is not. The number of people ages 18-24 in West Virginia who are neither in school nor working is significantly higher than the national average. The percentage of high school graduates who go on to enroll in college is only approximately 55%.
"The trouble starts well before high school," Paul wrote. "In 2025-26, statewide math proficiency for third-graders was 54%. In fifth grade, it was 44%. By eighth grade, it plunged to 34%."
Yet even as their proficiency decreases, 93% of students are being pushed out the door on graduation day and told they've met the requirements for the next phase.
It is true, not every student needs to move on to college or other post-secondary education to get a good job that supports quality of life. That doesn't mean a better high school education would not provide them with better opportunities.
"For the foreseeable future, math achievement should be a standing priority of the state Board and the Department (of Education)," Paul said.
He's right.
He also noted "Math, more than other subjects, gives a clear measure of what schools are producing," as opposed to the educational influence a family is able to provide in subjects such as reading, English language arts, history, social studies and such.
To be fair to schools, there has been plenty of Charleston-generated distraction in recent years -- and administrators and teachers are asked to do more for our students than ever before.
That is why it is up to everyone to fix on new goals -- new expectations -- for our students and get there together. The Third Grade Success Act has been an important step.
We owe it not just to our kids, but to ourselves not to lose that momentum.