CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) — The West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) has issued an immediate intervention in Boone County Schools and declared a State of Emergency for Randolph County Schools following serious findings of noncompliance uncovered during separate reviews.
The intervention in Boone County comes after the West Virginia Department of Education’s (WVDE) Office of Accountability conducted a Special Circumstance Review. The review was ordered by State Superintendent of Schools Michele Blatt following an earlier federal criminal investigation into irregularities in the use of federal funds.
As a result of the findings, the WVBE voted to remove both the county superintendent and assistant superintendent, effective at the close of business on June 11, 2025. Superintendent Blatt appointed Deirdre Cline as the interim superintendent of Boone County Schools.
In Randolph County, the WVBE declared a State of Emergency due to ongoing concerns with the school district’s management. The board cited the county’s failure to approve a school consolidation plan, address staffing overages, and manage a projected budget shortfall tied to declining student enrollment.
The WVBE will review the status of Randolph County’s State of Emergency in six months to determine if additional action is needed or if the declaration can be lifted.
Documents related to the Boone and Randolph County reviews can be accessed on the June 2025 WVBE meeting page of the WVDE website. Archived Special Circumstance Reviews are also available through the Office of Accountability section of the site.
The next regularly scheduled WVBE meeting is set for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at Building 6, Suite 600, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, Charleston, WV.
