# Attention WV homeschoolers



## Becka (Mar 15, 2008)

We now have a new state superintendent, Mrs. Marple, who has been very critical of homeschoolers in WV. She has already stated we need more proof of progress and less flexibility, among other things. In a state that already has accountability measures in place for homeschoolers, she may try to make it even harder for us. If you have not already done so, I urge you to join HSLDA or at least keep an eye on this lady.

I find it ironic that in WV, teachers may only fail a student ONCE in the public school system, yet we homeschool families must consistently provide proof that our children have progressed every single year. The public schools are graduating kids who can barely read and write, but we homeschoolers need MORE proof of progress than what we already provide in portfolio evaluations and/or testing results??? Sure seems like a double standard to me!


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## Horse Fork Farm (Jan 3, 2006)

YES! She is a real treat. I did see where HSLDA has already taken her on a couple of times, and HSLDA has posted a copy of a scathing letter sent to her by one of their attorneys. I love my State and the people in general, but government and all things educational remain backward and self defeating. Its just so narrow minded that its hard to make any headway.


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## kenworth (Feb 12, 2011)

> I find it ironic that in WV, teachers may only fail a student ONCE in the public school system


 WHAT?

What kind of help will be offered to ensure they don't fail another grade??????

My DGD (WV native) is being held back in kindergarden because she can't read 150 words, and a couple of other issues. 

I'm at whits end knowing about how to help her. She was screened for special education but passes that section. They did mention she might need some reading help. 

I'm also concerned because both she and her brother don't pronounce words correctly. Crown = in actuality crayon. Nackin = napkin. There are several others. 

I knew that schools make kindergardeners nowadays repeat their addresses and phone numbers, but 150 words???


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Marple is the wife of Attorney General McGraw. I don't think her appointment was good for education. She's definitely a member of the power structure and will take orders. The big goal is get Manchin reelected as Senator in 2012. There's a lot of strings being pulled. Marple supposedly is getting a salary of $165,000. Manchin's wife is on the DOE board that hired Marple. As usual the back scratching increases before elections.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

kenworth said:


> WHAT?
> 
> What kind of help will be offered to ensure they don't fail another grade??????
> 
> ...


What part of WV?


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## Becka (Mar 15, 2008)

Darren said:


> Marple is the wife of Attorney General McGraw. I don't think her appointment was good for education. She's definitely a member of the power structure and will take orders. The big goal is get Manchin reelected as Senator in 2012. There's a lot of strings being pulled. Marple supposedly is getting a salary of $165,000. Manchin's wife is on the DOE board that hired Marple. As usual the back scratching increases before elections.


UGH! Why am I so NOT surprised at this??? I wondered who she was connected with, and now that you pointed out she's McGraw's wife that explains a lot. Yep. WV politics as usual.:smack


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## Becka (Mar 15, 2008)

kenworth said:


> What kind of help will be offered to ensure they don't fail another grade??????
> 
> My DGD (WV native) is being held back in kindergarden because she can't read 150 words, and a couple of other issues.
> 
> I'm at whits end knowing about how to help her. She was screened for special education but passes that section. They did mention she might need some reading help.


It's been my recent observations that students who struggle are either put in "special ed" so they make better grades (saw this first hand with a kid in our church who is NOT special ed) or the material will be dumbed down for everybody using "group activities" and giving all the kids in the group the same grade. 

If this were my child, I'd get her checked for dyslexia and start yelling for a speech therapist. Lots of kids that age have a hard time with certain sounds, especially the "r" and "th." Mine outgrew it after just a short period of speech therapy.

Also, if the teachers are teaching phonics instead of sight reading, she should have no trouble with 150 words, I'm thinking. You might want to look into HOW they are teaching her to read. Good luck.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Becka said:


> UGH! Why am I so NOT surprised at this??? I wondered who she was connected with, and now that you pointed out she's McGraw's wife that explains a lot. Yep. WV politics as usual.:smack


Gayle Manchin was elected vice-president of the WV Department of Education on Thursday. Manchin seems to be a supporter of consolidating schools. Add more consolidation together with longer rides for young kids plus more pressure on homeschoolers. It adds up to more difficulties for young students.

I've had teachers tell me that by the fourth grade they can identify which students won't graduate from high school. The sad part is those kids, in some cases, grow up to live with a lifelong handicap.


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## ovsfarm (Jan 14, 2003)

kenworth said:


> I'm also concerned because both she and her brother don't pronounce words correctly. Crown = in actuality crayon. Nackin = napkin. There are several others.
> 
> 
> > Those colloquial pronunciations are quite common for many parts of West Virginia and the mid-Ohio valley. They are in no way any indicator of special needs. The children are most likely learning those pronunciations from people they know and spend a lot of time around.
> ...


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## Brooks WV (Jul 24, 2010)

Thanks for the post, I will make sure my wife see's this! There's no way we'd send our son to public school. If the regulations become too onerous, we'll simply *disappear* from their radar altogether. 

Would anyone be interested in a FB page, maybe "WV Homeschooler", where we could pass information and ideas... perhaps help each other out? We're in Summers county, little speck of a place between Beckley and Lewisburg.

~Mark & Erin


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## kenworth (Feb 12, 2011)

They are in the Point Pleasant School system.

DIL says she will not let them hold her back.

DGD does go to speech class.

We worked on flash cards, and she had a hard time remembering what she had reviewed just hours before. I personally think that she has the same issue as I do, the short term memory isn't very good


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