A State of Emergency
Randolph County Schools' Path to Recovery
In response to a directive from the West Virginia Department of Education, this infographic visualizes the comprehensive compliance and corrective action plan designed to restore financial stability, effective governance, and operational efficiency to the district by December 2025.
The Challenge in Numbers
$2.8M
Projected Budget Shortfall
A structural deficit must be eliminated for FY2026 without using emergency funds.
-13.7%
Enrollment Decline
Student enrollment dropped from 4,040 in 2017-18 to 3,488 in 2024-25.
50+ Yrs
Average Facility Age
Most school facilities require substantial maintenance and investment.
Visualizing the Enrollment Trend
The steady decline in student population is a primary driver of the district's financial and facility challenges, necessitating difficult decisions about consolidation and staffing.
The Four Pillars of Action
The corrective action plan is built on four critical areas of focus, each with specific, time-bound deliverables designed to create systemic change.
Governance
Rebuilding trust and defining roles between the Board and Superintendent.
Fiscal Management
Developing a balanced, sustainable budget to eliminate the deficit.
School Consolidation
Making data-driven decisions on facility usage and school closures.
Personnel
Aligning staffing with the state aid formula and the new budget.
Roadmap to December 2025
Communication Protocol
Establish formal comms between Board & Supt.
Mandatory WVDE Training
Board members & Supt. complete governance training.
Logistics Study Complete
Transportation study for all consolidation scenarios finalized.
Public Hearings
Community input gathered on consolidation plan.
Final Board Votes
Board votes on final consolidation & personnel plans.
Plan Submitted to WVBE
Comprehensive plan presented to State Board of Education.
Action Plan Breakdown
Pillar 1: Reforming Governance
A primary goal is to fix the breakdown in communication. The plan mandates a new, collaborative leadership structure and clear protocols to ensure the Board is informed and engaged, preventing the confusion seen in previous meetings.
New Communication Flow
Pillar 2: Balancing the Budget
The district must rectify a structural deficit. In FY2024, over half of the unassigned fund balance was used to cover recurring costs in the FY2025 budget—an unsustainable practice the new plan must eliminate.
Pillar 3: School Consolidation
With declining enrollment, consolidating schools is a necessity. The previous plan to close Harman (103 students) and Pickens (29 students) stalled. A new, data-driven plan will be presented to the board after extensive study.
Pillar 4: Aligning Personnel
The district is staffed beyond the state aid formula. The new plan requires a comprehensive personnel review, with reductions and transfers aligned to the balanced budget and consolidation decisions, all reviewed by legal counsel before a board vote.
Personnel Actions
Legal Review
All actions reviewed by counsel first.
Single Vote
Entire plan voted on as one item.
Linked to Budget
Directly tied to fiscal & consolidation plans.
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