The Legislative Oversight Committee on Education Accountability met on Sunday, August 6, 2023. The committee heard an update on Alderson Broaddus (AB) University.

The Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) and the Community and Technical College Council (CTCC) can revoke authorization on an educational institution’s ability to confer degrees. AB’s finances have been a concern for years. Just last year, the then-president believed the board would be voting to close the institution in the spring, with an allowance for physician assistant student to complete their requirements to graduate. However, a new board and president were elected, and the new board decided to stay open.

The board was expecting a $1.1 million tax credit from the IRS and donations to help with cash flow. However, these funds were never received, and the cash flow was in the negative. The institution owes money to the City of Philippi, Sodexo (food vendor), and others. It had taken out a $27 million loan with the USDA. Donations were requested for payroll payments to be made. AB’s budget is also entirely based on enrollment. It seemed that the enrollment projections would not be met. Another financial issue was that student-athletes at AB received reduced tuition at almost fifty percent and 80 percent of the students were athletes. With poor finances, it was concluded that the institution could not be opened for another semester. The HEPC voted to revoke AB’s ability to confer degrees in West Virginia. The institution may continue to teach students who will graduate in December. Currently, the HEPC is trying to determine what fees and tuition students have already paid.

Other higher education institutions have stepped up to accept students. Currently, the HEPC is trying to place the first-year physician assistance students who were displaced by revocation. All institutions that have PA programs are full and have not been granted expansion from their accreditors to allow more students in the programs. AB’s transcripts are part of a third-party system for all private school transcripts, so students will still have access to them. The transcripts are being moved under Wesleyan.

The Chancellor expressed concern about not having an audit for AB in FY22. Therefore, the last audit performed was in FY21. She believes it is crucial to look at all private and public institutions’ finances to prevent this from happening again.

The Committee also heard about a couple of WVBE Policies.

WVBE Policy 5310 – Performance Evaluation of Professional Personnel and Athletic Coaches- implements House Bill 2597. The policy establishes a uniform process for the evaluation of employment performance for professional personnel and athletic coaches.

WVBE Policy 2512 – Tired System of Support for Early Literacy and Numeracy- implements House Bill 3035. The policy establishes county standards of transformative support systems for students to meet grade-level proficiency in reading by the end of third grade with comprehensive support for early literacy in Pre-K through third grade. The policy focuses on schools and communities working together to remove barriers and expand opportunities in the early learning years. West Virginia’s Campaign for Grade Level Reading is a comprehensive, systematic approach to closing the reading achievement gap by third grade targeting school readiness, chronic absence, extended learning, and an intervention framework.

This policy is a part of the Third Grade Success Act. Other policies are being reviewed and revised. The department is receiving $5.7 million for early literacy to be allocated to the counties. The department also partners with the June Harless Center to provide reading specialists to schools in the state. Regional reading specialists are expected to be provided to help in other areas of the state. The department is allocating over $300,00 for math. Screeners are chosen by a ranking system.

The department just held two Invest Conferences, which are meetings with three days of the science of reading and numeracy for K through 12. In the Fall, regional training will take place for those who couldn’t attend the Invest Conferences to provide updated training on literacy, dyslexia, and dyscalculia.

The Joint Committee on Health met this morning and heard a presentation on substance use disorder.

Dr. Stephen Loyd from Tennessee stated that addiction is about genetics, trauma, and opportunity. It is not a moral failing, but a disease that affects the frontal lobe, which controls impulse and empathy. Addiction is complex, but it is treatable.

Recovery requires an ecosystem for success. In the system, referral sources identify individuals suffering from SUD. Those referral sources include the criminal justice system, treatment providers, counselors, community support groups, and even the individual themselves. Treatment needed for individuals with SUD is employment support, life skills development, health checks (mental and physical), education support, peer support, stable support, and case management. With these treatments and support, positive outcomes with employment, transportation, housing, and social support.

In order to achieve these goals, we must focus on harm reduction including access to naloxone, syringe exchange programs, and voluntary reversible long-action contraception. There should be increased access to medications for opioid use disorder such as suboxone, naltrexone, and methadone. Although it is controversial, Dr. Loyd said it is necessary specifically to treat fentanyl use. Additional support is needed during pregnancy and postpartum with expanded services for neonatal withdrawal syndrome. Treatment should be provided in prisons and jails with handoff programs and recovery services for post-incarceration, especially housing.

Prevention strategies need to be in place to prevent the next generation from continuing with substance use. Data collection and research support are needed to continue using the best practices for prevention and recovery.

The Joint Education Committee met this afternoon and heard a presentation on Marshall’s program “Marshall for All, Marshall Forever.”

Marshall University was created in 1837 and gained university status in 1961. In 2022, Marshall announced “Marshall for All” with the goal that in 10 years no student will graduate with debt. Marshall currently serves 11,000 students of which 77 percent are from WV and 54 percent are first-generation students. The 1,770 faculty and staff serve students at four locations.

The University’s role is to provide opportunities for individual success and innovative ideas for a positive economic impact.

Higher Education is facing a huge transition. As of 2025, there will be 21 percent fewer high school graduates in WV. Also as of 2025, there will be a drop of 18 percent of graduates interested in college. Students need a more affordable and flexible education to achieve their goals.

A major issue facing higher education is the increasing debt. Although Marshall is more affordable than many of its instate and regional peers, students still find themselves in tens of thousands in debt.

Higher education is being reinvented with the digital transformation. Students have knowledge of economic demands and are looking to non-traditional providers for low-cost, anytime/anywhere access to education to obtain relevant degrees and certificates. Practicality is more important than prestige. With these changes, online degrees and micro-credentials are increasing as full-time in-person enrollment is decreasing. To stay relevant, universities must pivot and offer these courses.

Marshall’s Strategic Roadmap to Future Prosperity is a transformation to promote long-term sustainability and lead with the best to leapfrog and become a reference case. By 2027, the University plans to be back in the green financially by growing students, not fees; investing in the team; taking care of the structures; and managing resources.

In 2037, Marshall University will be 200 years old. The plan is 100 percent of graduates will have job placement and zero student debt. To do this, the University will need to raise $300 million in 10 years to phase in the zero-debt plan beginning with the first 100 students in the fall of 2023. The University plans to have $150 million in funded research, grants, and contracts with a 3x return on startups. Stakeholders will make a 30x return for every $1 invested. The plan is in line with the performance-based funding formula.

Marshall looks to serve more people by expanding the student pool to focus on non-traditional students in addition to high school seniors. The University will offer an in-demand curriculum on demand and distinctive value propositions.

The Committee also heard from Lexia Learning on Early Literacy Professional Development, whose mission is to create opportunity for every student through the power of literacy education.