The West Virginia State Board of Education meets this morning to accept the resignation of Superintendent David Roach. Roach’s forced retirement comes after Board President Paul Hardesty and other board members lost confidence in him for his handling of the financial scandal in Upshur County.
Hardesty was especially upset with Roach, believing that the superintendent withheld details of a damaging audit showing allegations of financial fraud, waste and abuse of federal COVID money.
Roach’s retirement is near the top of the meeting agenda, and it will be followed by the appointment of a new superintendent. By law, the state cannot have a vacancy in the position, nor can anyone serve with the title of “interim.”
That leaves the board with two options: It can hire someone regarded as the permanent replacement of Roach, or it can make the appointment with the understanding that the board will conduct a search where the new appointment can also be one of the applicants if he or she chooses.
Current Deputy Superintendent Michele Blatt’s name is at the top of the list of possible replacements. According to her biography on the WVDE website, Blatt had 25 years of experience as a teacher and principal before joining the state department in 2007.
Blatt is known as the “go-to” person within the department. Those I talked with about her say she has a deep understanding of the complicated public education system and a strong work ethic. One person told me, “She has been doing the heavy lifting.” Another described her as “very qualified.” A third said Blatt should have gotten the job when Roach was hired.
In addition, Blatt was front and center for the department during the legislative session. When lawmakers had questions about bills or proposed changes in legislative language, Blatt was the person with the institutional knowledge to provide answers. That ability gained her respect among legislators.
The next hire for the superintendent’s position is critical because of the myriad challenges in public education currently:
- The Department is implementing a new reading program with the expectation of improvement on the dismal achievement outcomes.
- The teacher and staff shortages are getting worse every year.
- Public schools and curricula have become a lightning rod in the culture wars.
- There is a federal investigation into the Upshur County financial scandal.
This is not a position for anyone interested in West Virginia as a steppingstone to their next job or who has a proclivity to maintain the status quo. The next superintendent needs to be a change agent with an iron will to break through the barriers of bureaucracy.
The pressure is on the board to make the right choice for the state’s future.
