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West Virginia Superintendent of Schools
| West Virginia Superintendent of Schools | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $230,000 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $1,645,359,487 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | Serves at the pleasure of the Board of Education |
| Authority: | West Virginia Constitution, Article XII, Section 2 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by West Virginia Board of Education |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
West Virginia Superintendent of Schools
Michele Blatt | |
| Other West Virginia Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education• Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner• Natural Resources Commissioner • Secretary of Commerce • Commissioner of Labor • Public Service Commission | |
The West Virginia Superintendent of Schools is an appointed, state executive position in the West Virginia state government. The superintendent is the chief school officer of the state, overseeing West Virginia's public school system of 55 individual school districts.
Current officeholder
The current West Virginia Superintendent of Schools is Michele Blatt (nonpartisan). Blatt assumed office in 2023.
Authority
Article 12 of the West Virginia Constitution establishes a Board of Education, with nine members appointed by the governor. The board is responsible for selecting the superintendent.
Article XII, Section 2: Supervision of Free Schools
| The general supervision of the free schools of the State shall be vested in the West Virginia board of education which shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by law. The board shall consist of nine members to be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, for overlapping terms of nine years, except that the original appointments shall be for terms of one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine years, respectively. No more than five members of the board shall belong to the same political party, and in addition to the general qualifications otherwise required by the Constitution, the legislature may require other specific qualifications for membership on the board. No member of the board may be removed from office by the governor except for official misconduct, incompetence, neglect of duty, or gross immorality, and then only in the manner prescribed by law for the removal by the governor of state elective officers.
The West Virginia board of education shall in the manner prescribed by law, select the state superintendent of free schools who shall serve at its will and pleasure. He shall be the chief school officer of the State and shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by law. The state superintendent of free schools shall be a member of the board of public works as provided by subsection B, section fifty-one, article six of this Constitution. |
Qualifications
Chapter 18, Article 3 of the West Virginia Code specifies the qualifications for holding the office of superintendent:
- good moral character
- recognized ability as a school administrator
- hold at least a Master's degree in educational administration
- have at least five years work experience in public schools
|
There shall be appointed by the state board a State Superintendent of Schools who shall serve at the will and pleasure of the state board. He or she shall be a person of good moral character, of recognized ability as a school administrator, holding at least a master's degree in educational administration, and shall have had not less than five years of experience in public school work... |
Appointments
The superintendent of schools is appointed by the West Virginia Board of Education, and serves a its pleasure.
Vacancies
Vacancies in the office are filled by appointment from the West Virginia Board of Education.
Duties
The superintendent of schools is the chief executive officer of the Board of Education, charged with supervision of all public school districts and local boards of education in the state. Additional duties of the office include:[1]
- enforcing laws pertaining to education, including the removal of school officials
- conducting conference of all county, district, and city superintendents
- interpreting the meaning of any part of the school law or of the rules of the state board of education
- publishing manuals of the courses of study prescribed by the board of education
- providing an annual report to the state legislature
- closing school buildings and district facilities that fail to comply with an order of the state fire marshal
- classify all schools on the basis of standards established by the board of education
State budget
- See also: West Virginia state budget and finances
The state budget for the Department of Education under the board of education was $1,645,359,487 for Fiscal Year 2025.[2]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
Chapter 18, Article 3 of the West Virginia Code specifies compensation for the office of superintendent:
|
...He or she shall receive an annual salary set by the state board, to be paid monthly: Provided, That the annual salary may not exceed one hundred forty-six thousand one hundred dollars: Provided, however, That after the thirtieth day of June, two thousand six, the annual salary may not exceed one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars. The state superintendent also shall receive necessary traveling expenses incident to the performance of his or her duties to be paid out of the General School Fund upon warrants of the State Auditor... |
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $230,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[3]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $230,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[4]
2021
In 2021, the superintendent received a salary of $230,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[5]
2020
In 2020, the superintendent received a salary of $230,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[6]
2019
In 2019, the superintendent received a salary of $230,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2018
In 2018, the superintendent received a salary of $230,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2017
In 2017, the superintendent received a salary of $230,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2016
In 2016, the superintendent received a salary of $230,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2015
In 2015, the superintendent received a salary of $230,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2014
In 2014, the superintendent received a salary of $165,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2013
In 2013, the superintendent received a salary of $165,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2010
In 2010, the superintendent received a salary of $175,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the West Virginia Superintendent of Schools has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms West Virginia Superintendent of Schools. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
West Virginia Department of Education
1900 Kanawha Boulevard East
Charleston, WV 25305
Phone: (304) 558-2681
See also
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ West Virginia Code, "Chapter 18, Article 18-3," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ West Virginia Legislature, "Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 200," accessed January 23, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2020," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 8, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 31, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2010, Table 4.11," accessed June 17, 2011
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