The Education
Alliance, Public Education Network (PEN) and The Greater Kanawha Valley
Foundation (GKVF) released the First State Civic Index on Quality
Public Education in the Nation!
The Civic Index consisted of 10 categories of civic
behaviors critical to creating and sustaining quality public schools.
The survey, conducted by Lake Research Associates of Washington, D.C., found
that West Virginia offers some of the highest ratings for business
involvement in public education. The state also set the standard for
residents who say their community takes responsibility for public education.
The West Virginia Civic Index Report: The Release of the First State
Civic Index on Quality Public Education in the Nation
 (786 KB)
Key Findings
 West Virginia performs
higher than the nation and higher than other test sites on key factors
communities think are important in improving public schools. The purpose of
the Index is not to compare states, but rather to measure each community and
state to see where improvements can be made. Saying that, it is still
important to acknowledge the areas where West Virginia excels. First, West
Virginians offers some of the highest ratings for business involvement. The
state also sets the standard for residents who say their community takes
responsibility for public education – despite having a smaller base of
education voters from which to pull.
The
ratings for local business involvement are by far the highest we have seen.
The Education Alliance has clearly been successful thus far in building a
bridge between local businesses and public schools, and community residents
are aware of this.
There
is some concern, however, with youth involvement. West Virginians clearly
value youth in their communities but say schools need to give students more
skills needed to participate in our democracy and in decision-making when it
comes to their school system.
Residents
turn to the news media first and foremost for information on public schools
and what candidates say about public schools, and the media receives high
ratings on these categories. Still, residents want more context to the
information they receive so they can become better users of the information.
Finally,
West Virginia has a smaller base of education voters than other test sites.
This does not mean residents value their public schools any less, but it
does mean they have competing issue priorities and that they are
cross-pressured. Education advocates need to continue linking public schools
and giving children a good public education to an improving economy and a
brighter future for the state.
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