CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - There’s been a wave of school consolidations across the state of West Virginia.

School superintendents blame a decline in enrollment, funding, and even school choice.

WVBE President L. Paul Hardesty made a passionate speech on Wednesday during a regularly scheduled board meeting, calling on lawmakers to level the playing field for public education.

He highlighted the inconsistencies between regulations, requirements and oversight of public schools, charter schools, and homeschools.

He compared the 1,300-page 2025 West Virginia School Laws Code Book that contains laws passed by the West Virginia Legislature that govern public schools, to a single sheet of paper that outlines all of the legislative requirements for charter schools, and to an index card that sho

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