HANCOCK COUNTY, W.Va. — Public records indicate a Hancock County Schools employee has been working under a long-term substitute teaching permit while being paid and classified as a certified special education teacher, raising new questions about payroll practices as the district faces a growing financial crisis.
According to state certification records, payroll data, and board documents obtained through publicly available sources, one district employee, a coach, holds a long-term substitute permit issued by the West Virginia Department of Education. That permit, identified under Code 90-1, authorizes an individual to serve as a substitute teacher for an extended period but does not confer certified teacher status.
However, WVEIS payroll records list the coach as a Certified Special Education Teacher, position code 215, with an annual salary of $45,713 and retirement benefits — compensation typically reserved for fully certified educators working under a valid teaching certificate.
In West Virginia, substitute teachers and certified teachers are classified and compensated differently. Certified teachers hold state-issued teaching certificates, work full time, and are paid according to the state teacher salary schedule with full benefits. Substitute teachers, including long-term substitutes, work under substitute permits and are paid at lower rates, even when assignments last for weeks or months.
While long-term substitutes may fill extended vacancies, they remain substitutes unless formally certified and approved for a certified teaching position by a county board of education.
A review of Hancock County Board of Education meeting minutes shows no public record of board approval for the employee to be hired or reclassified into a certified teaching position. No documentation was found indicating the board voted to place the employee in a certified role.
The issue comes as Hancock County Schools faces mounting financial strain. West Virginia House Majority Leader Pat McGeehan (R-Brooke) has publicly described the district’s situation as “gross negligence” and “mismanagement,” warning the county could run out of money to pay teachers and staff by late January or early February.
State data show the district is currently 43 positions over what is funded through the state School Aid Formula, meaning staffing levels exceed what state funding supports. District officials have acknowledged that staff reductions may be necessary.
Critics say the discrepancy highlighted by this employee’s case raises broader concerns about oversight and fairness, particularly as certified teachers who meet all state requirements could face layoffs while someone working under a substitute permit continues to receive certified-level pay and benefits.
The records reviewed do not indicate whether the classification was the result of an error, oversight, or other administrative decision.
While this case involves one employee, education observers say it underscores the need for transparency as the district works to address its budget shortfall and staffing challenges.
As the financial situation continues to unfold, community members and state leaders have called for a closer examination of personnel practices to determine whether similar discrepancies exist elsewhere within the district.
