Gov. Patrick Morrisey announces a plan to expand public school programs aimed at helping children before they need the child welfare system to improve the state’s overwhelmed foster care system, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Charleston, West Virginia. (Photo courtesy of West Virginia Governor’s Office Patrick Morrisey)
Gov. Patrick Morrisey is expanding efforts to improve the state’s overwhelmed foster care system, announcing a plan to introduce programs in public schools aimed at helping children before they need the child welfare system.
There are around 6,000 children in West Virginia’s foster care system, and the state has received more than 10,000 referrals so far this year.
““This is a very difficult area, but I think we are making progress and it is important that we continue to keep people informed of what is happening,” Morrisey said Tuesday at the state Capitol in Charleston, West Virginia.
To reduce the number of children placed in foster care, Morrisey announced that the state would expand a program called Star Academy. It is a school-within-a-school model designed to assist at-risk middle school students.
The program, developed locally at existing schools, provides classroom instruction and an academic recovery program to assist students catch up.
“I think it will help the children, keep the children engaged in school and reduce some of the risks that lead to involvement in foster care,” Morrisey said.
His administration plans to open eight up-to-date Star Academy locations in the state.
Alex Mayer, secretary of the West Virginia Department of Human Services, said it’s a good step toward establishing primary prevention in the state.
“However, I think prevention is a key factor in overall success and child welfare reform,” he said. “While I don’t think it’s the only thing we need to focus on, it is an important part of the reforms we will implement and advance here in West Virginia.”
Morrisey will utilize unspent federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds to finance the $8 million project, and he must approve some changes from the Legislature to make the expansion possible. States have discretion as to how they utilize them TANF, a federal emergency assistance program, can be used to fund a variety of programs.
The program can serve up to 80 students per year and generally runs on a three to five year cycle. Morrisey, which could allow the programs to serve up to 240 to 400 students per school.
Star Academy was tested in four areas – Charleston, Logan, Martinsburg and Philippi. Results from the four pilot programs in West Virginia show an 81% decrease in behavioral incidents and a 63% enhance in participation.
“We’re seeing that they’re already achieving some good results in maths and English. But when it comes to behavior, we’re really encouraged,” Morrisey said.
West Virginia recently enacted one New school discipline law explain how Teachers can respond to this violent and threatening behavior in the classroom due to increasing student discipline problems.
Educators have linked worsening behavioral problems in schools to the state’s ongoing substance abuse crisis; Behavioral problems can result from or be a result of abuse and neglect neonatal abstinence syndromethey said.
Less than half of the state’s 55 counties have alternative learning centers for children with behavioral problems.
No changes are planned for homeschool students
Star Academy will serve public school students, and Morrisey said he is not interested in “a whole new regulatory system” for parents who homeschool their children.
The number of homeschool children in the state grows.
Former Gov. Jim Justice and some Republicans had previously floated the idea to tighten reporting requirements for homeschoolers after 14-year-old Kyneddi Miller, a homeschooler, died in 2024 of apparent famine in Boone County. The girl’s mother hadn’t reported the required homeschool evaluations to the local school district, which could have prompted someone to inquire about the child.
The Senate rejected a takeover last year an invoice This would suspend a parent’s application for home schooling if a child abuse investigation is pending against the parent. For an eight-year-old girl, the measure was called “Raylee’s Law.” who died of abuse and neglect in 2018 after her parents removed her from school. Educators at her elementary school had informed child protection services about possible abuse.
In response to a question from WOWK reporter Maddy Sperling, the governor said he trusts parents to take care of their children.
“I think it is important that our children always grow up in the best and appropriate environment and if there are complaints, they are voiced and everyone is addressed,” he said.
Morrisey announced several foster care reform efforts since taking office last year and recently unveiled a plan to take in 380 foster children in out-of-state facilities back to West Virginia. According to the DoHS, foster children are in facilities in states such as California, Texas, Utah and Washington Data.
The governor said he will request $6 million in state funding for a up-to-date fund aimed at renovating existing state-owned buildings with the goal of creating beds for foster children in need of acute mental and behavioral health services.
The 60-day legislative session begins Wednesday, January 14th. Morrisey will give his second State of the State address that evening.
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