Three Logan County schools slated for permanent closure amid declining enrollment

Three additional schools in Logan County find themselves on the permanent chopping block after recent enrollment numbers show less than 100 students enrolled at each facility for the past four years

Three Logan County schools slated for permanent closure amid declining enrollment

Robert Fields | WVOW News

LOGAN Three additional schools in Logan County are faced with possible closure.

According to Superintendent Dr. Sonya White, Logan continues to face declining enrollment, school closures and recovery from February’s Logan Elementary School fire.

Now, after it was revealed that Logan County enrollment declined by about 312 students over the past year, Hugh Dingess, South Man and Justice elementary schools are being proposed for permanent closure. Dr. White said each of those facilities has had fewer than 100 students enrolled through the past four years.

"This is a seven-percent decrease from last year," White said Tuesday. "People moving out of the area, school choice options and the Hope Scholarship are contributing factors to the drastic decrease in enrollment in recent years; however, enrollment has been slowly declining since approximately 2009."

On a brighter note, Logan County Schools was granted some additional authority following an update this week from the state Board of Education.

After nearly four years under a state takeover, the board said Logan County Schools has shown progress in governance, policy, budgeting and federal program planning. As a matter of fact, it was authority over federal programs management that was restored to the district on Wednesday.

In other updates from Logan County Schools, Logan High School is expected to have certified math teachers for the first time in several years.

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