CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Parents, principals, school staff and other members of the public could have more access to student data this fall, with a new Web site state Department of Education officials will roll out.

At a state Board of Education meeting Wednesday, Deputy Superintendent Jack McClanahan gave board members a preview of the Web site, which is still a work in progress.

On the site, student test scores will be matched up with students' socioeconomic status, for instance, while a viewer also could check his county's graduation rate.

The site eventually will offer in-depth data on students' WESTEST 2 scores, the new annual accountability exam, and it also will offer demographic data such as a county's student density.

Pocahontas and Pendleton counties have very low student density, where less than two students live per square mile, while Berkeley and Hancock counties have very high student density.

State Superintendent of Schools Steve Paine said the Web site is a way to gear up for the coming day when school officials must be accountable and provide more clear, transparent data about student performance to the public. President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have called for the higher level of transparency, Paine has said. 

He expects the Web site will be ready by October. Paine wants to make sure the site provides reliable information, which is why state school officials will double check the data to assure its accuracy, he said.

Also Wednesday, board members discussed a more digital-friendly textbook adoption policy that lets publishers offer for sale to schools both printed and non-printed materials.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Parents, principals, school staff and other members of the public could have more access to student data this fall, with a new Web site state Department of Education officials will roll out.

At a state Board of Education meeting Wednesday, Deputy Superintendent Jack McClanahan gave board members a preview of the Web site, which is still a work in progress.

On the site, student test scores will be matched up with students' socioeconomic status, for instance, while a viewer also could check his county's graduation rate.

The site eventually will offer in-depth data on students' WESTEST 2 scores, the new annual accountability exam, and it also will offer demographic data such as a county's student density.

Pocahontas and Pendleton counties have very low student density, where less than two students live per square mile, while Berkeley and Hancock counties have very high student density.

State Superintendent of Schools Steve Paine said the Web site is a way to gear up for the coming day when school officials must be accountable and provide more clear, transparent data about student performance to the public. President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have called for the higher level of transparency, Paine has said. 

He expects the Web site will be ready by October. Paine wants to make sure the site provides reliable information, which is why state school officials will double check the data to assure its accuracy, he said.

Also Wednesday, board members discussed a more digital-friendly textbook adoption policy that lets publishers offer for sale to schools both printed and non-printed materials.

Carla Williamson, executive director of the state board's Office of Instruction, said it has become more difficult to find traditional textbooks to align with the state's 21st Century Skills curriculum. She also said some West Virginia teachers are more comfortable with old textbooks and do not want to change teaching materials.

Sometimes, county officials request waivers to state board policy so teachers can use the textbooks and other instructional materials they prefer.

State board member Lowell Johnson said he hopes state board members might eliminate the textbook waivers altogether.

State board member Priscilla Haden disagreed with Johnson somewhat. "I just hate to hand everything down from the state," she said.

For Paine, the day is coming where Web-based teaching replaces the textbooks of old. Both California and Texas are headed in that direction, he said.

Reach Davin White at davinwh...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1254.