CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gov. Joe Manchin said Tuesday he was "very disappointed" that the Legislature failed to pass any substantial public school reform legislation during the recently completed seven-day special session.

"We stepped forward as hard as we could ... and we still got nothing," he said of the seven-bill agenda for education reform.

Ultimately, only three of the bills passed the Legislature, and those were reduced to pilot projects or studies.

"I'm very disappointed we didn't get more accomplished," Manchin said. "I'm disappointed the Education Committees didn't take it more seriously to make change."

Several of the bills were killed or watered-down in the House Education Committee, where a majority of members are current or retired teachers or school service personnel. Committee Chairwoman Mary Poling, D-Barbour, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Manchin said it is clear that the current public school system is not adequately preparing students for higher education and for jobs in the 21st-century workplace.

"The results don't lie. They are what they are," he said. "The education system is the way it is, perhaps, because change hasn't happened."

Manchin stopped short of blaming teachers union lobbyists for blocking reform.

"They're doing what they feel is best. It's just not getting the results we need," he said.

Judy Hale, president of the West Virginia Federation of Teachers, said Tuesday she does not believe the special session, or the efforts of a workgroup studying education reform in the months prior, was time wasted.

"There was, I thought, some excellent discussion on these issues," said Hale, who expects the Legislature to continue to work on the measures in the 2011 regular session.

She said extended debate over the legislation outlining the 2010 special elections to fill the late Robert C. Byrd's unexpired term in the Senate simply dominated the special session.

"That became the top priority, and education had to take a backseat," she said. "I don't think either house was inclined to get into further controversy at the time."

Also Tuesday, Manchin said it would be premature to call a special session to address inconsistencies in the state's gubernatorial succession law.

Under current law and the state constitution, if Manchin wins election to the unexpired term in the U.S. Senate in November, Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, D-Logan, will become the acting governor, while remaining as head of the Senate.

The law calls for a special election to select a new governor, but does not set any timeframe for the election. Tomblin told the Gazette it would be his intent to have the special election coincide with the 2012 primary and general election.

"They'll have to cross that bridge sooner or later, and I'm sure they will," Manchin said of legislation to clarify the succession law. "I'm sure common sense will prevail. If not, I'm sure the courts will intervene."

Reach Phil Kabler at ph...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1220.