CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Students and staff at all three career and technical centers in Kanawha County received exemplary accreditation ratings from state education auditors.

Earlier this month, Ben Franklin, Carver and Garnet career centers all earned top ratings in the state Office of Education Performance Audit's annual book of ratings.

"Well, I don't think that's ever happened before," John Baird, principal at Ben Franklin Career Center, said of all three schools. The career center in Dunbar also received a top rating last year.

Exemplary is the highest rating state auditors give to public schools. In West Virginia, 14 career and technical centers earned the distinction. 

Donna Davis, deputy director of the Office of Education Performance Audits, said students were graded for their proficiency on academics and technical skills. Schools also are graded on the likelihood of their graduates to find jobs, Davis said.

The current ratings are based on a school's success during the 2007-08 school year. 

Last year, auditors measured students' performance on state-administered technical skills exams, Davis said. Students take the tests at the end of their work in core courses in their specific field, said Jim Casdorph, principal at Carver Career Center.

Students also are graded on the WorkKeys academic exam, which tests their skills in math, reading and comprehension, Casdorph said.

Across West Virginia, students and staff performed better last year at career and technical centers than in the 2006-2007 school year, Davis said.

Jim Vickers, principal at Garnet Career and Technical Center in Charleston, said the exemplary rating could help him market the school's three major programs.

"It's a real compliment to what you do and what accomplishments you're making with your students," he said of Garnet's teachers. "It gives me ... another marketing tool. It's something I can use to promote the school."

Baird said all three schools' exemplary rating has been highlighted in some print and radio advertisements.

"That helps, you know," he said. "People want to go where they can get the best education."

Garnet offers a licensed practical nursing program, an automobile technology program and a business program. The latter focuses on word processing, Microsoft computer training, medical coding, insurance billing and a bit of accounting.

"In all three of these programs all they have to do right now is graduate," Vickers said. "There are jobs out there waiting for them."

Garnet has offered a nursing program for about 30 years, Vickers said.

"Over 95 percent who graduate and get their [LPN] certificate get a job," he said.

The career center also offers a 13-week certified nursing assistant program, evening programs and a GED testing center.

The automobile program prepares students to work on engines and the other technical parts of a vehicle.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Students and staff at all three career and technical centers in Kanawha County received exemplary accreditation ratings from state education auditors.

Earlier this month, Ben Franklin, Carver and Garnet career centers all earned top ratings in the state Office of Education Performance Audit's annual book of ratings.

"Well, I don't think that's ever happened before," John Baird, principal at Ben Franklin Career Center, said of all three schools. The career center in Dunbar also received a top rating last year.

Exemplary is the highest rating state auditors give to public schools. In West Virginia, 14 career and technical centers earned the distinction. 

Donna Davis, deputy director of the Office of Education Performance Audits, said students were graded for their proficiency on academics and technical skills. Schools also are graded on the likelihood of their graduates to find jobs, Davis said.

The current ratings are based on a school's success during the 2007-08 school year. 

Last year, auditors measured students' performance on state-administered technical skills exams, Davis said. Students take the tests at the end of their work in core courses in their specific field, said Jim Casdorph, principal at Carver Career Center.

Students also are graded on the WorkKeys academic exam, which tests their skills in math, reading and comprehension, Casdorph said.

Across West Virginia, students and staff performed better last year at career and technical centers than in the 2006-2007 school year, Davis said.

Jim Vickers, principal at Garnet Career and Technical Center in Charleston, said the exemplary rating could help him market the school's three major programs.

"It's a real compliment to what you do and what accomplishments you're making with your students," he said of Garnet's teachers. "It gives me ... another marketing tool. It's something I can use to promote the school."

Baird said all three schools' exemplary rating has been highlighted in some print and radio advertisements.

"That helps, you know," he said. "People want to go where they can get the best education."

Garnet offers a licensed practical nursing program, an automobile technology program and a business program. The latter focuses on word processing, Microsoft computer training, medical coding, insurance billing and a bit of accounting.

"In all three of these programs all they have to do right now is graduate," Vickers said. "There are jobs out there waiting for them."

Garnet has offered a nursing program for about 30 years, Vickers said.

"Over 95 percent who graduate and get their [LPN] certificate get a job," he said.

The career center also offers a 13-week certified nursing assistant program, evening programs and a GED testing center.

The automobile program prepares students to work on engines and the other technical parts of a vehicle.

"It's not bodywork," Vickers said. "It's dealing with the engines and servicing. They work with dealerships in their garages and get jobs that way."

At Carver, this is the third year in a row the school received an exemplary rating, Casdorph said.

Former students return to Carver and ask for old test scores, as employers want to see how well they performed. Casdorph and his staff point that out to current students.

"I mean, they take the test and everything serious," he said.

Some of Carver's high school programs include plumbing, welding, emergency services, collision repair, automobile technology, building construction, health occupations, agricultural science and cosmetology.

Casdorph called the latter a "biggie for us."

"That's huge, they do all the state testing down here for [cosmetology]," he said.

The school also offers programs for adults interested in respiratory health, electrical work, heating and cooling, medical information, the culinary arts and cosmetology. Adults who want to become a veterinary or surgical technician also take classes at Carver.

Thomas Grant, a chef who trained at The Greenbrier, heads up the culinary arts curriculum, Casdorph said. Some high school seniors are allowed to enter the program.

"He's offering three different options: a one-year collegiate certificate, a two-year associate degree program or a two-year apprenticeship program," he said.

Students in the apprenticeship program work at restaurants as part of the course, Casdorph said.

Baird said Ben Franklin offers 16 programs. Applicants are sometimes turned away from the electricity class, which fills up every year. Ben Franklin students also are interested in welding, heating and cooling, medical assisting, and diesel and automotive and equipment maintenance, Baird said.

Several other elementary, middle and high schools in Kanawha County received exemplary accreditation. Davis said schools are graded on how well their students performed on the math, science, reading, social studies and writing portions of the WESTEST.

Last year, the WESTEST, an annual measuring stick of student achievement, was used as the state's standardized test. The test will be modified this year.

Middle and elementary schools are checked for regular student attendance, while high school administrators must report a high percentage of students who graduate and show that most plan to attend college.

The schools are: Chamberlain, Holz, Kenna, Overbrook, Ruthlawn and Weberwood elementary schools, John Adams Middle School and George Washington High School.

Reach Davin White at

davinwh...@wvgazette.com

or 304-348-1254.