[3] The original West Virginia Constitution of 1863 established a system of free public schools.
The West Virginia Constitution of 1872 dismantled the township system, though the State would remain divided into 398 school districts until the County Unit Plan was approved in 1933, which organized schools at the county level.
At that time, the Board's members were appointed by the Superintendent, which was an elected position.
[5] [6] Currently, the West Virginia Board of Education is made up of nine citizens appointed by the Governor, who serve nine year terms, and two non-voting ex officio members, the State Superintendent of Schools, the Chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, and the Chancellor of Community and Technical College Education.
The Board has the power to establish policies and rules over the State's public schools that carry into effect legislation passed regarding public education, as well as general supervision of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind.