CHARLESTON – Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, today announced that Senator Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, has been named Chairman of the Senate Education Committee for the 84th Legislature, which begins January 9, 2019.
Senator Rucker was elected to the Senate in 2016. She currently serves as the Vice Chairman of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and is a member of the Education, Health and Human Resources, Judiciary, Natural Resources, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Workforce committees.
“We have tremendous challenges to overcome in the way our state provides an education to West Virginia’s children. These challenges will take a fresh set of eyes and a leader who understands that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to education,” Senate President Carmichael said. “Patricia is a tireless advocate for children and for families, and she understands that it will take bold reforms and landmark changes to truly make a difference in West Virginia’s educational landscape. I have full faith that she will be a true, positive agent of change in her new role.”
Senator Rucker was born in Caracas, Venezuela. She immigrated to the United States with her family when she was a child, and in 2004, became a United States citizen. She is a graduate of Trinity College in Washington, D.C., and is a former teacher with Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. She currently is a homeschooling mother of five children.
“West Virginia public schools are not where we want them to be. We are putting a lot of money in but not getting the results our citizens deserve,” Senator Rucker said. “Let me be clear: This is not the fault of our teachers. The system has let them down, and it has let down the parents and the students. We need to reform the system so that the money gets to the classroom and isn’t hung up on administration, and we need to bring all of the stakeholders together to work for the benefit of all West Virginia children.” Senator Rucker represents the Sixteenth Senatorial District, which includes Jefferson County and part of Berkeley County.
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