Christopher Toney

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Delegate Christopher Toney, R-Raleigh, recently was appointed Vice Chairman of the West Virginia House of Delegates Standing Committee on Education, a leadership role of significant consequence.

“Education serves as the true foundation of our workforce readiness, and I see the challenges our rural districts face as someone who has worked in our schools,” Toney said. “Our goal must be to ensure students graduate with the skills they need to succeed, whether that means entering the workforce, pursuing technical training or continuing their education.”

Before serving in the House of Delegates, Toney built his career in education from the ground up. He began as a school custodian, later serving as a paraprofessional aide and a bus operator, and ultimately advancing to Director. This unique background gives him a practical understanding of the daily realities facing students, educators and school service personnel — particularly in rural communities.

As Vice Chairman, Toney will prioritize policies that strengthen workforce readiness, expand career and technical education opportunities and address the unique needs of rural schools throughout West Virginia. He also will play a key role in ongoing discussions surrounding improvements to the state’s school aid funding formula, with a focus on fairness, transparency and ensuring resources reach the students and communities that need them most.

“If we want West Virginia to grow, we must invest wisely in our students and our schools, especially in rural areas that are the backbone of our state,” Toney said. “Our students, their families and our employees deserve to see those resources in the classroom, and our taxpayers deserve to see those resources back home.”

Toney first was elected in 2018. He and his wife Molly live in Beckley.