The purpose of this bill is to increase funding for rural counties in this state by adding a multiplier to the IEP calculation.

HB 5435 modifies West Virginia's school funding formula to increase support for rural counties. It adds a multiplier to the "net enrollment" calculation for counties classified as "sparse-density" (those with fewer than five students per square mile). This adjustment directly increases state funding for school systems in these rural counties when their net enrollment falls below 1,400 students. The change applies to all school funding calculations under the state's public school support system, ensuring rural districts receive additional resources based on population density.