Education

HB 5048 ensures foster children in temporary care facilities continue their education through virtual learning while awaiting residential placement. It requires that virtual instruction occur in the county where the child was last enrolled (or the current county if unavailable, or the nearest capable county), and mandates that virtual learning begins within three days of placement in temporary care. Foster care agencies responsible for the child must receive IT training to support this transition. Once placed with a foster family, all educational records and virtual learning details are transferred to the new county and foster family. The bill directly affects foster children in temporary care and the agencies managing their placement.

This bill amends West Virginia's education code to redefine the term "long-term substitute" for public school personnel. The bill does not specify the new definition in the provided text, only stating it will amend §18A-1-1 to clarify this term. It affects school personnel categories, particularly those filling substitute teaching roles. The bill was introduced on February 23, 2026, and referred to education committees. (Note: The actual redefinition is not included in the provided bill text.)

This bill creates a new adjunct teaching permit in West Virginia that allows individuals without full teaching certification to fill vacant teaching positions, offer new programs, or supplement existing ones when certified teachers are unavailable. The permit is valid for one year and requires county school boards to repost the position annually, with renewal contingent on meeting basic performance standards. Key provisions include requiring mentor assignment, completion of specific training, prohibition on special education instruction, and flexible employment terms where compensation and benefits are mutually agreed upon between the school board and teacher.

SB 890 changes West Virginia's public school calendar requirements from day-based to hour-based standards. It replaces the 180-day instructional requirement with a minimum of 900 instructional hours per year and changes the teacher employment term from 200 days to 1,600 hours. The bill allows counties to use up to 25 hours of alternative instruction (like remote learning during closures) toward the total hour requirement and permits flexible scheduling for educator development time. These changes directly affect all public school districts, teachers, and students in West Virginia by shifting how school calendar compliance is measured.

SB 913 repeals the annual reporting requirement for the West Virginia Research Trust Fund under §18B-18A-12 of the West Virginia Code. This bill directly affects the Trust Fund administrators, who currently must submit annual reports to the state. The key mechanism is the removal of this specific reporting mandate from state law. The change simplifies administrative duties for the Trust Fund without altering its funding or purpose.