Education

passed · West Virginia · Senate Mar 2, 2026

SB 802: Relating to school preparation days

SB 802 requires West Virginia public schools to schedule two "Leave Teachers Alone" days before the school year begins, which teachers can use for activities that improve instruction. The bill prohibits county boards from requiring teachers to use school preparation days (for opening and closing) for any purpose other than those specific tasks. These changes directly affect public school teachers and county boards of education across West Virginia. The bill amends the state's school calendar law to give teachers more autonomy over professional development time without administrative mandates.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides dedicated 'Leave Teachers Alone' days for instruction improvement, directly supporting educator effectiveness and instructional quality per bill language.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Mar 2, 2026

SB 1020: Allowing up to five educational leave days within definition of "excused absence"

This bill adds "educational leave days" to West Virginia's list of excused absences, allowing up to five days per school year for approved educational activities (like field trips or workshops). Parents must submit a note within three days explaining the purpose, and schools can reject days that don't meet state-defined criteria. It directly affects students, parents, and school staff managing attendance records. The bill also clarifies that 4-H, FFA, and similar activities already count toward the existing 10-day limit for school-approved activities, so they aren't subject to the new educational leave cap.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands excused absences for approved educational activities (field trips/workshops), supporting student access to learning opportunities within attendance policy.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Feb 23, 2026

SB 925: Providing Future Farmers of America-sanctioned activities not count toward limit of excused absences

Senate Bill 925 modifies West Virginia's school attendance law to exempt Future Farmers of America (FFA)-sanctioned activities from the 10-day annual limit on excused absences. It directly affects West Virginia students participating in FFA events, ensuring these absences are counted as excused without reducing their annual excused absence allowance. The bill requires schools to mark students present for FFA activities (like they would for field trips), mandates documentation from FFA, and requires students to make up missed work without grade penalties. It aligns FFA with existing exemptions for 4-H, SkillsUSA, and similar programs under the same attendance rules.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts FFA activities from absence limits, ensuring student participation in educational programs without penalizing attendance, directly strengthening K-12 educational access.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 633: Relating to WV Commission on Holocaust Education

SB 633 modernizes West Virginia's Commission on Holocaust Education by updating its membership structure and governance. The bill replaces outdated provisions relying on Holocaust survivors (many now deceased) with a new framework allowing commission-appointed voting members and non-voting student advisory members, while explicitly requiring Holocaust education to remain the commission's sole purpose. It strengthens safeguards to protect historical accuracy and ensures the commission continues providing centralized educational resources for schools, churches, and communities studying the Holocaust. These changes aim to maintain the commission's mission as a permanent statewide resource for Holocaust education amid evolving circumstances.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationModernizes governance to preserve Holocaust education as K-12 commission's sole purpose, strengthens historical accuracy safeguards, and ensures continuity of educational mandate.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Feb 4, 2026

SB 536: Relating to qualifications for serving on certain academic boards

This bill establishes the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board and sets specific qualifications for its appointed voting members. It requires board members to be state citizens with experience in public or nonprofit governance, school leadership, or education law, while also mandating geographic diversity and limiting political party representation to no more than three members. The legislation also creates conflict-of-interest rules that prevent appointments for individuals currently employed by charter schools or companies serving them, and it defines the board's duties including authorizing charter schools, investigating complaints, and conducting audits.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes professional charter school board with qualified members to improve governance and oversight of educational institutions85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 30, 2026

HB 4422: To permit students in eighth and ninth grade to attend summer school in order to raise their grades and establish academic eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities in the fall

HB 4422 permits eighth and ninth-grade students in West Virginia public schools to attend summer school specifically to improve their grades and meet academic eligibility requirements for extracurricular activities (such as sports) in the following fall. The bill amends existing law to explicitly allow this pathway, ensuring students who need grade improvement can participate in summer programs without interference with the regular school year. It does not change summer school program structure or funding but directly affects 8th and 9th graders who risk losing activity eligibility due to academic standing.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationPermits 8th/9th graders to use summer school for grade improvement to maintain extracurricular eligibility, expanding academic access for K-12 students.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Jan 30, 2026

SB 445: Adding Potomac State College as eligible institution for participation in Learn and Earn Program

SB 445 adds Potomac State College of West Virginia University as an eligible institution for West Virginia's Learn and Earn Program, making its participation permanent instead of temporary. The bill removes the previous "pilot program" designation for Potomac State, which had limited eligibility through the 2025-2026 academic year. The Learn and Earn Program allows students in technical programs to work with participating employers while studying, requiring employers to provide a dollar-for-dollar cash match (not in-kind contributions) for student salaries. This change directly affects Potomac State College students and employers partnering with the college to offer paid work-study opportunities.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill permanently expands Potomac State College's eligibility in Learn and Earn Program, enhancing student access to work-study opportunities in higher education.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 27, 2026

HB 4081: To create the Higher Education Health and Aid Grant.

HB 4081 creates the Higher Education Health and Aid Grant program for West Virginia public colleges with multiple campuses. The bill requires these institutions to use grant funds to establish campus food and health aid stations, specifically for non-perishable food items and basic hygiene products like toothpaste, sanitary supplies, and first-aid items. Funds cannot cover fresh food, medical care, or prescription items. Institutions must track all purchases and inventory monthly, and submit annual reports to the Higher Education Policy Commission detailing program impact on student food/hygiene insecurity.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates grant program funding campus food/health aid stations for students, directly supporting educational access and basic needs at public colleges.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 20, 2026

HB 4574: Relating to providing for condition-based emergency funding for a financially distressed county.

HB 4574 creates a "Temporary Shortfall Supplement Fund" to provide emergency loans (not grants) to West Virginia counties with reserve funds below 5% of available funding. It directly affects county school boards and their financial officers, allowing loans for personnel and essential operating expenses during fiscal shortfalls. Key provisions require counties to repay funds per a set timeline, implement strict financial reporting via WVEIS, adopt the State Auditor’s fiscal system within 45 days, and face penalties for "maladministration" (e.g., failing to maintain reserves or submitting inaccurate financial data), including potential job bans for responsible employees in public education finance roles for two years.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesPromotes fiscal responsibility via accountable emergency loans for counties with low reserves, requiring repayment and strict financial reporting to prevent misuse.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides emergency loans to counties to cover school personnel and operations during fiscal shortfalls, preventing defunding of K-12 education programs.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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