This bill ensures county school boards receive funding for students who qualify for West Virginia's Hope Scholarship but choose not to use it. Specifically, if a student isn't enrolled in a public school but is eligible for the scholarship (and declines it), the county board gets the same funding they would receive if the student attended a public school. The funding comes from the Hope Scholarship Program Fund and applies to students residing in the county. This change directly affects county school budgets and students who opt out of the scholarship program.
HB 5249 would amend West Virginia's Hope Scholarship Program to prohibit the use of state funds for private school tuition or educational services provided by out-of-state schools or providers. This change directly affects families who currently use Hope Scholarship funds to pay for education at schools or services located outside West Virginia. The bill restricts all scholarship funds to only in-state private schools and educational service providers within West Virginia. As a result, families seeking to use state-funded scholarships for out-of-state education would no longer be eligible for that funding.
The Future Ready Education Act allows West Virginia school districts to enter multi-year contracts for educational technology with a technology licensing component, provided they document fiscal savings and include a 30-day cancellation clause. It extends the Mountain State Digital Project to cover grades 9-12 and adds tutoring in reading, math, science, and career-technical education. Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, all kindergarten through fifth-grade teachers must complete training in the science of reading, with public charter school educators permitted to voluntarily participate. The bill directly affects school districts, K-5 teachers, and students in public schools across West Virginia.
HB 5647, the "Open and Equal Opportunities in Student Activities Act," allows homeschooled students, Hope Scholarship participants, and students at nonpublic schools to join extracurricular activities - including sports - at public or nonpublic schools that are members of the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission. This applies when their own school doesn’t offer the activity or isn’t a commission member. Students must register with their county school board, pay standard fees, follow school rules, and be covered by the school’s insurance. The bill clarifies participation doesn’t guarantee a spot on a team or activity, and students transferring mid-year follow standard transfer protocols.
SB 171 creates the West Virginia Released Time Education Act, allowing students to be excused from school for religious instruction courses. School districts must adopt policies permitting excusal for up to five hours weekly (with parental written consent), requiring sponsoring religious entities to handle transportation, liability, and attendance records without using school funds. Schools must award academic credit for these courses based solely on secular criteria like class hours, syllabus content, and instructor qualifications - excluding religious content. The bill specifies that excused time counts toward school attendance for funding and attendance requirements, and it provides legal remedies for violations.
This bill allows county school boards participating in multicounty vocational centers to choose whether to operate career technical education (CTE) programs within local high schools instead of at centralized centers. The programs can be either state-approved (per 20 U.S.C. §2342) or locally created. It gives school boards flexibility to better serve students by bringing CTE programs closer to their home schools, without requiring withdrawal from multicounty centers. The bill does not mandate program relocation but provides a new option for program placement within existing high school structures.
SB 567 prohibits county and charter school boards from charging Hope Scholarship students fees for extracurricular activities, such as sports, clubs, or arts programs. It also modifies the academic requirement for students in individualized instructional programs by allowing a certified teacher to review the student's academic work annually instead of requiring standardized test scores. The bill ensures these students can access extracurricular services without additional costs while maintaining accountability through annual teacher reviews reported to county superintendents. This directly affects Hope Scholarship students and school boards managing the program in West Virginia.
West Virginia's SB 41, the "Standardized Testing Choice Act," permits students in public schools to take the Classical Learning Test (CLT) as an alternative to the ACT or SAT for college admissions and financial aid. Public colleges must accept CLT scores for admissions, and students need a minimum equivalent score of 19 (ACT scale) on the CLT or other tests to qualify for financial aid. The bill requires public school districts to offer the CLT, ACT, or SAT to students in grades 9-12 and the CLT10, Pre-ACT, or PSAT to students in grades 9-10, with districts eligible for reimbursement of related costs. This policy directly affects high school students, public colleges, and school districts across West Virginia.
HB 4588 requires West Virginia's State Treasurer to participate in a federal tax credit program that allows individuals to receive tax credits for contributions to scholarship organizations. The bill mandates the Treasurer to annually identify and publish a list of qualified nonprofit scholarship organizations and eligible schools meeting federal and state requirements. Eligible schools must comply with West Virginia education laws, and students must be eligible for public school enrollment under federal criteria. Scholarship funds can cover elementary and secondary education expenses as defined by federal law, with the Treasurer accepting applications year-round for organization inclusion.
HB 4670 creates a voluntary pilot program allowing West Virginia counties to opt out of the state's standard education funding formula and certain education code requirements. Participating counties would receive a fixed block grant equal to their current funding and gain control over staffing, salaries, class sizes, testing (including optional SAT/ACT), graduation requirements, and school calendars. The program excludes counties recently taken over by the state board or declared financially distressed, and requires a 2028 report to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability. This bill directly affects participating counties by shifting decision-making authority from state mandates to local control over education operations.
