Education (School Funding)

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 9, 2026

HB 5346: Creating the school aid formula study commission

HB 5346 establishes the School Aid Formula Study Commission to evaluate West Virginia's public school funding system and propose recommendations for improvement. The commission, composed of 12 members including school board representatives, education experts, teachers, rural/urban school board members, and community stakeholders, will study funding options and report findings to the Legislature by July 2028. Its work aims to address challenges like declining enrollment, school closures, and reduced funding that have strained public education. The commission's recommendations will guide potential legislative changes to modernize school funding and ensure stable, adequate resources for all public schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes commission to evaluate and improve school funding system, directly addressing K-12 funding challenges per bill summary and subjects.92% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding

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in committee · West Virginia · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 1034: Increasing amount of funding counties receive for HOPE Scholarship enrollments

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEnsures counties receive existing Hope Scholarship funds for eligible students who decline private options, maintaining public education budget allocation without new taxes.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill preserves K-12 public school funding by ensuring counties receive allocated funds for eligible students who decline Hope Scholarships but aren't enrolled in public schools, directly strengthening school district finances.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice School Funding Student Financial Aid

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 5, 2026

HB 5265: Relating to calculating max number of students at alternative and year-round schools

This bill changes how West Virginia calculates enrollment for state funding at alternative and year-round schools. Instead of using standard enrollment figures, it requires using the school's maximum enrollment date multiplied by 1.5 (150%) to determine funding eligibility. This adjustment ensures these schools receive funding based on their highest student count during the year, rather than average enrollment. The change directly affects alternative schools and year-round programs when calculating their state education funding.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdjusts funding calculation to 150% of max enrollment, increasing eligibility for alternative/year-round schools' state funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 13, 2026

HB 5499: Relating to school system fiscal and governance early warning, stabilization, and accountability.

HB 5499 creates a system to monitor and address financial and governance issues in West Virginia school districts before they escalate. It requires the state to track specific indicators like over-reliance on temporary funding, declining savings, or repeated audit findings, and place districts meeting thresholds on a public "Watch List" with a requirement to submit a corrective action plan. The bill establishes a new independent Office of School System Performance and Accountability (OSPA) to oversee early intervention, stabilization, and transparency, while mandating detailed documentation before state takeover. This system aims to prevent crises through early transparency, local accountability, and structured support for school districts.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes fiscal monitoring, accountability, and corrective action plans for school districts, promoting responsible budget management through oversight and early intervention.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates oversight system to prevent financial instability in schools, promoting fiscal accountability and stability without direct funding cuts.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Audits & Accountability School Funding School Safety

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signed · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jun 29, 2026

HB 5438: To modify the foundation allowance to improve instructional programs.

HB 5438 modifies West Virginia's school funding formula to direct additional resources toward instructional improvements and technology. It allocates 10% of the local share increase for instructional programs (with $150,000 minimum per county) and 20% for instructional technology (with $30,000 minimum per county), both calculated based on attendance and enrollment data. County school boards may use up to 50% of instructional funds for hiring educators or technology specialists, subject to state superintendent approval, but cannot increase central office staff beyond four positions. The bill also requires funding for the Third Grade Success Act and allows county boards to use allocated funds for Safe Schools Fund projects. This directly affects all West Virginia county school districts and their budgeting for classroom programs and technology resources.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates specific percentages of funds (10% for instructional programs, 20% for tech) toward education, directly increasing targeted government spending within the state budget.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates 10% and 20% of funds for instructional programs/tech with minimum county requirements, directing resources toward improving K-12 education.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyAllocates 20% of funds for instructional technology with $30,000 minimum per county, directly advancing tech resources in schools.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding

in committee · West Virginia · Senate Feb 2, 2026

SB 713: Providing 10 percent raise for all public school staff

SB 713 would provide a 10 percent pay raise for all public school staff in West Virginia, including teachers and other school employees. The bill amends state law to update the minimum salary schedule for educators, setting new base pay levels based on experience and education for the 2024-2025 school year and beyond. This change requires state funding to cover the increased costs for public school districts. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Education and Finance committees.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates state funding for 10% public school staff pay raise, increasing budget allocation for education services.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationSB 713 explicitly increases public school staff pay by 10%, amends salary schedules for educators, and mandates state funding to boost educator compensation.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentDirectly increases wages for public school staff through a 10% pay raise, funding state-mandated salary updates for educators and employees.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Teachers

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 5434: Creating a moratorium for two years on school closures and providing for a pause on impending school closures.

HB 5434 creates a two-year moratorium on school closures or consolidations in West Virginia counties, directly affecting county school boards making such decisions. The bill requires county boards to prepare written reasons and impact statements detailing effects on students (including transportation time), finances, enrollment capacity, staff, and communities before proceeding. It mandates public hearings with specific notice requirements and input from school improvement councils, and pauses closures related to optional emergency levy elections. The moratorium allows time for revising school funding formulas while ensuring transparent, data-driven closure decisions.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationPrevents school closures through moratorium, mandates impact assessments on students/staff, and requires public input to protect educational access and stability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding School Safety

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in committee · West Virginia · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 801: Increasing each school district's basic foundation program

SB 801 increases state funding for West Virginia school districts by raising the required ratios of professional educators and support staff per 1,000 students. Specifically, it adjusts the calculation for the "basic foundation program" to require higher ratios (e.g., increasing professional educators from 72.75 to 72.75+ per 1,000 students and support staff from 43.97 to 56.79 per 1,000 students by 2026-2027). The bill directly affects all public school districts, with different ratios based on county density (high, medium, low, sparse). For the 2026-2027 school year only, districts will not face penalties for not meeting the new ratios immediately, providing a transition period for implementation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases state funding for school districts through adjusted educator/staff ratios, directly allocating more public budget to education programs.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases state funding via higher educator/support staff ratios per 1,000 students, directly advancing K-12 resource allocation and staffing requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Student Health Teachers

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 5435: 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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases state funding for rural school systems via adjusted enrollment calculations, directly boosting public education budget allocation without tax changes.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdds funding multiplier for rural counties with sparse enrollment, directly increasing state support for K-12 schools95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Special Education Tags Rural Communities

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in committee · West Virginia · Senate Feb 5, 2026

SB 758: Providing extra state aid to school districts for students enrolled in certain schools

SB 758 would provide extra state funding to West Virginia school districts for students enrolled in schools designated as "extremely remote" under the bill. It prohibits county school boards from closing such schools during the fiscal year they receive the additional aid and requires submission of specific documentation and reporting. The bill also allows waivers for certain documentation requirements. These provisions aim to support remote schools by ensuring stable funding and operational continuity.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides additional state funding for K-12 education, increasing government spending on public services per bill's allocation of extra aid to remote schools.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides extra state funding to prevent closure of remote schools, ensuring stable resources for K-12 education access95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding

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