Education (School Funding)

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 27, 2026

HB 4847: Local Shares teacher and school personnel pay

This bill adjusts state funding for West Virginia school districts when counties cannot collect full property taxes due to court orders, valuation errors, or pending legal cases. It requires the state to increase aid by the amount of lost property tax revenue (e.g., from tax refunds, incorrect valuations, or court delays), but only if the legislature funds the state share adequately. The adjustment also applies to counties receiving payments in lieu of property taxes. This ensures school funding remains stable despite fluctuations in local tax collections.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill requires state to increase aid for lost property tax revenue, ensuring school funding stability and compensating for budget shortfalls due to external factors.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationPrevents school funding gaps by mandating state aid increases for lost property tax revenue, ensuring continued K-12 school funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Revenue School Funding Teachers

Track

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 26, 2026

HB 4822: To redirect data center tax revenue to PEIA, counties, and schools

HB 4822 redirects tax revenue from "High Impact Data Centers" (as defined under West Virginia law) to three specific recipients: the Public Employees Insurance Association (PEIA) fund, local counties, and public school boards. The bill amends tax distribution rules to require that incremental property tax revenue from these data centers - calculated using a new formula based on assessed value and levy rates - be reallocated instead of following previous distribution methods. This change directly affects data centers certified as "High Impact" under §11-6N-2, ensuring their tax contributions support state health insurance programs, county services, and school funding. The policy shift replaces prior tax allocation rules with a fixed distribution structure for these facilities.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects existing data center tax revenue to fund PEIA, counties, and schools, increasing public service funding per bill's explicit tax reallocation mandate.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRedirects data center tax revenue to public school boards, increasing education funding per bill's explicit allocation to schools.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRedirects data center tax revenue to PEIA fund, directly increasing healthcare funding for public employees' insurance coverage.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Revenue School Funding Insurance

Track

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 21, 2026

HB 4634: Support for neglected Schools

HB 4634 establishes the "Support for Neglected Schools Act" by amending West Virginia law to clarify how the School Building Authority allocates state and federal funds for school facility improvements. It directs the authority to allocate up to 10% of available funds for statewide educational projects or programs under the state board's jurisdiction, with specific requirements like 10-year facility plans for state board projects. Additionally, it sets aside 2% for emergency funding and reserves 5% specifically for multi-use vocational-technical education facilities, including equipment updates. This bill directly affects school districts, vocational centers, and the School Building Authority by modifying existing funding distribution procedures for school construction and major improvements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates 10% of funds for school projects and 2% for emergencies, directing existing budget toward essential K-12 infrastructure needs without tax changes.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationDirects allocation of state/federal funds for school facility improvements, reserves 10% for statewide projects and 2% for emergencies, strengthening K-12 infrastructure funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding

Track

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 28, 2026

HB 4860: Direct Classroom Funding Act

HB 4860, the Direct Classroom Funding Act, changes how West Virginia public school funding is distributed by sending state education funds directly to individual teachers instead of through school districts. It creates a "Classroom Expense Account" for each teacher, funded proportionally from state accounts, which teachers can use to purchase classroom supplies and materials via a dedicated purchase card. Teachers gain online access to track balances, and purchases made through these accounts are exempt from typical district vendor requirements while being publicly listed online for transparency. The bill affects all West Virginia public school teachers who receive instructional funding, shifting control of these resources from district administrators to educators.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates state funds directly to teachers for classroom supplies via expense accounts, increasing resource access for K-12 education without restrictions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Teachers

Track

in committee · West Virginia · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SB 214: Creating Community School Funding Formula Revision Act

This bill requires the West Virginia Department of Education to review school closures and consolidations from the current year and the previous four fiscal years. Within 180 days, the department must propose changes to the School Aid Formula that would have prevented at least 80% of closures previously justified by financial or operational reasons. It directly affects public schools in West Virginia facing closure threats due to budget constraints. The bill mandates these formula adjustments regardless of past district decisions, aiming to stabilize school funding. The provision takes effect immediately upon passage.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates formula revisions to prevent school closures due to financial constraints, strengthening budget allocation for public education through targeted funding adjustments.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates funding formula revision to prevent school closures due to budget constraints, directly strengthening K-12 school stability and access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding School Safety

Track

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 21, 2026

HB 4670: To create a pilot program that would exempt certain counties from provisions of the Education code.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMaintains current funding via fixed block grants while granting counties control over staffing, curriculum, and testing - aligning with support indicators of local flexibility and resource stability.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum School Choice School Funding

Track

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 21, 2026

HB 4633: Enrollment Stabilizer for Budget Planning

HB 4633, titled "Enrollment Stabilizer for Budget Planning," adds §18-9A-29 to West Virginia law to stabilize school funding calculations. The bill requires county school boards to use the highest of three enrollment measures when calculating state aid: actual enrollment, 98% of the prior year’s enrollment, or a three-year rolling average. This mechanism aims to reduce budget volatility caused by annual enrollment fluctuations for public schools. The change directly affects all West Virginia county school boards and their budget planning under the Public School Support Program.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesStabilizes school funding by preventing budget cuts from enrollment drops, promoting fiscal responsibility in public education spending through consistent state aid calculations.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationStabilizes school funding by preventing cuts from enrollment fluctuations, directly protecting education budget stability.90% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Funding

Track

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 19, 2026

HB 4071: Requiring K–12 schools to display school report card on website

HB 4071 requires all West Virginia public K-12 schools to post their annual report cards on their official websites. County school boards must use the state's existing WV Education Information System for collecting and reporting data to meet federal accountability standards under the Every Student Succeeds Act. This bill directly affects every public school in the state by mandating transparent, online access to performance data for parents and the public. It does not alter school funding or academic standards but ensures consistent reporting through the state’s established electronic platform.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates transparent school performance reporting to meet federal accountability standards, strengthening public oversight of K-12 education data without altering funding.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum School Funding Tags Data Reporting

Track

in committee · West Virginia · Senate Feb 13, 2026

SB 437: Fair State Aid Formula Act of 2026

SB 437 replaces West Virginia's current school funding formula with a new system that allocates state aid to county school districts based on student needs and local resources. It directly affects all county boards of education by adding weighted factors for low-income students (+0.30), special education (+0.80), and rural schools meeting specific criteria (e.g., population density under 50/sq mi or bus routes over 15 miles). The formula calculates aid as (base per-pupil amount × weighted enrollment) minus local revenue capacity, plus rural adjustments of $250-$600 per pupil. This aims to reduce funding gaps for high-need and rural districts while requiring annual transparency reports and capping annual aid changes at 3% during implementation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill reallocates state education funds to prioritize low-income, special education, and rural students, increasing public education funding via adjusted budgetary allocations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdds weighted factors for low-income (+0.30) and special education (+0.80) students, increasing targeted school funding to address student needs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Funding Student Financial Aid

Track

signed · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jun 26, 2026

HB 4575: Making Supplemental Appropriation to State Board of Education

HB 4575 transfers $8 million from the State Fund's unappropriated surplus balance to the State Board of Education's Temporary Shortfall Supplement Fund for County Boards of Education. This supplemental appropriation directly affects county school districts in West Virginia by providing funds to address budget shortfalls, as authorized under W. Va. Code §18-2E-5b. The bill amends the fiscal year 2026 appropriations for the State Board of Education (Fund 0313) by adding a new line item for this specific purpose. It does not create new policy but reallocates existing state funds to support local school district budgets.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesTransfers $8M from surplus to address school budget shortfalls, funding essential public education services through state appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationTransfers $8M to address county school district budget shortfalls, directly funding K-12 operations per W. Va. Code §18-2E-5b.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget School Funding