HB 4937 requires West Virginia public school county boards to schedule one mandatory monthly half-day for staff planning time each school year. This provision applies directly to school staff (teachers, administrators) and is implemented using the existing "equivalent time" allowance under current law, which allows counties to add up to five days of instructional time by extending daily schedules. The bill mandates that at least one of these designated days must be used specifically for staff development activities like curriculum planning or professional meetings, without students present. This policy change ensures consistent time for educators to improve instruction, aligning with existing requirements for meeting the 180-day instructional calendar.
HB 4104, the American Civics and History Act, requires all West Virginia public schools to teach at least one semester of U.S. history, one semester of U.S. and West Virginia government, and one semester of American civics before eighth and twelfth grades. The courses must cover government structures (like separation of powers and federalism), analyze political ideologies (including democracy and socialism) using primary sources such as the Constitution and Federalist Papers, and emphasize interactive learning like debates. All instructional materials must be reviewed and approved by the West Virginia Department of Education every four years, with factual errors corrected before use. The bill supplements existing curriculum requirements without replacing them, focusing on factual accuracy and balanced discussion.
This bill requires all West Virginia public schools to provide age-appropriate Holocaust education starting in the sixth grade. It mandates instruction on the systematic annihilation of European Jews and other groups by Nazi Germany, emphasizing human behavior and responsible citizenship. Schools must use guidance from the West Virginia Commission on Holocaust Education to develop this curriculum. The requirement applies to all public schools in the state and explicitly prohibits teaching this content before sixth grade.
SB 684 exempts private, parochial, and church schools in West Virginia from the state's requirement to teach specific courses, including state and U.S. history, civics, the U.S. Constitution, and government structure. This bill removes these schools from the curriculum mandates that apply to public schools for those subjects and from Celebrate Freedom Week obligations. As a result, private, parochial, and denominational schools will no longer be subject to these course requirements under state law. Public schools will continue to be required to follow the existing curriculum standards for these subjects.
SB 409 creates a new "course-specific teaching permit" allowing certified West Virginia high school teachers to teach specific high-quality courses - even outside their subject-area certification - after completing approved training. The bill defines "high-quality courses" as those with industry credentials, college credit, or standardized exams, and requires teachers to finish 30+ hours of approved professional learning from designated providers. School districts can assign permit-holding teachers to fill staffing gaps in these courses, and the bill guarantees that career-technical education funding won’t be reduced for courses taught by such instructors. This directly affects certified teachers seeking flexibility and school districts managing specialized course staffing.
SB 619, the Stop the Bleed Act, requires West Virginia public schools to implement bleeding control programs starting in the 2026-2027 school year. It mandates schools to place bleeding control kits (containing tourniquets, bandages, gauze, gloves, and DHS/ACS instructional materials) in accessible locations, train staff every other year on wound control techniques, and integrate bleeding control education into high school curricula for grades 9-12. The bill also requires annual kit inspections, post-use restocking, and provides civil immunity for school personnel using kits unless gross negligence occurs. Funding may come from private donations or legislative appropriations. This law directly affects all West Virginia county school districts and their students and staff.
This bill, SB 216 (Restoring Private Schools Act of 2026), clarifies and updates requirements for private, parochial, and church schools in West Virginia. It mandates these schools to maintain attendance and immunization records, comply with fire/safety inspections, and establish crisis plans. The key provision requires all such schools to administer annually a nationally normed standardized test (matching public school grade/subject requirements) with participation rates equal to public schools, while allowing special education schools alternative assessment methods. Schools must share test results with parents and the state education department upon request. The bill preserves schools' autonomy over curriculum and instruction but formalizes testing and recordkeeping standards.
SB 183 amends West Virginia law to remove bona fide schools, public libraries, and museums from exemptions that previously protected them from criminal prosecution when distributing or displaying obscene material to minors. Under the current law, these entities were exempt if material was part of curriculum (schools), displayed with a parent present (libraries/museums), or met other specific conditions. The bill eliminates these specific exemptions, meaning schools, libraries, and museums would no longer automatically qualify for protection under this provision. This change would directly affect those institutions by subjecting them to the same criminal liability as other entities distributing obscene material to minors, unless they meet other existing exemptions (e.g., reasonable age verification). The bill is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee after being introduced on January 14, 2026.
HB 4943 requires all West Virginia high school students to learn proper American flag handling, folding, treatment, honoring, display, and retirement procedures as part of their required civics education. This would be integrated into existing civics courses mandated for graduation, with students needing to pass an exam on this topic. The bill directly affects all high school students in West Virginia public, private, parochial, and denominational schools. It amends existing curriculum requirements (§18-2-9) to add flag etiquette as a specific component of civics instruction.
