Education

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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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

Sub-Topics Teachers

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

HB 5212: Relating to financial aid for post-secondary education.

HB 5212 revises West Virginia's higher education financial aid programs to improve access and align with workforce development goals. It allows part-time enrollment for the higher education grant, combines the adult part-time grant into a new workforce-focused program, and updates medical/health sciences loan repayment programs to require direct payments to federal loan providers. The bill also adjusts eligibility for the PROMISE scholarship and WV Invests grant programs. These changes aim to better connect financial aid with employer needs as outlined in the bill's legislative findings.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRevises higher education financial aid to improve access, align with workforce goals, and adjust grant programs for better student support.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill updates medical/health sciences loan repayment programs to require direct payments to federal providers, supporting healthcare workforce development by easing repayment for medical professionals.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026

HB 5577: Strengthen school bullying laws.

HB 5577 requires West Virginia county school boards to establish and regularly review anti-bullying policies that include specific components like clear definitions, reporting procedures, and victim protections. It mandates that school boards actively seek input from parents, guardians, and students when updating these policies, and ensures all modifications are transparent to the school community. School boards must also report on policy effectiveness to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability (LOCEA) at LOCEA's discretion. This bill directly affects county school boards, students, and families by standardizing and improving how schools address harassment, intimidation, and bullying.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates stronger anti-bullying policies with victim protections, reporting procedures, and community input, directly advancing K-12 school safety and student well-being within education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety School Transportation Student Health

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

HB 5257: Relating to education to children and adults housed in correctional facilities and regional jails

HB 5257 removes language requiring specific state funding appropriations for education services for children and adults in correctional facilities and regional jails. It amends West Virginia Code §18-20-5 to eliminate the current requirement that such education must be funded through dedicated state budget allocations. This change allows the State Board of Education, Department of Education, and State Superintendent to provide educational services in these facilities without needing separate annual funding bills. The bill directly affects incarcerated youth and adults who would continue to receive educational opportunities under existing state and federal requirements, contingent on available funding.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesRemoves dedicated state budget allocation requirement for correctional education, weakening fiscal mandates for this program.95% confidence ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRemoves mandatory state funding for correctional education, weakening rehabilitation programs that reduce recidivism and align with criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill removes requirement for dedicated state funding appropriations for education in correctional facilities, weakening funding guarantees for this educational service.90% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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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 5, 2026

HB 5247: Establishing a pilot program to develop school-based mental and behavioral health services

HB 5247 establishes a three-year pilot program in West Virginia schools to provide mental and behavioral health services as an alternative to suspending students for disruptive behavior. It directly affects students with disruptive behaviors, their families, and participating schools that already operate school-based health centers or have implemented the state's "expanded school mental health framework." Schools in the pilot must offer mental health services through direct hire or contracts, accept referrals from school discipline or courts, conduct assessments, involve families, and bill insurance or the school for services. The program aims to redirect students toward support instead of punishment while ensuring services are available for all levels of need.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRedirects disciplinary actions from suspension to mental health services, reducing school-to-prison pipeline - a criminal justice reform strategy.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates a pilot program providing mental health services to replace suspensions for disruptive behavior in K-12 schools, directly enhancing student support and school-based services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes school-based mental health services as alternative to suspensions, directly expanding access to mental health care for students per topic description.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health Mental Health

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 2, 2026

HB 5047: To create the Mobile Career and Technical Education Classroom Program.

HB 5047 creates a Mobile Career and Technical Education Classroom Program to address limited access to career training and specialized education in rural and coalfield counties of West Virginia. The program, administered by the state Department of Education, provides funding specifically for converting buses or vehicles into mobile classrooms equipped for career and technical education, workforce training, and fine arts instruction. Funds may cover vehicle conversion, renovation, instructional equipment, and safety modifications, but cannot be used for standard school buses. This initiative prioritizes applications submitted jointly by counties, career centers, or workforce development agencies to expand educational opportunities in underserved communities.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates mobile classrooms to expand career education access in underserved rural counties, funded by state for workforce training and fine arts instruction.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly funds workforce training via mobile classrooms, directly advancing employment readiness in underserved areas.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Workforce Development

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Mar 8, 2026

SB 804: Removing physical education requirements for certain middle and high school athletes

SB 804 exempts middle and high school students participating in extracurricular sports in "good standing" from mandatory physical education requirements. Specifically, students listed by their coach at the end of each sport season are not required to complete the standard PE classes for that school year (middle school: daily PE for one semester; high school: a full credit for graduation). The bill directly affects athletes who maintain coach-determined good standing in sports. It does not alter overall PE requirements but creates this specific exemption based on athletic participation. The change applies to students in grades 6-12 who meet the coach's criteria during their sport season.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRemoves mandatory PE requirement for athletes, restricting curriculum standards and reducing required physical education components in K-12 education.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Student Health Testing & Assessment

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