Education (School Funding)

SB 988 requires West Virginia county school boards to submit annual staffing plans by May 1, detailing all covered employees (including teachers and support staff) by category, justification, and budget impact. The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) will then issue annual staffing recommendations and maximum funded allowances by April 1, based on enrollment, special education needs, and other objective criteria. County boards can request exceptions to these limits by submitting a written justification and funding plan, but must receive WVDE approval to hire above recommended levels. If a county exceeds the limit without approval, WVDE can order corrective actions like eliminating unfunded positions or suspending hiring until compliance is restored.

This bill creates a property tax exemption for homeowners in West Virginia whose household income meets federal poverty guidelines. It directly affects low-income homeowners who occupy their property as their primary residence and pay school excess levies (the portion of property taxes funding schools beyond regular levies). To qualify, applicants must file an annual application between July 1 and December 1 with proof of income, residency, and property ownership, and meet residency requirements (two years in WV or specific return-from-out-of-state rules). The exemption applies only to school excess levy taxes - not regular property taxes - and must be renewed yearly.

SB 600 would limit eligibility for West Virginia's Hope Scholarship Program by requiring that a student's parent or parents have a combined federal adjusted gross income under $100,000. This change directly affects families applying for the scholarship, as it sets a new income threshold for qualification. The bill also requires unused scholarship funds to transfer to the student's local county school system at year-end and mandates that all scholarship funds be spent only on education services provided within West Virginia. These provisions amend existing sections of the state code governing the Hope Scholarship Program.