SB 506 West Virginia Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Relating to enhanced pay for certain teachers

This bill establishes a new market pay enhancement for certified teachers in West Virginia to address regional cost-of-living disparities. It calculates an additional payment based on comparing the median home price in a teacher's county (or surrounding region including bordering states) to the statewide median home price, using data from the National Association of Realtors. The state board of education will determine the higher of two multipliers (regional or county-based) to apply to the average teacher base salary, with the enhancement capped at 50% of that base salary. The adjustment will occur annually starting December 1, 2026, aiming to make teacher compensation more competitive with neighboring states.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 17, 2025 Last action Mar 31, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Committee Substitute → Committee Substitute for the Committee Substitute · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill was revised to shift from a five-year adjustment cycle to annual adjustments for teacher market pay enhancements, change the effective start date from 2026 to 2027, remove provisions requiring lump-sum distribution by the State Auditor, and allow counties to provide additional enhancements beyond state requirements.

Scope change

The bill now allows counties to provide market pay enhancements greater than those required by the state, and funding is now allocated through the public school support plan rather than direct State Auditor distribution.

TIMELINE

Market pay multiplier calculations changed from a five-year cycle beginning January 1, 2026 to an annual cycle beginning December 1, 2026, with payments effective July 1, 2027.

REQUIREMENT

Removed requirement for State Auditor to issue lump sum distributions and certification by March 31; replaced with annual funding allocation through the public school support plan.

Added 50 percent cap on market pay enhancement relative to average teacher's base salary in affected counties.

Removed provisions requiring grievance rights to be denied for pay disparities and removed requirement for Board to report to Joint Committee on Government and Finance.

SCOPE

Added provision allowing county boards to provide market pay enhancements greater than those required by the state section.

DEFINITION

Added definition for 'Average teacher's base salary' and expanded definition of 'Certified teachers' to include specific requirements like bachelor's degree and valid teaching certificate.

Introduced Version → Committee Substitute · 8 edits

MODERATE

The Committee Substitute version of SB 506 adds several new sponsors and expands the bill's scope by requiring the use of the highest of two multipliers to calculate market pay enhancements. It also adds new provisions requiring the State Auditor to issue lump sum distributions, declaring that these payments are subject to personal income tax, and stating there is no right to a grievance for pay disparities resulting from these enhancements. The bill now requires the Board of Education to report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance and allows for rulemaking to explain and implement the section.

Scope change

The bill now applies to certified teachers in counties where the calculation results in a positive market pay enhancement, with the calculation method changed to use the higher of two multipliers (regional vs. county-based).

SCOPE

Added new sponsors: Senators Rucker, Woelfel, Bartlett, Rose, Willis, and Takubo to the original list of Tarr, Barrett, and Grady.

DEFINITION

Added definition for 'County median home price' and modified 'Market pay enhancement' definition to use the highest of two multipliers (regional and county-based) instead of just one.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for the State Board of Education to report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance in any year a market pay enhancement calculation is required.

Modified certification requirements to include the county median home price as a required disclosure item.

Added applicability provision clarifying that payments are in addition to existing salary schedules, specific additional amounts, and county supplements.

ENFORCEMENT

Added provision allowing the State Board of Education to propose rules for legislative approval to explain and implement the new section.

Added explicit statement that there is no right to a grievance for any pay disparity that exists due to a market pay enhancement distribution.

FISCAL

Added explicit declaration that the lump sum market pay enhancement is subject to personal income tax as set forth in §11-21-4g.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 31, 2025

Committee

Referred to Rules on 3rd reading

upper

Mar 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

Motion to refer bill to Rules adopted (Roll No. 244)

upper

Mar 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee substitute for committee substitute reported

upper

Mar 19, 2025

Committee

To Finance

upper

Mar 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee substitute reported, but first to Finance

upper

Feb 17, 2025

Committee

To Education

upper

Feb 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in Senate

upper

Feb 17, 2025

Committee

To Education then Finance

upper

1 primary · 10 co-sponsors