Creating Community School Support Fund

Senate Bill 218 creates a $5 million annual Community School Support Fund within West Virginia's Department of Education to assist schools at risk of closure or consolidation. It directly affects schools that qualified for Federal Title I funding during the 2024-2025 school year, providing up to 20% of a school's operating costs to help sustain them. Schools must apply through their Local School Improvement Council, and the fund exempts certain staffing requirements while allowing use of Step 7 funds for personnel and facility costs. The bill requires the State Superintendent to identify savings to set aside the $5 million annually and clarifies the application process for this targeted support.