Creating moratorium on school closings and consolidation

SB 219 creates a 5-year moratorium (starting July 1, 2026) on closing or consolidating any public school in West Virginia. It directly affects all public schools and their students by preventing closures while requiring the state to provide emergency funding for existing schools through Local School Improvement Councils. The bill mandates the Board of Education to conduct eight specific studies over five years, including tracking school proximity/travel data, implementing an annual safety/climate rating system for schools, validating assessment data, and studying how school size affects student well-being and academic performance. At the end of the moratorium, the Board must report findings and recommendations to the legislature, with the moratorium extending indefinitely if all studies aren't completed.