Education

passed · West Virginia · Senate Mar 3, 2026

SB 1024: Allowing rescission or reversal of school closure decisions through July 15

SB 1024 (2026 West Virginia Senate Bill) allows county school boards to reverse decisions closing public schools for the upcoming school year, provided the reversal occurs by July 15. The bill requires county boards to vote by majority at a public meeting, document the decision in minutes, and notify state education officials. If reversed, the school remains open, and the board must restore staffing, student assignments, transportation, and budgets. This applies to any school closure decision made prior to July 15 and does not require boards to reverse closures or change existing closure procedures. The bill directly affects county school boards and the schools, students, families, and staff impacted by closure decisions.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationReverses school closures, maintaining access, staffing, and budgets - directly supports K-12 educational continuity and stability.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Mar 3, 2026

SB 1044: Requiring Board of Education to promulgate rule that sets forth common graduation requirements

SB 1044 requires the West Virginia Board of Education to create uniform graduation requirements for all public high school students. It mandates specific pathways - Academic (college-prep), Workforce, Career and Technical Education/Skilled Trades, and Military - and establishes standardized certificates of proficiency detailing each graduate's skills, readiness for employment, or college readiness. The bill directly affects all West Virginia public high schools and students by replacing inconsistent local requirements with state-mandated standards across these four pathways. It also requires schools to issue certificates of proficiency alongside diplomas, specifying the student's completed program of study and relevant skills.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates uniform graduation requirements and standardized skill certificates, enhancing consistency and student readiness for college/career pathways across all public high schools.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Mar 3, 2026

SB 1077: Requiring vocational education agriculture programs be offered to all students

SB 1077 (West Virginia Senate Bill 1077) prevents county school boards from reducing funding for vocational agriculture programs during the 2027 fiscal year below what they spent in the current fiscal year. It directly affects county boards of education across West Virginia by requiring them to maintain existing funding levels for these programs. The bill’s key provision, added as §18-5-55 to the state code, aims to protect these programs from budget cuts during fiscal year 2027. It does not create new programs or require universal student enrollment, but rather safeguards existing vocational agriculture funding. This is a procedural funding protection measure, not a new educational mandate.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesPrevents defunding of vocational agriculture programs by mandating maintenance of current fiscal year funding levels, protecting budget allocation for this specific educational program.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationPrevents funding cuts to vocational agriculture programs in K-12 schools, protecting existing educational offerings per §18-5-55.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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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 | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Mar 2, 2026

SB 1020: Allowing up to five educational leave days within definition of "excused absence"

This bill adds "educational leave days" to West Virginia's list of excused absences, allowing up to five days per school year for approved educational activities (like field trips or workshops). Parents must submit a note within three days explaining the purpose, and schools can reject days that don't meet state-defined criteria. It directly affects students, parents, and school staff managing attendance records. The bill also clarifies that 4-H, FFA, and similar activities already count toward the existing 10-day limit for school-approved activities, so they aren't subject to the new educational leave cap.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands excused absences for approved educational activities (field trips/workshops), supporting student access to learning opportunities within attendance policy.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Feb 23, 2026

SB 925: Providing Future Farmers of America-sanctioned activities not count toward limit of excused absences

Senate Bill 925 modifies West Virginia's school attendance law to exempt Future Farmers of America (FFA)-sanctioned activities from the 10-day annual limit on excused absences. It directly affects West Virginia students participating in FFA events, ensuring these absences are counted as excused without reducing their annual excused absence allowance. The bill requires schools to mark students present for FFA activities (like they would for field trips), mandates documentation from FFA, and requires students to make up missed work without grade penalties. It aligns FFA with existing exemptions for 4-H, SkillsUSA, and similar programs under the same attendance rules.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts FFA activities from absence limits, ensuring student participation in educational programs without penalizing attendance, directly strengthening K-12 educational access.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 633: Relating to WV Commission on Holocaust Education

SB 633 modernizes West Virginia's Commission on Holocaust Education by updating its membership structure and governance. The bill replaces outdated provisions relying on Holocaust survivors (many now deceased) with a new framework allowing commission-appointed voting members and non-voting student advisory members, while explicitly requiring Holocaust education to remain the commission's sole purpose. It strengthens safeguards to protect historical accuracy and ensures the commission continues providing centralized educational resources for schools, churches, and communities studying the Holocaust. These changes aim to maintain the commission's mission as a permanent statewide resource for Holocaust education amid evolving circumstances.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationModernizes governance to preserve Holocaust education as K-12 commission's sole purpose, strengthens historical accuracy safeguards, and ensures continuity of educational mandate.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Feb 4, 2026

SB 536: Relating to qualifications for serving on certain academic boards

This bill establishes the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board and sets specific qualifications for its appointed voting members. It requires board members to be state citizens with experience in public or nonprofit governance, school leadership, or education law, while also mandating geographic diversity and limiting political party representation to no more than three members. The legislation also creates conflict-of-interest rules that prevent appointments for individuals currently employed by charter schools or companies serving them, and it defines the board's duties including authorizing charter schools, investigating complaints, and conducting audits.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes professional charter school board with qualified members to improve governance and oversight of educational institutions85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Feb 2, 2026

SB 388: Requiring public elementary or secondary school make Aitken Bible available to certain classrooms

SB 388 requires all public elementary and secondary schools in West Virginia to make the Aitken Bible available in fourth, eighth, and 10th grade social studies classrooms. Schools may only use private donations to obtain the Bible - public funds cannot be used for this purpose. The bill explicitly applies to public charter schools authorized under West Virginia law. This legislation mandates the availability of the Aitken Bible in specified grades while restricting funding sources for its distribution.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationMandates inclusion of Aitken Bible in social studies curriculum, restricting academic freedom by imposing specific religious content in K-12 classrooms.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Education

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Jan 30, 2026

SB 445: Adding Potomac State College as eligible institution for participation in Learn and Earn Program

SB 445 adds Potomac State College of West Virginia University as an eligible institution for West Virginia's Learn and Earn Program, making its participation permanent instead of temporary. The bill removes the previous "pilot program" designation for Potomac State, which had limited eligibility through the 2025-2026 academic year. The Learn and Earn Program allows students in technical programs to work with participating employers while studying, requiring employers to provide a dollar-for-dollar cash match (not in-kind contributions) for student salaries. This change directly affects Potomac State College students and employers partnering with the college to offer paid work-study opportunities.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill permanently expands Potomac State College's eligibility in Learn and Earn Program, enhancing student access to work-study opportunities in higher education.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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