HB 4005, "Skills to Work," creates a state-funded Youth Apprenticeship Program for West Virginia students aged 16 or older in 11th or 12th grade. It allows these students to earn high school credit and job skills certifications through structured apprenticeships in fields like manufacturing, healthcare, and office technology, requiring 135 classroom hours and 400 on-the-job training hours per program. The bill mandates schools to partner with employers to develop approved apprenticeships, with standards including progressive wages, performance evaluations, and school approval. It also clarifies that apprenticeships cannot include hazardous occupations prohibited for minors under federal and state child labor laws. The program must be fully implemented across all school systems by the 2025-2026 school year.
This bill's title claims to address world language instruction, but the actual text amends history/civics curriculum requirements (§18-2-9) for West Virginia public schools. It mandates K-12 instruction in U.S. history, civics, and government, requiring courses to cover American political philosophy, primary sources, and critical analysis of ideologies like democracy and communism. The bill also specifies standardized testing aligned with these standards and includes health education requirements on STD prevention, substance abuse, and CPR. The title misrepresents the bill's content, as it focuses on history/civics standards - not world language teaching - as detailed in the full text.
HB 4634 establishes the "Support for Neglected Schools Act" by amending West Virginia law to clarify how the School Building Authority allocates state and federal funds for school facility improvements. It directs the authority to allocate up to 10% of available funds for statewide educational projects or programs under the state board's jurisdiction, with specific requirements like 10-year facility plans for state board projects. Additionally, it sets aside 2% for emergency funding and reserves 5% specifically for multi-use vocational-technical education facilities, including equipment updates. This bill directly affects school districts, vocational centers, and the School Building Authority by modifying existing funding distribution procedures for school construction and major improvements.
HB 4698 requires West Virginia public high schools (grades 9-12) to make adoption awareness materials available to students upon request. The materials must cover adoption types, foster care vs. private adoption, resources for pregnant students, and child development information. Schools must provide written materials to parents or guardians of pregnant students who receive the information. This bill, effective for the 2026-2027 school year, directly affects high school students and their families by providing standardized adoption resources through school counseling offices.
SB 489 creates a new course-specific teaching permit allowing certified West Virginia high school educators to teach high-quality courses outside their formally endorsed subject area. Eligible educators - including those with alternative certifications, conditional licenses, or relevant degrees - can earn this permanent permit by completing 30+ hours of approved professional learning tied directly to a specific course. Approved professional learning must be provided by designated non-profit organizations and cover both course content and teaching methods, verified by a certificate. School districts can then assign educators with these permits to fill specialized teaching needs, such as career-technical or college-aligned courses developed with colleges or industry partners. This system aims to increase flexibility in staffing without requiring full certification changes.
HB 4081 creates the Higher Education Health and Aid Grant program for West Virginia public colleges with multiple campuses. The bill requires these institutions to use grant funds to establish campus food and health aid stations, specifically for non-perishable food items and basic hygiene products like toothpaste, sanitary supplies, and first-aid items. Funds cannot cover fresh food, medical care, or prescription items. Institutions must track all purchases and inventory monthly, and submit annual reports to the Higher Education Policy Commission detailing program impact on student food/hygiene insecurity.
HB 4860, the Direct Classroom Funding Act, changes how West Virginia public school funding is distributed by sending state education funds directly to individual teachers instead of through school districts. It creates a "Classroom Expense Account" for each teacher, funded proportionally from state accounts, which teachers can use to purchase classroom supplies and materials via a dedicated purchase card. Teachers gain online access to track balances, and purchases made through these accounts are exempt from typical district vendor requirements while being publicly listed online for transparency. The bill affects all West Virginia public school teachers who receive instructional funding, shifting control of these resources from district administrators to educators.
This bill allows classroom teachers who joined the West Virginia Teachers Retirement System on or after July 1, 2015, to sell up to 10 unused personal leave days to their county school board for a cash payment. Teachers would receive 80% of the rate paid to a substitute teacher with a bachelor's degree and 10 years of experience for each day sold, with payment required by June 30. Once sold, the leave days are forfeited and cannot be used for future absences.
HB 4087 establishes the West Virginia-Ireland Education Alliance Partnership to strengthen academic, cultural, and workforce connections between West Virginia and Ireland. It creates a formal partnership requiring five four-year universities and five two-year colleges in West Virginia to collaborate with Irish institutions. The bill provides for five $50,000 grants to fund joint programs between these institutions. This partnership is governed by a commission with specific membership rules, including legislative and community representatives. The bill directly affects West Virginia higher education institutions and their Irish counterparts through structured collaboration and grant opportunities.
HB 4941 increases pay for special education staff in West Virginia. It requires special education aides (specifically Aide V) to be paid at the same rate as Early Childhood Classroom Assistant Teachers, plus an additional 5% raise. Self-contained special education teachers receive a 10% salary increase. The bill also defines a "critical vacancy" as a position needed for student success and safety, mandating that certified staff fill such roles until a permanent hire is made.
