Education

in committee · West Virginia · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SB 133: Relating to teaching experience requirement for teacher certification renewal and attainment of permanent certification

SB 133 amends West Virginia's teacher certification rules to expand where educators can fulfill teaching experience requirements. Specifically, it revises §18A-3-3 to allow teaching experience toward certificate renewal or permanent certification to be earned at *any* nonpublic school - accredited or unaccredited - rather than only accredited ones. This directly affects teachers seeking to renew professional certificates or attain permanent certification. The change simplifies the pathway by removing the previous distinction between accredited and unaccredited nonpublic schools for meeting experience requirements. The bill does not alter other certification conditions like degree requirements or internship programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands teacher certification pathways by allowing experience at any nonpublic school, reducing barriers for educators seeking renewal/permanent certification.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 29, 2026

HB 4943: Require all students to be taught how to properly handle, fold, treat, honor, display, and retire the American flag

HB 4943 requires all West Virginia high school students to learn proper American flag handling, folding, treatment, honoring, display, and retirement procedures as part of their required civics education. This would be integrated into existing civics courses mandated for graduation, with students needing to pass an exam on this topic. The bill directly affects all high school students in West Virginia public, private, parochial, and denominational schools. It amends existing curriculum requirements (§18-2-9) to add flag etiquette as a specific component of civics instruction.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates flag handling curriculum in required civics courses, strengthening K-12 civic education content as part of existing graduation requirements.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

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in committee · West Virginia · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SB 246: Establishing minimum student enrollment for school aid formula

SB 246 establishes a minimum net enrollment of 1,200 students for calculating school funding in West Virginia counties. It directly affects all county school districts, particularly those with low enrollment, by requiring their net enrollment (counting students in grades K-12, special education, and specific programs) to be adjusted upward for funding calculations if below 1,200. The bill uses a specific formula to determine the adjusted enrollment, including a 10% increase and a cap at 1,400, while exempting counties from penalties for staffing ratios in the 2026-2027 school year due to this adjustment. This change ensures smaller counties receive a baseline level of state aid based on enrollment.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAdjusts school funding formula to ensure minimum enrollment (1,200) for adequate district funding, strengthening public education budget allocation without tax changes.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdjusts school funding formula to increase support for low-enrollment districts by requiring minimum enrollment calculation, preventing underfunding of K-12 schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Funding Special Education

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 23, 2026

HB 4119: Establishing the West Virginia TEACH Scholarship Program

This bill creates the West Virginia TEACH Scholarship Program to help child-care workers pursue higher education. It provides scholarships covering tuition and mandatory fees (up to the average cost at eligible institutions) for associate or bachelor's degrees in early childhood education at West Virginia public community colleges or universities. Recipients must agree to work in an eligible child-care facility in the state for a specified period after graduation. The program aims to address West Virginia's child-care crisis and boost workforce participation by making education affordable for current and future child-care providers.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates scholarships for early childhood educators, funding higher education to address workforce shortages in childcare.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 20, 2026

HB 4485: Allow education employees to donate sick leave to co-workers for maternity leave

HB 4485 allows public school and higher education employees in West Virginia to voluntarily donate accrued sick leave to coworkers taking maternity leave. The bill establishes a formal leave donation program where employees can transfer personal leave days to colleagues experiencing maternity leave or a catastrophic medical emergency, with specific rules: donors may transfer unlimited days to spouses but face limits for others, and unused donated days revert to the donor after the leave period ends. It prohibits using donated leave for retirement credit or insurance extensions and requires voluntary participation without coercion. This policy directly affects educators in K-12 schools and colleges who qualify for personal leave under state law.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows education employees to donate sick leave for maternity leave, directly supporting teacher benefits and work-life balance in K-12/higher education.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAllows donation of accrued sick leave for maternity leave, expanding worker benefits and supporting workplace flexibility for caregivers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Paid Leave

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in committee · West Virginia · Senate Jan 16, 2026

SB 442: Creating homeless education coordinator position in counties designated by State Board as urban county

SB 442 creates a new "homeless education coordinator" position in West Virginia counties designated as "urban" by the State Board of Education. This position will directly assist homeless children and youth in accessing and staying in school by addressing barriers to attendance and enrollment. The bill amends education law to clarify the coordinator's role in supporting homeless students, ensuring they receive necessary services under federal and state education requirements. The coordinator will work within designated urban counties to implement strategies that prevent school disruption for homeless students.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates homeless education coordinator position to directly assist K-12 homeless students in accessing school, addressing barriers and ensuring services under education requirements, advancing educational access.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill creates homeless education coordinator to address barriers for homeless students, directly supporting housing stability through homelessness intervention per topic indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Homelessness

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Mar 3, 2026

SB 644: Requiring Economic Development Authority participate in federal tax credit scholarship program

This bill requires West Virginia's State Treasurer to participate in a federal tax credit scholarship program. Specifically, the Treasurer must annually identify and publish a list of qualified nonprofit scholarship organizations operating in the state by December 1st, accept applications year-round for inclusion on this list, and certify the list for federal submission. It defines eligible schools (meeting existing WV requirements) and students (eligible for public school enrollment), allowing scholarship funds to cover standard K-12 education expenses under federal rules. The bill directly affects the State Treasurer's office, scholarship organizations seeking to participate, and students receiving scholarships under the program.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands educational access by enabling tax credit scholarships for K-12 students through state Treasurer participation, aligning with support indicators for funding alternatives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Choice Student Financial Aid

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 29, 2026

HB 4918: Mandate the number of School days or hours required

HB 4918 requires West Virginia public schools to provide a minimum of 180 instructional days per year, with specific daily minute requirements: 315 minutes for kindergarten through fifth grade, 330 minutes for sixth through eighth grade, and 345 minutes for ninth through twelfth grade. Counties may extend the school day by at least 30 minutes to meet the 180-day requirement, using the extra time for up to five days of weather-related closures or teacher professional development. The bill also mandates that noninstructional days total 20 annually, including holidays, election day, and designated days for staff training and school preparation. This directly affects all West Virginia public school districts and their annual calendars.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates minimum instructional time requirements to ensure consistent educational delivery across K-12 grade levels.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Teachers

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 14, 2026

HB 4168: Relating to vaccine requirements

HB 4168 clarifies West Virginia's school vaccination requirements by streamlining medical exemptions and ensuring vaccine access. It requires licensed healthcare providers (physicians, PAs, or NPs) to provide written statements for children with medical contraindications to specific vaccines, while protecting these providers from penalties. The bill mandates county health departments to provide free vaccines for children from families unable to afford them, and specifies that the State Health Officer must review exemption requests based on medical evidence. This amendment does not change the list of required vaccines but refines the exemption process and access to immunizations for low-income families.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnsures vaccine access for schoolchildren, removing barriers to attendance and supporting safe educational environments per bill's mandate for free vaccines and streamlined exemptions.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates free vaccines for low-income families and streamlines medical exemptions, improving access to immunization services without restricting coverage.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 21, 2026

HB 4708: Clarifying how substitute teachers may serve for extended periods.

HB 4708 clarifies conditions for substitute teachers serving extended periods in West Virginia schools. It allows substitutes assigned to the same classroom for over half a grading period to remain until the grading period ends, provided the principal certifies the regular teacher has prepared them or is returning. The bill also creates a process for counties to hire retired teachers as substitutes in critical shortage areas without affecting retirement benefits (unless they start working in the same fiscal year they retired, in which case they lose annuity reserve benefits for that year). Additionally, all long-term substitutes must receive training on IEP and 504 plans upon hiring.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationClarifies substitute teacher policies to address staffing shortages, allowing extended assignments and hiring retired teachers without affecting benefits - supports school stability and educator availability in K-12.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education Teachers

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