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

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Mar 5, 2026

SB 929: Relating to state board intervention into county school systems

SB 929, the "Taxpayer Transparency in Education Act," requires West Virginia county school boards to publish detailed annual financial statements within 120 days of each fiscal year. These statements must disclose all expenditures over $250 to individuals or firms, debts, school personnel pay, and budget estimates, either as legal ads or on public websites. County boards failing to submit these reports within 90 days face a State Auditor noncompliance notice, and after 60 days of noncompliance, they lose access to discretionary state education funds. The bill directly affects all 55 county school boards by mandating greater financial transparency for taxpayers.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires financial transparency in school spending to ensure accountability, aligning with education funding oversight and protection goals.85% confidence

Tags Government Transparency

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 13, 2026

HB 5495: Creating certain requirements and accountability procedures regarding a student’s use of software in a public school.

HB 5495 requires West Virginia public schools to use only software that is "academically effective" and complies with a statewide digital privacy agreement. The bill mandates that all school software must be verified by independent third parties for educational value, aligns with curriculum standards, avoids "addictive design features" (like excessive gamification tied to time spent), and prohibits data collection for non-educational purposes. It directly affects schools (via County Boards of Education), software vendors (who must sign the privacy agreement), and parents (who will receive annual notices about software used). Key mechanisms include creating a master list of approved software, requiring periodic audits for compliance, and establishing a process for parental complaints about software. The bill aims to ensure school technology supports learning while protecting student privacy and data.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires academically effective, privacy-compliant school software with third-party verification, aligning with curriculum standards and protecting student data to enhance educational quality.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates third-party privacy verification, prohibits non-educational data collection, and requires compliance with digital privacy agreements for school software, directly protecting student data privacy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Data Privacy

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026

HB 5606: Establishing the “Stay in State” tax credit

HB 5606 establishes a tax credit for West Virginia residents who remain in-state after graduating from a West Virginia college or university. The credit allows individuals or their employers to reduce their personal income tax liability by up to 50-75% of eligible student loan payments made while working in West Virginia (based on degree level and transfer status). It covers loans included in the graduate's original financial aid package, requires payments to be made during residency, and permits unused credits to carry forward for up to 10 years. This policy directly affects recent WV graduates and their employers, aiming to incentivize retention in the state through tax relief on student debt.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax credit reducing income tax liability for graduates staying in-state, aligning with tax relief support for education retention.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationTax credit reduces student loan burden for in-state graduates, supporting higher education retention and access through financial incentives.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Tax Credits Tax Incentives Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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introduced · West Virginia · Senate Feb 21, 2026

SB 1051: Creating Charter School Revolving Loan Fund

SB 1051 creates a Charter School Revolving Loan Fund to provide low-interest loans specifically for public charter school facility projects (like building or renovating school buildings) in West Virginia. The fund is administered by the Professional Charter School Board, with loan repayments recycled back into the fund to support future projects. The bill requires the Board to establish rules for the fund's operation and mandates that initial loans be distributed during the 2027 fiscal year, pending state appropriations. This directly affects public charter schools seeking facility funding and the Professional Charter School Board as the fund administrator.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates state-funded revolving loan program for charter school facilities, directing government spending toward education infrastructure with recycled repayments.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates revolving loan fund for charter school facility projects (building/renovating), directly providing financial support for K-12 infrastructure and expanding educational access through facility funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

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signed · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jun 29, 2026

HB 5089: Relating to public school acceptance of student transcripts or other credentials

HB 5089 requires West Virginia public schools to accept transcripts from all types of schools (including homeschools, charter schools, private schools, and Hope Scholarship programs) when students enroll or re-enroll. It mandates that public schools record the class, grade, and source (e.g., "homeschool" or "charter school") directly on the student's public school transcript. Schools must also submit annual demographic reports to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability (LOCEA) detailing re-enrolling students' backgrounds and prior educational settings. This bill directly affects students transferring between different school types and public schools receiving those students.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands educational access by requiring public schools to accept transcripts from diverse school types (homeschools, charters, private) and record source, promoting inclusive K-12 enrollment.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice Student Financial Aid

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 3, 2026

HB 5121: To mandate county boards of education to provide feminine hygiene products in all public elementary, middle, and high schools for female students

HB 5121 requires all West Virginia public elementary, middle, and high schools to provide free tampons and pads to female students. County boards of education must ensure these feminine hygiene products are available at no cost in school facilities. The bill directly affects every public school in the state and its female students by mandating access to these essential items. This policy change replaces any existing requirements with a statewide standard for free provision of such products.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates free feminine hygiene products in all public K-12 schools, directly improving student access to essential items and supporting attendance/participation in education.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates free access to feminine hygiene products in schools, improving essential health access for female students as a public health measure.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026

HB 5575: West Virginia Special Olympics Program.

HB 5575 appropriates $3.5 million from the General Revenue Fund for the West Virginia Special Olympics Program during fiscal year 2027. The funds will support county-level programming ($2 million, allocated equally to all 55 counties at ~$36,363 per county for local events and services) and state headquarters operations ($1.5 million for facilities, equipment, and statewide events). The Department of Education will administer the funds, requiring annual reports on expenditures, athlete participation, and program outcomes to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance. This bill directly affects Special Olympics athletes and local community programs across all West Virginia counties.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $3.5M from General Revenue Fund for Special Olympics program, directly funding essential public services through state budget allocation.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds Special Olympics program via Dept. of Education, enhancing student access and programming in K-12 through allocated county and state funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Revenue

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026

HB 5586: Relating to granting an across-the-board raise for all classroom teachers.

HB 5586 establishes a new minimum salary schedule for classroom teachers in West Virginia, effective for the 2024-2025 school year and continuing thereafter. The bill sets specific minimum salary amounts based on teachers' years of experience (0-26+ years) and educational qualifications (Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate degrees). This policy change directly affects all public school classroom teachers in West Virginia by creating a standardized pay structure with different rates for various experience levels and education levels. The bill amends §18A-4-2 of the Code of West Virginia to implement this new salary framework.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates state budget allocation for teacher salary increases, directly funding public education through increased state spending.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes mandatory minimum salary increases for teachers based on experience/education, directly supporting educator compensation and retention in K-12 education.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates minimum salary increases for teachers based on experience/education, directly raising wages for classroom educators under employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 5, 2026

HB 5270: To allow public high schools to have full time athletic trainers

HB 5270 requires West Virginia public high schools participating in sports, ROTC, or performing arts to employ at least one licensed athletic trainer full-time. The bill mandates that county school boards fund this position using local budgets, levies, or other available funds, and the trainer must be certified by the West Virginia Board of Physical Therapy. Key provisions include requiring trainers to handle specialized health procedures like concussion evaluations and musculoskeletal injury management, while ensuring compliance with state athletic policies on concussions and emergency plans. This directly affects all high school athletic programs across the state by establishing a baseline for on-site medical care during sports activities.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates athletic trainers for student health in K-12 sports/performing arts, enhancing safety and program quality through required staffing and certification.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Student Health

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