Education (School Safety)

SB 657 creates the Cohen Craddock Student Athlete Safety Act, requiring West Virginia high school and middle school athletic programs to adopt concussion safety protocols and use specific safety equipment. The bill mandates schools to implement a Concussion Education, Prevention, and Response Plan by July 2026 and requires student athletes in football practices to wear impact-reducing soft-shell helmet covers attached to their helmets during collision-prone activities. It establishes the Cohen Craddock Memorial Grant Fund to help schools purchase safety equipment and includes protections ensuring helmet covers don’t void helmet warranties if properly attached. The law directly affects all student athletes in West Virginia public schools participating in interscholastic sports, with a specific focus on reducing head injury risks in football.

SB 386 creates a mobile training team within West Virginia's Department of Homeland Security to provide school safety training and support to public and nonpublic schools. The team will be led by a chief officer and 16 regional officers (required to be licensed peace officers or veterans), focusing on crisis response planning and coordination with school staff. The bill also permits teachers and administrators to become "school protection officers" authorized to carry concealed weapons, with a performance-based bonus that can be revoked if they lose their classification.

This bill requires West Virginia public schools to provide annual, age-appropriate instruction on child sexual abuse prevention for students in grades 3-6, personal safety and assault prevention (with parental opt-out options requiring one-week notice), and dating violence/sexual violence prevention for grades 7-12. It mandates training for public school employees on recognizing abuse signs, responding to disclosures, and preventing inappropriate behaviors, including social media safety. The law also requires schools to develop resources addressing disclosure protocols, child-on-child scenarios, and crisis response in coordination with existing child abuse reporting systems. Public charter and nonpublic schools may choose to follow these requirements voluntarily.