Education (Teachers)

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.

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.

SB 240 would allow West Virginia public school teachers to earn overtime pay for work performed on weekends (Saturdays/Sundays) or beyond standard work hours, but only with prior approval from both the State Board of Education and their school principal. The bill requires the State Board to set the overtime rate based on the existing teacher salary schedule, with weekend work guaranteed to pay at least half the daily regular rate. This policy directly affects public school teachers in West Virginia who perform additional work outside typical hours. The bill does not automatically grant overtime but establishes a framework for its approval and calculation.