The last week of a legislative session is often a flurry of activity as lawmakers rush to finalize bills and push them through the legislative process. During this time, bills are frequently in flux as amendments are proposed, debated, and negotiated. Therefore the updates below are only current as of 5 p.m. on Thursday. We will update this site as we continue to monitor the activity. With the last-minute “claw-back” budget debate, Governor Justice extends the legislative session to March 10 to work on the budget bill. Stay tuned.

Senate Considers House Education Bills

• HB 4305 - Relating to granting in-state resident status to economic development participants. The purpose of this bill is to grant in-state resident status to economic development participants in order to determine the rate of tuition to be charged for attendance at state institutions of higher education. The bill passed the Senate and requests House to concur.
• HB 4313 - Creating the Parents’ Bill of Rights - The bill relates to clarifying parental rights for the person who has legal custody of a minor child as a natural or adoptive parent or legal guardian. It addresses parents' fundamental right to direct their minor children's upbringing, education, care, and medical care including important information relating to a minor child not be withheld, either inadvertently or purposefully, from his or her parent, including information relating to the minor child’s health, well-being, and education, while the minor child is in the custody of the school district. The bill was due pass in Senate Education with immediate consideration referred to Judiciary.
• HB 4709 - Relating to vocational and technical education programs - This bill establishes a four-year pilot program to provide participating middle schools with an elective course to better prepare fifth through eighth-grade students to take advantage of West Virginia's career and technical education programs and to improve students' college and career readiness prior to high school. The bill passed the Senate, was communicated to the House and completed legislation
• HB 4829 - Relating to employment of service personnel and removing the requirement for a high school diploma or general education development certificate. This bill provides for service personnel, including substitutes, as is deemed necessary for meeting the needs of the county school system:for school bus drivers and custodians who are 21 years of age or older. The bill passed the Senate and request the House to concur.
• HB 4919 - Relating to the Promise Scholarship. The purpose of this bill is to maximize in-state student excellence through scholarship program by providing an annual scholarship award of $4,750 with certain conditions and requirements being met. The bill passed the Senate, was communicated to the House and Legislation is complete.
• HB 5056 - Relating to substitute service personnel positions - The purpose of this bill is to allow for service personnel to serve as substitute workers under certain conditions. The bill passed the Senate, was communicated to the House and completed legislation
• HB 5137 - Relating to requiring the State Auditor to conduct audits of all county boards of education. This bill was introduced in Senate Education and reported due pass but first to Government Organization where it is on the first read.
• HB 5158 - Relating to making technical corrections to the special education code. This bill is requiring state board’s rules assuring exceptional students receive an education in accordance with state and federal laws include students in foster care and correctional facilities. This bill was introduced in Senate, do pass Senate Education with immediate consideration. It is on 2nd reading.
• HB 5162 - Establish a program to promote creation and expansion of registered apprenticeship programs. This bill creates the "Youth Apprenticeship Program," for any public, private or home school student in the eleventh or twelfth grade, or are 16 years or older, the opportunity to enroll in apprenticeship programs. Any student participating in the program may receive secondary credit or other credentialing for the apprenticeship when the apprenticeship is approved by the local county board of education and in keeping with the rules of the Division of Labor. This bill was introduced in Senate, do pass Senate Education with immediate consideration. It is on 2nd reading.
• HB 5200 - Requiring that school counselors serving students in preschool through the 12th grade participate in the School Counselors Conference at least once every two years. The purpose of this bill is to require training for school counselors serving students in grades PK through 12 to participate in School Counselors Conference at least once every two years; with required components and participants receiving certain credentials, graduate credit and continuing education credit; and requiring that school counselors serving students in grades 7 through 12 participate in training regarding building and trades and apprenticeship programs and setting forth the administration therefore. The bill resides in Senate Education.
• HB 5262 - Relating generally to teacher’s bill of rights - The bill primarily concerns the rights of school counselors, special education teachers, and teachers. It defines the duties of school counselors and ensures they receive the same classification as professional educators. The bill also clarifies data reporting requirements and extends protections to school counselors and special education teachers under the Teachers Bill of Rights. Additionally, it defines special education student to instructor ratios, establishes a waiver process, and outlines compensation for teachers when ratios are exceeded. The bill creates a Teachers Bill of Rights Educational Doctrine and addresses supplemental duty calendar provisions. Finally, it clarifies the process for removing students. The bill has passed the Senate Education committee and has been referred to Finance, where it is undergoing amendments and is on its second reading.
• HB 5405 - Proving additional professional development and support to West Virginia educators. The bill aims to enhance support and professional development for educators, particularly those teaching academic core subjects without full certification. It proposes utilizing state aid funding to support teacher and leader induction and professional growth. Additionally, it authorizes the retention of additional funding by the Department of Education for the expansion of the regional professional cadres program. The bill also imposes additional requirements on county boards of education to develop comprehensive plans for improving professional practice. The bill passed the Senate and request the House to concur.
• HB 5435 - Establishing the registered apprenticeship to associate of applied science program to be administered by the Council for Community and Technical College Education. This bill aims to establish the Skilled Trades Apprenticeship Nontraditional Degree (STAND) program, which offers apprentices or journey workers the chance to earn associate degrees in applied science while undergoing practical skills training in federally recognized apprenticeship programs. This program seeks to connect postsecondary education with apprenticeship training, creating a skilled workforce tailored to the needs of diverse and changing industries. The bill is on the second reading in Senate Finance.
• HB 5514- Enhancing training requirements for county boards of education members. The proposed changes relate to county boards of education members and their training requirements. These changes include increasing the number of annual training hours, modifying the subjects for training, allowing the State Board to request additional training, adding ex officio members to the training standards review committee, mandating an annual report on board member training to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability, increasing compensation for meeting attendance, limiting compensated meetings, and prohibiting compensation if training requirements are not met. The bill passed the Senate and request the House to concur.
• HB 5553 - To provide and change graduation requirements and change duties relating to academic content standards. This bill requires all West Virginia high school students to pass certain minimum one-half credit hours in personal finance and computer science and technology courses as a high school graduation requirement; defining computer science; establishing computer science course requirements; requiring the state board of education to modify computer science standards; and establishing rulemaking to establish licensing requirements for computer science teachers. The bill was reported do pass in Senate Education and is on the 2nd reading.
• HCR 24 - To create a study resolution to examine the school aid formula. The purpose of this bill is to ensure the school aid formula for schools in West Virginia is used for the distribution of school aid funds more judiciously and equitably and, therefore, should be studied to determine if there is a better or different method for that distribution. The bill was introduced in Senate, moved to Senate Education and reported to be adopted but first referred to Senate Rules.
• Originating Resolution - Efficiency and Accountability of County Boards of Education. Senate Concurrent Resolution 35. Originating in Senate Education and reported to be adopted on unfinished business. The resolution was referred to Senate Rules.

House Considers Senate Education Bills

• SB 143 - Creating WV Guardian Progam. This bill pertains to safety measures in public schools and introduces the West Virginia Guardian Program. It outlines the program's purpose and allows county school boards to contract for participation. Terms are defined, and the authority of independent contractors within the program is specified. Requirements for participation and exclusions are provided, along with limitations of liability. Additionally, exemptions from purchasing requirements and exclusions from state benefit programs are included. This bill resides in House Education.
• Com. Sub. SB 466 - Requiring State Board of Education develop Safety While Accessing Technology education program. This bill would require the West Virginia Board of Education to develop a Safety While Accessing Technology (SWAT) education program requiring all elementary and secondary schools in the district to provide the education program to students in grades three through 12 at least once each school year; requiring policies to include process for parent, guardian, or custodian to review program instructional materials; and option for parent, guardian, or custodian to opt his or her child out of program participation effective for the 2025-2026 school year. The bill passed House Education and is on the 2nd reading on the Special Calendar.
• SB 503 - Protecting belief-based student organizations from certain types of discrimination. This bill is relating to prohibiting state institutions of higher education from discriminating against student organizations which limit membership to those persons who adhere to the organization’s sincerely held beliefs, comply with the organization’s standards of conduct, and further the organization’s mission, expression, or purpose. The bill passed House Education and is on the 2nd reading of the Special Calendar.
• SB 568 - Creating multi-tiered system for school absenteeism. The bill proposes amendments to penalties for student absences without good cause. It mandates the State Board to establish a System of Support Plan to enforce school attendance, overseen by county attendance directors. Schools must maintain regular contact with parents of absent students. Reporting obligations for attendance directors are eliminated, with child neglect reporting requirements remaining. Additionally, the bill grants discretion in referring truancy cases for diversion programs. This bill passed out of House Education and is on 2nd reading of Special Calendar.
• Com. Sub. for SB 614 - Relating to elementary behavior intervention and safety. This bill specifies requirements applicable to when a grade kindergarten through six teacher in an elementary setting determines that the behavior of a student is violent, threatening, or intimidating toward staff or peers, or creates an unsafe learning environment, or impedes on other students' ability to learn in a safe environment. This bill passed House Education with amendment and is on the 2nd reading of the Special Calendar.
• Com. Sub. for SB 727 - Revising process for county boards of education to hire support staff. This bill pertains to the hiring of aides and early childhood classroom assistant teachers. The bill passed House Education and is on the 2nd reading of the Special Calendar.
• SB 813 - Allowing students to participate in non-school competitive activities. The purpose of this bill is to allow student-athletes to participate in competitive events and activities while playing for their school. The bill resides in House Education.
• SB 842 - Modifying training requirements for county boards of education members. This bill increases the number of annual training hours for county board members; modifying the subjects on which county board members must be trained authorizing the State Board to require board members to complete additional training upon request from the State Superintendent. The bill resides in House Education.
• SB 859 - Limiting requirements for issuance of professional teaching certificates. This bill is relating to limiting persons required to pass appropriate West Virginia Board of Education approved basic skills and subject matter tests in the area for which licensure is being sought as a condition for the issuance of a professional teaching certificate. The bill passed out of House Education and is on 2nd reading of Special Calendar.
• SB 861 - Increasing support and professional development for educators. This bill aims to enhance support and professional development for educators by expanding the factors used to allocate funds for implementing comprehensive systems for teacher and leader induction and professional growth at the county level. It authorizes the Department of Education to retain additional funding for the 2024-2025 school year to distribute to county boards for contracting with organizations facilitating participation in regional professional learning cadres or teacher leadership networks. Starting from the 2025-2026 school year, a certain amount of funds will be retained annually to expand school districts' abilities to contract with such organizations, especially for supporting math and science improvement and uncertified teachers. The State Board will establish a grant program for distributing these funds to county boards. Teachers will also receive results from comprehensive statewide student assessments for their taught students, and additional payments to teachers will be based on service duration rather than salary computations for annuity purposes under the Teachers Retirement System. This bill was ordered to House and resides in House Education.