Bill > HB3220

This bill establishes a temporary moratorium on school closures and consolidations in West Virginia, pending a review and proposed revision of the state's School Aid Formula by the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE). Specifically, the WVDE is required to review school closures and consolidations that have been considered in the current and previous four fiscal years, and develop a proposal to the legislature that would prevent the closure of at least 80% of those schools when the closure was based on financial and operational factors. The bill imposes a statewide pause on public school closures, with exceptions only for schools facing catastrophic structural failure or unresolvable safety and health hazards. This moratorium will remain in effect until the WVDE submits its School Aid Formula proposal to the legislature and the legislature takes action to either implement or reject the recommendations. The goal appears to be protecting local schools from closure by potentially adjusting the funding mechanism that currently makes such closures seem necessary.

Education

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=3220&year=2025&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill