Bill > HB3422

This bill requires the West Virginia State Board of Education to create and deploy a web-based "School Choice Portal" by August 1, 2025, which will be an online system for families who choose alternative education options like homeschooling or private schooling to submit required documentation. The portal must be secure, with role-based access and privacy protections, and will allow families to submit a "Notice of Intent" and other required reports for educational alternatives outlined in specific state code sections. The system must be designed with input from key stakeholders including homeschool representatives, microschool advocates, and Hope Scholarship participants, and will feature user dashboards for both families and school boards. Importantly, the portal will only request legally required information, clearly labeling any optional fields, and will provide acknowledgment and notification capabilities to help users track their submissions. The portal is intended to serve all 55 West Virginia counties with a unified, standardized solution and will be operational for the 2025-2026 school year, with oversight from the Legislature's Joint Committee on Education.