Bill > HB4914

This bill, the West Virginia Education Freedom and Parental Empowerment Act, aims to create a system where any federal education funds received by the state as "block grants" – meaning federal money without specific spending restrictions – will be placed into "education savings accounts" (ESAs). An ESA is a state-authorized account funded by public money, controlled by parents or guardians, and intended for "qualified educational expenses," which include tuition at private, parochial, home, or charter schools, online learning, textbooks, tutoring, special education services, transportation, and college savings. This program is for any West Virginia child eligible for K-12 education, and it is designed to give parents full control over their child's education choices, regardless of their financial situation or where they live, while also reducing the power of central education bureaucracies. The State Treasurer will administer these ESAs, providing an online portal for parents, approving educational providers, and conducting audits, while the State Board of Education's regulatory and policymaking powers over K-12 education will be eliminated, with its only role being to transfer federal funds to the ESA program. The bill also establishes a "Parental Bill of Rights in Education," affirming parents' authority over their child's education and prohibiting discrimination based on educational provider choice.

Education

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=4914&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill