Bill > HB5453

This bill establishes a revised method for school aid funding in West Virginia, transitioning from the current formula to a new system beginning with the 2029-2030 school year. Initially, the existing funding formula will remain in place for the 2026-2027, 2027-2028, and 2028-2029 school years, with public charter schools continuing to be funded as they are currently. Starting in the 2029-2030 school year, county boards of education will receive a block grant of $6,100 per enrolled student, with a minimum funding level equivalent to 1,200 pupils for counties with fewer than that number, though public charter schools are exempt from this minimum and will receive $8,600 per student. A new "Supplemental School Aid Fund" will be created to provide additional funding for special needs students, allocating $3,050 per Tier II and $6,100 per Tier III special needs student, with any remaining funds available for other specified needs. These other needs, which school districts can request funding for, include transportation, vocational and technical education centers, alternative learning centers, and pilot programs, with the State Department of Education having discretion over the distribution of these additional funds based on demonstrated needs. The distribution of all funds will be reviewed annually by the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability (LOCEA), and the Legislature reserves the right to oversee and restrict funds in cases of maladministration, which is defined as specific failures in financial record-keeping, reporting, or compliance within a 12-month period.

Budget and Finance, Education

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=5453&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill