Bill > HB5499

This bill establishes a new independent entity, the Office of School System Performance and Accountability (OSPA), and its governing Board, to create an early warning system for West Virginia's school systems, aiming to detect and address fiscal and governance issues before they lead to failure and state intervention. The OSPA will monitor county school districts using objective indicators such as reliance on temporary funding, staffing levels, declining reserves, audit findings, and governance problems, with these indicators reviewed quarterly. Counties identified as not meeting established thresholds will be placed on a public "Fiscal and Governance Watch List" and required to submit corrective action plans. The bill also includes safeguards against using one-time funding for ongoing costs without approval and mandates that the OSPA prepare a "Narrative Risk Brief" for counties on the watch list, detailing risks, contributing factors, and required actions. Furthermore, the OSPA is empowered to conduct targeted on-site "stabilization visits" to assess governance and fiscal decision-making, and before recommending state takeover, the Department of Education must document specific warning signs, assistance provided, and the county's response. The OSPA will operate independently from the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) and the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE), with its funding coming from eliminated positions within the WVDE's accountability division. The bill clarifies that the WVBE remains responsible for policy, the WVDE for implementation and support, and the OSPA for independent monitoring and assessment of both county performance and the WVDE's effectiveness in providing support. The OSPA's responsibilities include assessing county proficiency in meeting standards, determining the WVDE's effectiveness in supporting counties, and issuing an annual report on the WVDE's crisis prevention efforts. The OSPA will have access to WVDE data and will collaborate on developing performance indicators, but will independently define methods and findings.

Education

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=5499&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill