Bill > HB5495

This bill establishes new requirements for the use of software in West Virginia public schools, focusing on student privacy, academic effectiveness, and accountability for vendors and educational entities. It defines key terms like "academically effective" software, which must support student learning and align with educational standards, and "addictive design feature," which refers to elements that encourage excessive use rather than learning. The bill mandates the creation of a "statewide digital privacy agreement" by the State Board of Education to govern how student data is collected, used, and protected, prohibiting practices like targeted advertising and limiting the collection of sensitive data such as biometric identifiers and emotional signals, except for specific educational or accessibility purposes. Vendors must obtain independent verification that their software is academically effective and adhere to the statewide digital privacy agreement, with their own privacy terms being void if they conflict. "Contracting entities," such as County Boards of Education, are responsible for ensuring vendors comply with these requirements and must execute the statewide digital privacy agreement for any software they adopt. The State Board will maintain a master list of approved software and conduct audits to enforce compliance, while parents will be notified annually about the instructional software used and have the ability to submit complaints. The bill also sets an effective date of July 1, 2026, allowing for a transition period.

Education

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=5495&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill