Education (k12)
West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Relating to salary equity among school systems [HB-4465]
The purpose of this bill is to eliminate the mathematical definition of salary equity and require the state board, when it determines equity is not being met, to recommend to the Governor and Legislature any legislation or method necessary to achieve it and include sufficient funding in its budget request.
Sponsored by: Rep. Paul Espinosa
On 2nd Reading, House Calendar on 03/12/2016
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Relating to School Building Authority School Major Improvement Fund eligibility [HB-4461]
The purpose of this bill is to change an eligibility requirement for School Major Improvement Fund projects through the School Building Authority that may penalize county boards that reduce maintenance costs through improved preventative and predictive maintenance practices. The current eligibility threshold is a dollar amount annual expenditure at least equal to the lowest annual maintenance expenditure in 3 of the last 5 years. It is replaced with a submission of annual facility maintenance expenditure data for joint review by the authority and
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Sponsored by: Sen. Karen Arvon
Chapter 94, Acts, Regular Session, 2016 on 05/13/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Granting a local school improvement council waiver for the purpose of increasing the compulsory school attendance age in Marshall County [HB-4447]
The purpose of this bill is to grant a waiver for the purpose of increasing the compulsory school attendance age in Marshall County.
Sponsored by: Rep. William Anderson
Filed For Introduction on 02/08/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Increasing teacher salaries [HB-4446]
The purpose of this bill is to increase teacher’s salaries in order to be competitive with other states.
Sponsored by: Rep. Mick Bates
Filed For Introduction on 02/08/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Relating to the adoption of instructional educational resources [HB-4445]
The purpose of this bill is to update the provisions of the code addressing the adoption of instructional resources. In furtherance of this objective the bill includes the following provisions; (1) Defining “instructional resources”; (2) requiring publishers of electronic text books to file certain statements with the State Superintendent of Schools concerning wholesale pricing; (3) providing certain procedures to be taken if a publisher breaches a contract in relation to the provision of instructional resources; (4) prohibiting any county board
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Sponsored by: Rep. George Ambler
To Education on 02/23/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Clarifying procedures for removal of office of any person holding any county, school district or municipal office [HB-4432]
The purpose of this bill is to add definitions, amend thresholds and clarify procedures for removal of office of any person holding any county, school district or municipal office, for neglect of duty, malfeasance of office, official misconduct or for any of the causes or on any of the grounds provided by any other statute.
Sponsored by: Rep. Barbara Fleischauer
Filed For Introduction on 02/08/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Requiring in-service training programs in the use of the Heimlich maneuver and response to choking emergencies for all school personnel in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and elementary schools [HB-4409]
The purpose of this bill is to require in-service training programs in the use of the Heimlich maneuver and response to choking emergencies for all school personnel in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and elementary schools. The bill encourages parents to attend.
Sponsored by: Rep. Mick Bates
Do Pass, But First To Education on 02/24/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
West Virginia Educational Restoration Act [HB-4405]
The purpose of this bill is to discontinue and prohibit the use of Common core academic content standards; to adopt alternative academic content standards; to discontinue the use of common core based assessments; to establish a committee and process for developing alternate statewide assessments of student progress; to prohibit the state board or any public school from sharing student data without parental consent; and to prohibit acceptance of federal funding if such funding is conditioned upon sharing student data without parental consent.
Sponsored by: Rep. Jim Butler
Filed For Introduction on 02/04/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Relating to school calendar [HB-4403]
 The purpose of this bill is to change the mandatory school instructional days from one hundred eighty days to minutes over a period of one hundred eighty days based upon the minimum amount of hours of instruction offered to students provided by state board rules.
Sponsored by: Rep. William Hartman
Filed For Introduction on 02/04/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Exempting certain child care facilities from licensure, certification, approval and registration requirements [HB-4397]
The purpose of this bill is to exempt certain child care service programs from licensure, certification, approval and registration requirements.
Sponsored by: Rep. William Anderson
Filed For Introduction on 02/04/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Permitting students to opt out of taking certain academic assessments [HB-4384]
The purpose of this bill is to recognize the parental or legal guardianship authority to direct their children’s education, including the right to refuse certain academic assessments of their children. The bill prohibits adverse academic or disciplinary action from being taken against a student his or her parent’s or guardian’s refusal of certain assessments. The bill prohibits state colleges and universities from denying admission due to refusing to take an assessment. The bill prohibits nonparticipation in an assessment to be included when calculating
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Sponsored by: Rep. Jim Butler
Filed For Introduction on 02/03/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Transferring the Cedar Lakes Camp and Conference Center from the West Virginia Board of Education to the Department of Agriculture [HB-4351]
The purpose of this bill is to transfer the Cedar Lakes Camp and Conference Center from the West Virginia Board of Education to the Department of Agriculture.
Sponsored by: Rep. Martin Atkinson
Chapter 120, Acts, Regular Session, 2016 on 05/13/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Requiring promulgation of a rule to provide for payment of tuition by county boards of education to the Mountaineer Challenge Academy [HB-4325]
The purpose of this bill is to require the State Board of Education to promulgate a rule that would require payment of tuition by a county board of education to the Mountaineer Challenge Academy for each student from such school district that graduates from the Mountaineer Challenge Academy with a high school diploma.
Sponsored by: Rep. Tim Miley
Do Pass, But First To Finance on 02/04/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Relating to reimbursement of certification fee for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification [HB-4316]
The purpose of this bill is to make a technical improvement in the language for reimbursement of teachers for fees upon enrollment, completion or renewal of National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification. Currently completion is defined as submitting “ten scorable entries,” but the NBPTS has changed its definition several times over the years and the current statutory definition is no longer valid. The new language requires the submission of satisfactory evidence to the West Virginia Department of Education, rather than
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Sponsored by: Rep. George Ambler
Chapter 95, Acts, Regular Session, 2016 on 05/13/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Providing a salary increase for special education teachers [HB-4303]
The purpose of this bill is to provide a salary increase for special education teachers.
Sponsored by: Rep. George Ambler
Filed For Introduction on 01/27/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Relating to a framework for initiating comprehensive transformation of school leadership [HB-4301]
The purpose of this bill is to initiate a comprehensive transformation in school leadership through a process that includes broad stakeholder input under the State Board of Education to assist it in developing recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor. Strike‑throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
Sponsored by: Rep. George Ambler
Chapter 87, Acts, Regular Session, 2016 on 05/13/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Changing the age effective date of children for whom county boards of education must provide kindergarten programs [HB-4298]
The purpose of this bill is to change the age effective date of children for whom county boards of education must provide kindergarten programs from September 1 to August 1. The bill changes the age effective date for students who are compelled to attend school from September 1 to August 1.
Sponsored by: Rep. Roy Cooper
Filed For Introduction on 01/27/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Permitting county boards of education to accumulate instructional days and use them when needed [HB-4296]
The purpose of this bill is to permit county boards of education to accumulate instructional days and use them when needed in a later instructional term when inclement weather and emergencies prevent the otherwise full instructional term from being completed. The bill establishes an instructional day to be three hundred thirty minutes.
Sponsored by: Rep. George Ambler
Filed For Introduction on 01/27/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Relating to the School Innovation Zones Act [HB-4295]
The purpose of this bill is to create Innovation in Education designated schools, which demonstrate innovation in STEM, community school partnership, entrepreneurship or career pathways. The bill provides for components and requirements of an Innovation in Education plan. The bill also requires evaluations of Innovation in Education schools and permits amendments to and suspension of Innovation in Education plan components when goals are not met. Additionally, the state board is authorized to terminate Innovation in Education school designations.Â
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Sponsored by: Rep. Tim Miley
Chapter 92, Acts, Regular Session, 2016 on 05/13/2016
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West Virginia 2016 Regular Session
Increasing penalties for teachers who commit sexual offenses against children [HB-4291]
The purpose of this bill is to increase penalties for teachers who sexually abuse children with whom they hold positions of trust. The bill also provides that teachers convicted of sexually abusing children with whom they hold positions of trust are banned from being employed in any capacity in any educational, training, vocational, day care, group home, foster care program or rehabilitation facility in the state.
Sponsored by: Rep. Tim Miley
To Education on 02/18/2016