This bill aims to amend the school aid formula in West Virginia by establishing a minimum net enrollment of 1,200 students for each county. The definition of "net enrollment" is updated to include various categories of students, such as those in special education, kindergarten, and grades one to twelve, as well as adults in vocational programs and students in early childhood education programs. Notably, the bill stipulates that for the 2025-2026 school year and beyond, no county's net enrollment can be set below 1,200, with specific provisions to ensure that counties are not penalized for failing to meet the required ratios of professional instructional personnel due to this increase in enrollment.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing language regarding the calculation of net enrollment and introduces new provisions to support counties with low enrollment and sparse population densities. It includes a review mechanism by the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability to assess the effectiveness of these provisions. Overall, the bill seeks to ensure equitable funding and support for public schools across West Virginia by adjusting the criteria for net enrollment and establishing a minimum threshold.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-9A-2