The proposed bill aims to enhance the salaries of certified teachers in West Virginia by introducing a new section, 18A-4-2d, to the Code of West Virginia. It establishes a market pay enhancement based on regional and county median home prices, ensuring that teachers' compensation is competitive with neighboring states. The bill mandates the use of the highest of two calculated multipliers to determine the market pay enhancement, which will be adjusted annually. The enhancements will be in addition to existing salary schedules and will not exceed 50% of the average teacher's base salary in the affected county.

Additionally, the bill requires the West Virginia Board of Education to report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance regarding the market pay enhancements and allows the Board to create rules for implementing this new section. The legislation emphasizes the importance of retaining and attracting certified teachers to maintain a high-quality public education system in the state, addressing regional disparities in cost of living and ensuring that teachers are compensated fairly based on their local market conditions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18A-4-2d
Committee Substitute: 18A-4-2d
Committee Substitute for the Committee Substitute: 18A-4-2d