This bill amends the Code of West Virginia to enhance funding for public school districts by introducing additional weighting for special education students in the calculation of net enrollment for the basic foundation program. Specifically, it adds a fraction of a pupil to the net enrollment count for each level of special education: one-tenth for Level I, two-tenths for Level II, and three-tenths for Level III. The bill mandates that the funds generated from this weighting be exclusively used for the direct instruction of special education students, prohibiting expenditures on facilities, administration, or training. The West Virginia Board of Education will oversee these expenditures to ensure compliance, and school districts will be protected from penalties related to staffing ratios for the 2026-2027 school year, allowing for flexibility during this transitional period.

Additionally, the bill introduces amendments to existing education funding laws, redefining the role of a "Technology integration specialist" to include those who assist teachers in integrating technology into the curriculum. It updates the effective date for these amendments from the 2019-2020 funding year to the 2026-2027 funding year, ensuring that previous provisions remain in effect for earlier funding years. Starting in the 2019-2020 school year, county boards will receive state aid in the form of block grants, which will be exempt from certain expenditure requirements, although all expenditures must still comply with other articles of the code. This change aims to provide county boards with greater flexibility in managing their funds while ensuring adherence to educational standards.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-9H-1, 18-9H-1a, 18-9H-2, 18-9H-3, 18-9H-4, 18-9H-5, 18-9H-6, 18-9H-7, 18-9H-8, 18-9H-9
Committee Substitute: 18-9A-2, 18-9A-19