This bill aims to amend the Code of West Virginia by introducing a new article focused on the consolidation of the state's 55 county school districts into a maximum of 15 and a minimum of 10 regional districts by July 1, 2030. To facilitate this reorganization, the bill establishes the Commission on School District Reorganization, which will consist of various members, including state education officials, citizen representatives, and school administrators. The commission is tasked with developing a comprehensive consolidation plan that addresses the structure and staffing of the new districts, as well as the estimated costs and student populations.

The commission will convene its first meeting at the call of the House and Senate Education Committee Chairs and will operate under a majority vote system to elect its leadership. The proposed consolidation plan must be submitted to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance and the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability by December 1, 2027, for consideration in the 2028 legislative session. The Department of Education is required to assist the commission throughout this process, and commission members will serve without compensation or expense reimbursement.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-2L-1, 18-2L-2