This bill aims to amend the Code of West Virginia to enhance funding for rural county school systems by introducing new definitions and provisions. Specifically, it adds a definition for "rural county," which is defined as a county with a total enrollment of fewer than 2,200 students that also has students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Additionally, the bill introduces a new section, 18-9A-2a, which establishes an increased per child allotment for students with IEPs in these rural counties, setting the allotment ratio to 3:1.

The implementation of this increased funding will involve collaboration between the West Virginia Board of Education and the respective county boards of education where these rural students reside. This legislative change is intended to provide additional financial support to rural counties, thereby addressing the unique challenges they face in educating students with special needs.

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