This bill aims to enhance the fiscal and governance accountability of school systems in West Virginia by establishing a new framework for early warning, stabilization, and oversight. It introduces a new article to the Code of West Virginia, creating the School System Performance and Accountability Board and the Office of School System Performance and Accountability (OSPA). The legislation mandates the development of a statewide early-warning system that utilizes objective indicators to identify potential fiscal and governance issues within school districts. Counties that fail to meet established thresholds will be placed on a public Fiscal and Governance Watch List and required to submit corrective action plans. The bill also outlines the responsibilities of OSPA, including conducting assessments, preparing risk briefs, and performing on-site stabilization visits.

Additionally, the bill delineates the roles of the West Virginia Board of Education and the Department of Education, ensuring that OSPA operates independently from these entities. It specifies the composition and appointment process for the Board members, as well as the elimination of the existing Division of Accountability within the Department of Education to streamline operations and funding for OSPA. The overarching goal of this legislation is to provide a structured approach to monitoring and improving the performance of public school districts, thereby reducing the need for state intervention and promoting local control.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-2L-1, 18-2L-2, 18-2L-3, 18-2L-4, 18-2L-5, 18-2L-6, 18-2L-7, 18-2L-8, 18-2L-9, 18-2L-10, 18-2L-10a, 18-2L-10b, 18-2L-10c, 18-2L-10d, 18-2L-11, 18-2L-12, 18-2L-13, 18-2L-14