SB 437
Fair State Aid Formula Act of 2026
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- Passed Senate
- Passed House of Delegates
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
Senate Bill 437, the Fair State Aid Formula Act of 2026, aims to revise how West Virginia distributes state education funding to county school boards. It establishes a new formula that considers student needs, local revenue capacity, and the unique costs of rural and small schools. The bill seeks to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students across the state by promoting transparency and stability in funding allocations.
Key provisions
- Establishes a new state aid formula based on per-pupil cost, weighted enrollment, and local revenue capacity.
- Includes student weighting factors to account for diverse student needs (low-income, special education, English learners, etc.).
- Provides a rural isolation factor to compensate for higher costs in geographically isolated counties.
- Sets minimum and maximum state aid levels for counties.
- Creates a Rural Stability Fund to mitigate potential aid reductions for rural counties during the initial implementation phase.
- Requires the Department of Education to publish an annual equity report and provide a public funding calculator.
- Phases in the new funding formula over three fiscal years, ensuring no county receives less aid than in the previous year.
- Repeals previous sections of the Code related to the existing state aid formula.
Who is affected
- County Boards of Education
- Students in West Virginia Public Schools
- Parents of Students in West Virginia Public Schools
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