Delegates are considering a bill that could revamp state financial support for public schools, but Gov. Patrick Morrisey again expressed caution about that kind of spending priority right now.
HB 5453 is a significant revision of the current public school funding formula to make it simpler, more transparent and more aligned with student needs — especially special education — while moving away from the current step‑based, multi‑schedule formula.
The House Finance Committee examined the bill today.
In December, the state school board approved consolidations and closures of more than a dozen schools across six counties. The state board recently agreed to two more closures in Wayne County. The state also experienced a wave of school consolidations last year.
House Bill 5433 would establish block grants of $6,500 per enrolled student. There’s a floor, so counties with fewer than 1,200 enrolled students would be funded at least for that number.
The bill also includes supplemental funding for special needs students. Special education costs, which often involve one-on-one learning or nursing staff, have been a growing financial consideration for public schools.
And the bill could enable counties to request more funding for special circumstances such as transportation, vocational and technical centers, alterative learning centers and pilot programs.
“What we were looking at was, how can you streamline this, make it simpler,” said Delegate Joe Ellington, R-Mercer, the lead sponsor of the bill.
“So, for us to figure out how to figure out how to fund public education more consistent level, and also look at certain needs that the state and what we’ve seen in other states have been going on as far as how to fund those appropriately.”
The bill includes a cost estimate of $214,792,461.
As the bill stands now, the policy could go into effect for 2027-28, but Ellington acknowledged that could be changed based on the state’s financial situation.
The state Senate has been considering bills with similar concepts.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey, speaking at a press conference today, expressed financial caution about additional state support for schools.
He acknowledged that his budget, the House budget, and the Senate budget all currently do not include changes to the school aid formula.
“You know, those issues didn’t get brought to us at the budget. It’s kind of hard to come up with that now, but I’ll look at everything and I want to make sure we put our kids first,” Morrisey said in response to a question by West Virginia Watch.
“Public school is foundational in West Virginia, and I’m going to make sure that it’s funded. So I’m going to always look at different ways to make it happen.”
The governor’s comments about public school spending came in the context of his steady support for millions of additional dollars for the Hope Scholarship for children receiving their education outside the public school system.
Ahead of the first year of full implementation to all families who want to use the money, the Hope Scholarship has anticipated cost of $230 million and an increased base of $127.3 million in the coming fiscal year.
“Everything that’s being done in Hope is not hurting other public education. I support public education. I think it’s really important that we continue to do that,” Morrisey said.
West Virginia already spends a relatively high amount per pupil in the public school system, Morrisey said, so the issue is how current dollars are used — not simply how much more is appropriated.
So I think we really, before we just keep throwing money at problems, we have to be responsible for how we’re spending the money, how we are arriving at the place where we have 10 counties that have the kind of problems that we have, and I’d like to do that before I say, ‘Well, now we’re going to commit another large bucket of money,'” Morrisey said.