CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The bill that would allow county school systems to change their school calendars from days to hours is a step from final approval after the House of Delegates passed the bill Thursday.
Senate Bill 890, a bill that would change the minimum public school 180 instructional day requirement into a minimum 954 instructional hour requirement, passed the House by a vote of 91-1 (7 votes were absent).
The measure would also include changes to public school calendar provisions from days or months to hours as well as the inclusion of provisions established in other pieces of legislation.
The House Education Committee changed the bill originally passed by the Senate. The changes include the increase in the instructional hour requirement to 954 hours, which was originally at 900 hours when passed in the Senate, as well as the removal of references to the school employment term to prevent affecting existing employment contracts.
The legislation also includes changes to the public notice for school calendar hearings by allowing posting on county websites or other local outlets instead of newspapers. The amendments were adopted about a couple weeks after the bill was sent by the Senate over to the House in late February, with an amended bill voted on with less than three days left in the legislative session.
“Senate Bill 890 would change certain school calendar requirements from days or months to hours,” said House Education Committee Chair Joe Statler during Thursday’s vote. “The House Education Amendment that was adopted by this body is the substance of the bill, that is the summary of the bill, Mr. Speaker, and I urge passage.”
The bill also includes provisions that rename “leave teacher alone days” as “educator focus days,” and limit faculty senate meetings to three two-hour blocks held on those days. This stems from measures as part of Senate Bill 802, which prohibits teachers from being required to use school preparation days for other purposes.
Senate approval is still needed for the changes passed by the House to move forward and officially become law. If the measure passes and is signed by Gov. Patrick Morrissey into law, school districts could begin making the changes beginning in the 2027-2028 school year. the measure would go into effect for school systems statewide in July 2027.