[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6095717,"mediaKeyId","2837062-764016e6ea310709c529a8d7644ff83d","parentId",2837062,"title","Committee lays over bill that would require splitting oversized K–3 classrooms after debate over costs and practical effects","audioSeconds",812,"startMs",4307000,"endMs",5119000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2837062-764016e6ea310709c529a8d7644ff83d&start=4307&end=5119","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2837062-764016e6ea310709c529a8d7644ff83d/thumbnail_4307000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6095717/West-Virginia/Committee-lays-over-bill-that-would-require-splitting-oversized-K3-classrooms-after-debate-over-costs-and-practical-effects","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095717-6905a7feba6a033009aaaba0045320e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771098010&Signature=AsR1sMr1ECzluOGLgQqoPlqDRR-vCqS-T5raUnr03FKS8BV6PiktD64EYwGSWr0zZ-XupHvAM7kscnM~VRgG-KSD44FB-9aOViU3tem3s4I4oHlZaubJW1aWKNUW7vrZxO2oED7rHT1Mw7VrkcoowhtjqKwIgEuvVYNR5PP~XODCZeNG8KX87LDIIqAZ5jPYsi-haPCVOV4assm~2Rh29NB4khjykOLbXoDLcgbl892inQk-4gd03UxnQd9edIJuE1Dy-MKV369ofywvpyVcZ9QEBviXd0RsDM1hmk9P0sLMpwdULy0Mf8j0ZDuKkM7FU55-HN6GCuwYgBfgtlhDSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","West Virginia Legislature","date","2025-04-01T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Education Committee laid over House Bill 2635 to a future meeting after extensive questions about how the split-classroom requirement would work and who would pay for additional aides or teachers.

Committee counsel Hank explained the proposal: \"This bill provides that where classrooms become so large that they affect the time teachers can spend with students in a 1 on 1 setting, the students in the classroom are required to split into 2 separate classrooms.\" Counsel added the requirement would be implemented next school year and that a proposed committee amendment would resolve a conflict with Senate Bill 650 by incorporating its provisions into the same code section.

Senators pressed for specifics. One senator asked whether the statutory phrase \"as equally as possible\" meant a precise split (for example, 20 and 20 in a 40-student classroom). Counsel explained the intent was to prevent a superintendent from overloading one classroom and keeping another below the threshold to avoid hiring an aide. Deputy Superintendent Sonia White, who addressed the committee, warned of operational consequences: she said class sizes are already capped at 25 for K–3 and described factors superintendents consider when dividing students, including special-education needs, behavior dynamics and transient enrollment. \"You also have to look at the number of special education students,\" White said, and she cautioned the change could have unintended consequences and require many more aides in some counties; she said one county estimated needing to hire 24 additional aides.

Committee advisors and education officials explained the schooled funding formula (described in the hearing as the school-aid formula) may not automatically absorb those added costs, and that mandating splits without additional state funding could force local boards to reallocate existing resources or carryover balances. Mr. Jim Brown explained how transient enrollment and midyear movement could create practical difficulties if an equality requirement were enforced throughout the year.

After discussion, the committee agreed to lay the bill over for further work. The vice chair moved to lay House Bill 2635 over to a future meeting; the motion passed on a voice vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","WV Senate Education Committee in Session Apr 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Education Committee laid over House Bill 2635 after senators and education officials questioned how a requirement to split oversized K–3 classrooms would be implemented and funded.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature WV, West Virginia","taxId",77714,"location","West Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6095721,"Committee adopts amendment and advances bill letting institutions partner outside consortia if programs unavailable",171,4115000,4286000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2837062-764016e6ea310709c529a8d7644ff83d&start=4115&end=4286","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2837062-764016e6ea310709c529a8d7644ff83d/thumbnail_4115000.jpg","/articles/6095721/West-Virginia/Committee-adopts-amendment-and-advances-bill-letting-institutions-partner-outside-consortia-if-programs-unavailable","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095721-53c0f5e49309f33d8a089717881ca1c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771098010&Signature=KxWMDayD7wcMwf1CPEq-rDbXoJJlFFUaE~plkPmDeFo-6U1VTgJDXxmxlAIOlPmnKT0ZZruNId7zNVuMF6YAW6kKGqihQC~r0Db972xbCdUeN~vonS2MT5HNdl0OpkHVTXrrb0oNTlIhxLa0mIetjCzTRNa5exJT9lFia9cjt0QQI~gBM2lSoHkufE6iH7W29VeuURNySThKnSpEVUu~MJgDORPawJfLiW~FO0M0wcYcjkscWdJdgXYShSfnto~nw3uVS43ignmph-nmz1jeEa17NuDEN~-fn2sB8LuTS4bsv7yG8rQhJ3QZHoRF2g48HSR27dyqZGCaTbTZjy6kYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee on a voice vote adopted an amendment and reported House Bill 3313 to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass.

Committee counsel Hank explained the bill \"provides that a participating institution is permitted to partner with community and technical colleges outside of its designated consortia planning district region if the assigned facilitating community and technical college does not offer a program and that program is not developed by the assigned facilitating community and technical college within 1 year of a formal request by the participating institution.\" Counsel also said the bill would add Braxton County to the Southeastern Region and that Braxton County High School is a participating institution in that region.

Senators discussed whether the change would move Braxton County out of another region or assign it to two regions; counsel said the new language assigns Braxton County to two regions. The senator from Greenbrier offered an amendment altering the implementation deadline on page 6, line 142, changing \"within 1 year\" to \"within 2 years.\" The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

After the amendment, the vice chair moved that House Bill 3313 as amended be reported to the full Senate with the recommendation that it pass. The committee approved the motion on a voice vote with no recorded opposition.","The Senate Education Committee adopted an amendment and reported House Bill 3313 to the full Senate, allowing participating institutions to partner with community and technical colleges outside their designated consortia region if the assigned college does not develop a requested program.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6095726,"Committee backs bill allowing local schools to employ school safety officers with defined training and liability rules",152,3611000,3763000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2837062-764016e6ea310709c529a8d7644ff83d&start=3611&end=3763","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2837062-764016e6ea310709c529a8d7644ff83d/thumbnail_3611000.jpg","/articles/6095726/West-Virginia/Committee-backs-bill-allowing-local-schools-to-employ-school-safety-officers-with-defined-training-and-liability-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095726-2aee2b227843928294bd15085e22b4ff/orig.mp4?Expires=1771098010&Signature=bAeXdFEzuwzkaxs5eiDB-yeR5~0WvLImzsxZM08WHZKPI8FuYF2Df3qKFu7Lbedd6~2RtnzF1EHVE0JF1WGpvxYIo2a~hXgS5mU~MG9G9Da83K3u7jxoXSHwqSIkJWNBwJa0AZJPeP0gdO1UMypf7JquDeiFVQVIQaKKsxPG7Zb-HYYPEubsEKs-MW4x5EqZuCC41jUBm4xVnX-L2UqFo-5ieCuQchDmyBk1BgWrcx77bItuWlzHb4xykE5OgLdXZ9H2OjPnPnsnS2QunTM4FpnXccKx~ZoiM5xkULV1Y7J7JrXCdZAqzvhU9C8yYD~6OgDTYEkqjy4X7Z0-XAARDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The West Virginia Senate Education Committee voted to report House Bill 2164 to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass, and that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Committee counsel Hank described the bill as setting minimum recommendations for training, employment and in-service curriculum for school safety officers and establishing written certification requirements. \"The bill also allows local school boards, public charter schools, and private schools to employ school safety officers and allow school safety officers to carry a firearm in the performance of their duties, under certain conditions which are specified in the bill,\" Hank told the committee.

Counsel said the bill specifies limits on arrest authority (school safety officers would be prohibited from arresting another person but could notify appropriate law enforcement) and addresses interrogation practices: counsel explained it would allow school safety officers to \"interrogate a detained minor without the knowledge and consent of the minor's parent\" under the language in the draft. The bill would require schools that employ such officers to provide necessary equipment at the school's expense and maintain adequate insurance coverage, which may include the Board of Risk and Insurance Management.

The measure would permit the use of certain prior law-enforcement training toward the mandatory in-service training: Hank explained that eight hours of the mandatory 16 hours of in-service training for law enforcement officers can be credited when an individual is employed as a school safety officer. All school safety officers hired would be subject to the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act, counsel said. The bill would also make county boards responsible for liability and require annual joint training with the county sheriff's department where the officer is assigned.

Several senators said the bill provides additional options for school systems that are short-staffed and already rely on school resource officers or local law enforcement. The senator from Wetzel asked whether the measure would replace school resource officers provided by sheriffs or city departments; counsel replied it could be another option in addition to existing SRO arrangements.

The committee's vice chair moved to report the bill to the full Senate with recommendation that it pass, under the original double committee reference first to Finance. The motion passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition.","The committee advanced House Bill 2164, which would permit county boards, public charter schools and private schools to employ school safety officers, define minimum training, allow firearm carriage under conditions, and set liability and training coordination requirements. The measure was reported to the full Senate with referral to Finance.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6095731,"Senate panel advances bill requiring standardized school safety mapping for first responders",145,3363000,3508000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2837062-764016e6ea310709c529a8d7644ff83d&start=3363&end=3508","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2837062-764016e6ea310709c529a8d7644ff83d/thumbnail_3363000.jpg","/articles/6095731/West-Virginia/Senate-panel-advances-bill-requiring-standardized-school-safety-mapping-for-first-responders","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095731-38e2fff50c49106e5c2e612e8f64fc64/orig.mp4?Expires=1771098010&Signature=jn15DCo6pxv9cnC~WPkHywDMf9hcibuAz2ocZnE-lzTVrFAci5LePGV2Zmfe-4TpX40mtMuvXy4Ozgav-1F5x2uXFix0iK-KTQZUL91OrSg8tkycmHds0JxGkCW6Qyj60zl054pfJdQDMstEPRI-sw7DMxdurxVp-uMGz8ku~J-nCrvSLp4lzPn8o67ctbjh6TjbOjYGxjVUu1mhZaIxs5yKdYUeS~zlYeuCLA9dImjEVi8k9gV8qDhljfmewUwAk3FsqeXSICuxKauJqu1PtczJjlkgg8VyxpIDqtnV4jY0wGQPRKDCh1IIncweSQ1C~YpbmuPxUab3F6bXh4xHDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The West Virginia Senate Education Committee on a voice vote advanced House Bill 3166, a measure that would require each county board of education to produce standardized school safety mapping data for use by first responders.

Committee counsel Hank told the committee, \"This bill allows each county board of education to create standardized school safety mapping data and sets forth a list of minimum requirements that the mapping data must conform to.\" Hank said the data must be deliverable in formats that integrate with software used by public safety answering points and local, state and federal public safety agencies without requiring additional software purchases or access fees.

The bill would require maps' accuracy to be verified by the producing entity through an on-site walkthrough with relevant public safety agencies, school safety personnel or school administration. Counsel said the mapping data must be provided to the State Board of Education, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and local first-response agencies, \"including police, fire, emergency medical services and any other local entities the school's scribe response planning team determines should be consulted.\" The bill requires initial production costs be borne by the producing entity but mandates that the data be made permanently available at no additional cost to the receiving agencies.

Senators raised practical questions about whether mapping capabilities might be included in security systems already being purchased. A junior senator from the eighth asked whether the state should buy mapping proactively if the districts may obtain mapping as part of forthcoming security system purchases; Hank replied that the bill will next go to Finance, where costs will be considered.

The committee's vice chair moved to report the bill to the full Senate with the recommendation that it pass, under the original double committee reference first to the Committee on Finance. The motion passed on a voice vote with no recorded opposition.

The measure now goes to Finance for fiscal review before a full Senate vote.","The Senate Education Committee voted to report House Bill 3166 to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass and be referred to Finance. The bill would require county boards of education to create standardized school safety mapping data that is permanently available, free to local response agencies, and verifiable on-site.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee lays over bill that would require splitting oversized K–3 classrooms after debate over costs and practical effects

Committee adopts amendment and advances bill letting institutions partner outside consortia if programs unavailable

Committee backs bill allowing local schools to employ school safety officers with defined training and liability rules

Senate panel advances bill requiring standardized school safety mapping for first responders