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Board adopts 2027 legislative priorities, emphasizes pay, special education and school safety funding
Summary
The board reviewed and approved a legislative priorities package aimed at the 2027 West Virginia legislative session, focusing on recruitment and retention, special education funding, school safety and accountability measures.
The board reviewed and approved a legislative priorities package aimed at the 2027 West Virginia legislative session, focusing on recruitment and retention, special education funding, school safety and accountability measures.
Why it matters: The priorities will guide district advocacy with state legislators on issues that affect staffing, funding for special education and mental health, and school infrastructure.
Top priorities approved
- Competitive pay and recruitment: The board prioritized locality pay and competitive compensation for educators, bus operators and service personnel and asked the district to advocate for state support and targeted recruitment/retention incentives.
- PEIA and benefits: The package calls for stabilization of PEIA funding to ensure affordable and reliable employee health coverage.
- Special education and homebound services: The priorities ask for adjustments in the state School Aid formula to reflect the true costs of serving students with higher needs, funding support for out-of-state placements, and expanded recognition of physician assistants and nurse practitioners for homebound service sign‑offs.
- School safety and facilities: The board asked for increased School Building Authority funding, a higher program cap for investment projects and funding for a school resource officer or safety officer at every school.
- Mental health and alternative programming: Priorities include expanding state-funded school mental health professionals and behavioral supports, and funding for alternative programs and technicians in early grades.
- Assessment and accountability: The board asked for broader measures of school accountability beyond a single junior-year SAT score for high schools and for flexibility in teacher certification to address shortages.
- Childcare and employee support: The package asks the legislature to explore pilot authority for districts to offer childcare options for employees without the full regulatory burdens of DHHR licensing, as a recruitment and retention tool.
Board action and next steps
The board approved the priorities and asked district staff to begin scheduling meetings with the local legislative delegation. Staff will finalize the document (correcting a minor typographical error) and propose meeting dates.
Ending
Board members said the priorities reflect persistent challenges — staffing, special education costs and facility funding — and tasked staff to begin outreach with legislators.
