FISCAL NOTE
FISCAL NOTE
2025 regular session
House Bill 2879
By Delegates Holstein, J. Cannon, Chiarelli, and Hornby
Introduced February 24, 2025; referred to the Committee on Education then Finance
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §18C-10-1, §18C-10-2, §18C-10-3, and §18C-10-4, relating to the creation of the West Virginia Math & Science Teacher Scholarship Act; providing for a short title; providing for legislative findings and purpose; establishing the West Virginia Math & Science Teacher Scholarship Act; and setting forth the amount of scholarship money to be paid to educators who satisfy the thresholds; setting forth criteria and creating a sunset provision.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
## ARTICLE 10. west virginia MATH & Science teacher scholarship act.
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "West Virginia Math & Science Teacher Scholarship Act."
(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that:
(1) Every West Virginia student should have access to education and training that will lead directly to quality employment opportunities within the state. For West Virginia to retain and attract teachers and educators in this particular field, our state must ensure that qualified teachers within West Virginia are incentivized to stay and work in West Virginia schools.
(2) West Virginia currently faces a shortage of educators, particularly with those who have specialized training in the mathematics and science fields, which has likely contributed to underperformance in student test scores.
(b) The purpose of this article is to provide existing and upcoming West Virginia educators with incentives to remain in West Virginia and pursue a career in educating students in the fields of mathematics and science through the creation of a scholarship program designed to recruit and retain teachers in mathematics and science.
(a) There is hereby created a scholarship program known as the "West Virginia Math & Science Teacher Scholarship", which shall be administered by the vice chancellor for administration pursuant to §18B-4-2.
(b) The scholarship program shall be available to all West Virginia certified teachers with specializations in a mathematics or science field. If any teacher is employed in a K-12 public school in this state for a minimum of three years and while employed in a STEM position, then they shall be eligible for up to $2,000 in debt relief through this scholarship. If a teacher has been employed in a school in this state for a minimum of six years and holds a mathematics or science specialization, then that teacher shall be eligible for up to $4,000 in debt relief, or for an additional amount of $2,000 if the six-year option was taken after their initial three years of employment.
(c) Funding for this program shall be appropriated through a line item in the budget.
(a) To be eligible for the West Virginia Math & Science Teacher Scholarship Program, an individual shall satisfy the following requirements:
(1) Be a citizen of the United States and have been a resident of West Virginia for at least one year immediately preceding the date of application for the scholarship;
(2) Have completed at least a master's degree in education, with a specialization in Mathematics or Science;
(3) Be employed by a kindergarten through 12 public school in this state for a minimum of three years for the initial $2,000 and six years for the additional $2,000;
(4) Fill a position that qualifies as mathematics or science position under West Virginia Department of Education standards; and
(5) Have available debt to qualify, as scholarship funds to recipients shall not exceed any debt owed at the time of award. Applicants who have a debt balance of less than the award amount will not receive the full amount offered.
(b) The West Virginia Math & Science Teacher Scholarship Program shall begin in January 2026 and shall sunset in January 2036.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create the West Virginia Math & Science Teacher Scholarship Act. The bill provides for a short title. The bill provides for legislative findings and a purpose. The bill provides for the West Virginia Math & Science Scholarship Program and sets forth the amount of scholarship money to be paid to educators who satisfy the thresholds. The bill sets forth criteria and creates a sunset provision.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.