WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2025 REGULAR SESSION
Introduced
House Bill 3387
By Delegates Ellington, Statler, Mallow, Brooks, Hanshaw (Mr. Speaker), Heckert, Criss, Fehrenbacher, Riley, and Green
[Introduced March 14, 2025; referred to the Committee on Education]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §18-2-5i, all relating to the creation of a regional school district pilot program; providing for legislative findings; providing for enactment; and authorizing rulemaking to aid in the transition process.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
## Article 2. State Board of Education.
(a) Legislative findings – The Legislature finds that certain county school districts across West Virginia face challenges related to accessibility, funding, population, operational efficiency and topography. In many cases, the challenges county school districts face is shared by bordering county school districts. With this knowledge, the Legislature recognizes the need to:
(1) Unify and consolidate county school districts when necessary;
(2) Plan for benefits and detriments that may come with unifying and consolidating county school districts; and
(3) Determine issues that smaller or rural counties are dealing with that are not being adequately addressed by a county board of education.
(b) Enactment. –
(1) The Legislature finds that the State Board of Education may implement a pilot program and form regional school districts to address ongoing issues shared among neighboring counties.
(2) Effective July 1, 2025, at the discretion of the State Board of Education, the initial pilot program may begin.
(3) Regional school districts may consolidate schools, make financial decisions, and otherwise hold the same powers otherwise provided to county boards of education.
(4) The decision of the leadership of the regional school districts shall supersede any decisions made by the county board of education within the regional district.
(c) Rulemaking. – The State Board of Education is authorized to submit rules for legislative consideration pursuant to §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code to determine legislative changes required to aid in the orderly and efficient process during the regional school district unification process and during the phase-out period prior to the termination of the county school districts.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide for the creation of a regional school district pilot program. The bill provides for legislative findings. The bill provides for enactment. Finally, the bill authorizes rulemaking to aid in the transition process.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.