| The House of Delegates passed a sweeping change in the sacred state school aid formula this week.
It is a complicated bill, and exactly how it would help small, rural counties is not certain.
Supporters say the bill should add $48 million a year for state schools over the next three years.
"All counties gain in the first year of funding, except one," said House Education Chairwoman Mary Poling (D-Barbour).
Calhoun Superintendent of Schools Jane Lynch said yesterday "The last proposal I have seen, Calhoun will not lose funding over the next three years," indicating the cash-starved system could get some extra help if the bill goes into law.
Lynch said the proposal projects monies based on enrollment estimates for the next three years.
"In the proposal, positions which we need, such as a counselor, school nurse, and technology specialist, will be funded, pro-rated on enrollment," Lynch said.
"Since Calhoun is under 1400 students, we will be able to use a weighted enrollment determined by population density," she said.
Del. Poling led the short debate on the House floor over the bill (HB4588) noting the current funding model is "decades old," saying the bill brings a more fair system.
Poling said the bill was based on three premises:
- Compensating for differences among counties of increasingly diverse enrollment size and population density.
- Preserving personnel needed to improve learning without requiring identification of the students as special education.
- Ensuring funding for the fewest needed professional positions in nursing, counseling and technology systems.
Poling said the bill contains a provision that holds counties harmless, meaning even Tyler County, the only county that would lose funding under the new formula, would get at least what it now receives.
Delegate Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, questioned if it would really cause the need to hire another 900 new employees.
"It's very difficult to say," Poling replied.
She said the bill would require 580 new classroom positions, as well as some technology systems experts, indicating many of the nursing and counseling positions are already in place.
Only Vermont has a more rural population than West Virginia and it has 10 pupils for each teacher.
West Virginia has 14 students for each teacher.
The state ranges from a high of 52.42 students per square mile in Berkeley County to a low of 1.28 per square mile in Pocahontas County, Poling said.
The new funding bill divides counties into four groups and distributes funding according to their economies of scale.
Schools would get an extra 1 percent on top of their regular per-student funding for each student enrolled in Advanced Placement courses, under the proposal.
Alternative education would be funded at $24 per student, according to the bill.
The bill passed on a 96-2 vote in the House and was sent to the Senate.
Other education legislation passed by the House and sent to the Senate:
- Legislation (HB4406) that would, for the first time, put some limits on travel times for public school students into state law, slowing down consolidation and long bus rides for some children, the bill not retroactive.
- Legislation (HB4472) requiring county school boards to wait 10 days before posting a new job opening following the death of the employee who held that post.
- A bill (HB4117) expanding eligibility for state minimum salary supplements for classroom teachers achieving certain national certification.
- Legislation (HB4477) relating to payment of GED test fees.
- A bill (HB4554) requiring that school bus drivers be tested every two years.
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