HB5369

West Virginia Rural School Protection Act sets strict standards for closing or consolidating rural schools.

The West Virginia Rural School Protection Act establishes strict criteria for the closure or consolidation of rural schools. It mandates a two-thirds vote by county boards of education and requires voter approval. The act sets maximum one-way transportation times for students and restricts waivers. It also mandates a detailed impact statement, public hearings, and a forensic audit for counties proposing school closures. Additionally, it creates a rural school preservation weight in the state school aid funding formula to provide additional funding for protected rural schools.