The Senate passed 13 bills during a late-morning floor session on Thursday, including one that would allow up to five “educational leave days” per school year to be considered “excused absences,” for each student.
Under Senate Bill 1020, students would not be penalized for missing school on these days as long as they are for legitimate educational purposes. In order yo qualify, parents or guardians would submit a note within three days of the student’s return to school explaining how the days were used.
The State Board of Education would create a rule to define what constitutes an educational leave day. School officials could deny these days if the explanation doesn’t meet the defined criteria.
Additionally, the legislation clarifies that absences for participation in certain student organizations like 4-H, FFA, and other state-recognized groups, as well as school-approved activities and college visits, are not subject to the existing 10-day limit for excused absences, effectively allowing more flexibility for these types of absences.
The bill now heads to the House of Delegates for further consideration.
Also of note on Thursday, Senator Mike Woelfel (D-Cabell, 05) made a motion to reject Senate Bill 966 on First Reading. This bill would modify the requirements for home schooling in West Virginia by removing the need for parents to have specific qualifications, such as a GED, high school diploma or post-secondary degree, to teach their children at home.
The legislation would also eliminate the requirement that home-schooled children must be instructed in the same subject areas as public schools, specifically removing the mandate for instruction in reading, language, mathematics, science, and social studies.
Additionally, the bill would change the assessment options for home-schooled students, allowing parents to select alternative academic assessments and removing the requirement for standardized testing in specific subjects or for a certified teacher to review a portfolio in those subjects.
Woelfel and other supporters of the rejection motion noted that while the vast majority of home school teachers do an excellent job educating their kids, there are some that game the system and would take advantage of no regulation or oversight. They argued for the simple guardrails that are currently in place.
Opponents of the rejection motion cited studies showing the majority of home school students are well prepared for college and that home schooling is a family matter that does not need government regulation. Senator Eric Tarr (R-Putnam, 04) also correctly pointed out that if the motion to reject was defeated, the bill could still be amended on second or third reading.
The motion to reject the bill failed on a 24-10 vote.
The Senate is in recess until 4:30 p.m.
Afternoon Committees:
Health at 1 p.m. in 451M
Finance at 3 p.m. in 451M
Judiciary at 3 p.m. in 208W
