The House Education Committee met at 9 a.m. and then again at 3 p.m. on the 45th day of the legislative session on Friday, Feb. 22 to consider legislation. Four bills were advanced to the House floor on this day, and the buzzworthy Senate Bill 1 was advanced to the House Finance Committee for a second reference.
Senate Bill 1 would create the Advanced Career Education (ACE) Program with the intention of fostering a connection between state high schools and community colleges, and it would also create the WV Invests Fund. The WV Invests Fund would fund the community college tuition of select WV students who qualify.
The House Education proposed a strike and insert amendment to the version of Senate Bill 1 on Wednesday that made several key changes to Senate Bill 1. These changes would include the requirement of the WV Chamber of Commerce to research and prepare a list of underserved industries in the state to ensure the proper programs are facilitated, and the addition of public baccalaureate institutions that offer associate programs.
Delegate Matthew Rohrbach, R-Cabell, spoke in favor of Senate Bill 1’s passage. He spoke on the fact that the legislation was modeled after a similar program in Tennessee, saying that the creation of the ACE Program and the WV Invests Fund would most likely provide similar levels of economic development.
“This is our first step toward having a more detailed workforce in West Virginia,” Rohrbach said.
Other delegates had concerns about the lack of a means test for the proposed grants and the nature of the funding mechanism. Delegate Jim Butler, R-Mason, was one of such delegates.
“This is not something we need to put on the backs of West Virginia’s taxpayers,” Butler said.
After a lengthy discussion occurring over three committee meetings, the House Education committee voted to advance the committee’s strike-and-insert amendment to Senate Bill 1 to the House Finance Committee with the recommendation that it pass.
The House Education Committee also had a consideration of and advanced four bills to the House floor.
House Bill 2397 would increase the ratio for licensed psychologists to students in a given WV classroom. The bill would increase the ratio of these licensed professionals by 2021 to be 1 psychologist to every 500 students. There are currently 126 certified psychologists serving the state of WV’s schools, and the bill would require the hiring of 266 more to fulfill the desired ratio.
Several delegates were concerned about the lack of professionals in the state that could fill these roles, but the bill was ultimately advanced by the committee.
House Bill 2853 was also passed unanimously. This bill would require the Library Commission to establish the West Virginia Program for Open Education Resources to encourage and facilitate the use of open education resource materials in both higher education and public schools. This bill would permit the creation of a database where educators could make their educational materials more easily accessible for students across the state.
House Bill 2568 was made into a Study Resolution to be researched thoroughly during Interims and taken up again by the committee next year. This bill would have required certain WV community and technical college or career and technical education centers to offer training for students to become firefighters or emergency medical technicians.
An originating bill was also considered by the committee and advanced to the House floor on this day. This bill would amend the Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholarship. The new version of the award would focus on students studying to teach math and science in the state. The scholarship would be given to the students providing that they agree to work in an underserved area of the state for five years.
House Bill 3020 was also considered and advanced to the House floor with the recommendation that it pass. This bill would provide access for educational materials around the state. House Bill 3020 would allow an institutional governing board, the Higher Education Policy Commission or the Community and Technical College Council to enter into a contract for materials, goods, equipment, services, printing, facilities, or financial services with an affiliated nonprofit corporation in the state.
