The Legislative Oversight Committee on Education Accountability met this morning.
The Committee first heard from the WV Center for Nursing on the progress of developing a statewide strategic plan to address the nursing shortage. Jordyn Reed, the administrator for the center said the Center leads the state in strategies to support the education, recruitment, and retention of nurses in West Virginia.
A bill passed in 2022 did remove a licensure renewal fee, which reduced the center’s funding by 75 percent.
The Center has established a statewide plan to address the nursing shortage through the nursing center pathways, distributing career resources across the state, and the Governor’s nursing workforce expansion program. The Center collects, evaluates, and disseminates data regarding nursing availability and areas with a shortage. It has established and maintains a website to disseminate information about the center, its mission, and educational opportunities and financial aid available for the nursing profession in WV.
The Center evaluates the capacity for expansion of the nursing program including the availability of faculty, clinical laboratories, computers, software, and supplies. The Center works with the HEPC on the administration of the nursing scholarship program designated to benefit nurses who practice in hospitals and healthcare institutions or teach in state nursing programs.
The Center also maintains an active board of directors. It also works to promote nursing workforce development with the WV nursing academy model and grant program which helps high school students begin earning nursing hours for degrees.
The Committee received a report on financial aid in the state from the Higher Education Policy Commission. The agency is working on a portal for students to apply for all financial aid programs and check statuses in one place. The Promise Scholarship recipient numbers decreased from 2021 to 2022. One issue with students meeting promise requirements for testing scores. The WV Invest Grant is a grant started in 2019 to provide funding for students going to community colleges. It is a grant used only after all other financial aid has been applied.
The WV Higher Education Grant is need-based for low-income students. The grant was awarded to 15,000 students last year. The HEPS grant is awarded to part-time students and is need-based. The grant was awarded to 3,000 students last year. The HEPS Workforce grant is a grant for students to earn certifications such as recovery coaching, CDL, nursing, welding, and more.
The Committee also heard from the WV Department of Education on the impact and effectiveness of the accreditation system and the EDGE Initiative report.
