Removing fees teachers have to pay in order to obtain any teaching license, certification, or additional continuing education credit hours (reporting fee) to the state Board of Education
Summary
HB2926 would amend West Virginia law governing teacher licensure and certification fees by directing the West Virginia Department of Education to remove all fees associated with teacher licensure, certification, and registering completion of continuing education credit hours. The bill’s stated purpose is to eliminate the costs teachers pay to obtain or renew licenses, certifications, and related continuing education documentation.
The bill also revises the existing reimbursement framework in §18A-3-3a, which currently allows reimbursement of tuition, registration, and other required fees for certain teachers seeking additional endorsements in shortage areas or certification renewal, subject to funding limits and other conditions. Under the new language, the department must eliminate these fees by January 30, 2026, while also being directed to seek non-general-revenue funding sources, including workforce investment funds.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would change state education law by removing fee-based charges tied to teacher licensure, certification, and continuing education credit-hour registration, reducing out-of-pocket costs for teachers and potentially lowering administrative fee revenue collected by the Department of Education. It would affect teachers seeking initial licensure, renewal, endorsements, and continuing education compliance, and would require the department to implement the fee elimination by the specified deadline. The bill also preserves language stating that no appropriation is required, which limits any mandate on the Legislature to fund the change.
Sentiment
The available context suggests generally favorable intent toward reducing financial barriers for teachers, especially those pursuing certification renewal or additional endorsements in shortage areas. The bill was introduced and referred to the House Committee on Education, but no committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no documented debate or recorded opposition in the supplied materials. Overall, the measure appears framed as a teacher-support and workforce-retention proposal.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is fiscal: the bill requires the Department of Education to remove fees but also states that it does not require a specific appropriation or spending from other departmental funds. That creates uncertainty about how the fee elimination will be implemented and whether alternative funding sources will be sufficient. Another possible issue is the impact on state revenue and administrative operations, since the bill would eliminate fees that may currently offset licensure and certification processing costs. No specific opposing viewpoints are included in the provided record.
Making a supplementary appropriation to the Department of Human Services, Bureau for Medical Services – Policy and Programming and State Board of Education – State Department of Education
Supplementing and amending appropriations to the Higher Education Policy Commission, Higher Education Policy Commission – Administration – Control Account