Require county boards of education to train at least one professional staff member at each school in a grant writing procedures.
Summary
HB4938 would require each county board of education in West Virginia to train at least one professional staff member at every school in grant writing procedures. The bill’s stated purpose is to ensure that schools have someone on staff who can identify and pursue grant opportunities, with the legislative finding that this would benefit both individual schools and county boards of education generally.
The measure adds a new section to the education code, effective July 1, 2026, and places the training obligation on county boards rather than on the state education department. It does not create a grant program, mandate that schools apply for grants, or specify the content, duration, or funding source for the training; it simply requires that at least one professional staff member per school be trained in grant writing procedures.
Impact
HB4938 would amend West Virginia Code by adding §18A-3-13 to require county boards of education to provide grant-writing training at each school. The practical effect is to expand local school administrative responsibilities and potentially improve access to outside funding for school programs, facilities, and services. It affects county boards of education and school-level professional staff, but it does not directly change student rights, curriculum requirements, or state funding formulas.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the bill appears to be presented as a straightforward administrative and capacity-building measure with a positive policy rationale. The legislative findings frame the proposal as beneficial to schools and county boards by improving their ability to secure grants. There is no documented opposition or recorded debate in the provided materials, so the overall sentiment appears neutral to favorable.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided record because there are no committee transcripts or votes. Potential areas of debate, if raised, would likely involve whether the training mandate creates an unfunded administrative burden for county boards, whether every school needs a trained staff member, and whether the state should require grant-writing capacity without providing dedicated resources or guidance. However, these concerns are not attributed to any named person or group in the available materials.
Relating to requiring the counties particpating in the QMHP Pilot Program to have at least one qualified mental health professional in each public school in that county.