WVDE and Lawmakers Call for $410 Million Public School Funding Increase

West Virginia school funding overhaul carries $410 million price tag

“We’re at a tipping point,” State Superintendent of Schools Michele Blatt told lawmakers on Monday, warning that the current state of public education in West Virginia is unsustainable.

The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) presented a massive proposal to the Joint Committee on Education to fundamentally rewrite the formula used to distribute public school funds. According to a report from WSAZ, the proposed changes would require $410.3 million more than the state currently allocates for public schools.

The current system operates on a flat model, providing the same amount of funding for every student regardless of their specific needs. The WVDE argues this fails to account for the actual costs of modern education, such as special education requirements, geographic challenges, and varying economic conditions within different school districts.

Addressing the special education gap

Most of the requested increase is aimed directly at supporting students with disabilities. Nearly half of the proposed funding boost is earmarked for special education costs, which officials identified as a primary driver of the budget gap.

Senate Education Chair Amy Grady, who is also a school teacher, emphasized the necessity of these resources for vulnerable students. She noted that many counties are currently struggling to meet the needs of students requiring alternative placements or additional service personnel.

WVDE and Lawmakers Call for $410 Million Public School Funding Increase

“Right now, counties are hurting because we have students who have special needs… All of that requires funding, right?” Grady told WSAZ. “And [the proposal] provides those resources that kids need.”

The financial pressure is compounded by federal mandates. Uriah Cummings, the WVDE’s School Financial Operations Officer, told lawmakers that the state is legally required to provide services outlined in a child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).

“We are mandated to be able to provide these services from the federal level… so we can’t cut costs—nor do we want to cut costs—as it pertains to supporting special education students,” Cummings said.

He suggested that if cost-cutting becomes necessary, it would likely impact elective courses or Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, which the new proposal seeks to protect by including them as an “additional weight” in the funding calculation.

The struggle for legislative support

While the WVDE is pushing for a comprehensive overhaul, the path to implementation remains uncertain. The 2026 legislative session concluded without any changes to the existing funding formula, and the state’s court system is currently handling several lawsuits demanding similar reforms.

The debate over the $410.3 million increase is expected to be a central tension point when the legislature reconvenes in January. While educators and some lawmakers agree the status quo is failing, the scale of the requested funding makes passing legislation difficult.

Grady expressed a cautious outlook regarding the upcoming session, noting the difficulty of moving a large legislative body toward such a substantial budgetary commitment.

“I would love to say that I think we can do something,” Grady said. “I’m really hopeful. But I’m only one member out of 134.”

The WVDE is advocating for a collaborative approach to the crisis rather than a singular, massive legislative win. Blatt suggested that the state should begin by prioritizing specific elements of the formula to address the most urgent gaps.

“Let’s tear this legislation apart,” Blatt told the committee. “Let’s determine what we could do this year and maybe what we want to think about for next year.”