POLISCOPE
Back to bills
Part ofEducation →

The civic record

Read. Follow. Verify.
SB 909WEST VIRGINIASession 2026State Billdead
Did Not Advance

West Virginia Bill 909 Establishes Future-Ready Education Act, Mandates Science of Reading Training for K-5 Teachers, and Expands Digital Literacy Project

Original title: Modernizing educational programs and technologies

Last action · February 11, 2026: To EducationSponsors: Randy Smith and 1 other

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Proposed

West Virginia Senate Bill 909 establishes the Future-Ready Education Act, allowing local school boards to enter into multi-year technology service contracts up to five years with 30-day cancellation clauses. It requires all public school teachers providing literacy instruction in kindergarten through grade five to complete professional training in the science of reading starting in the 2026-2027 school year. Additionally, the legislation expands the Mountain State Digital Literacy Project to cover grades 9-12 and broadens its curriculum to include tutoring, reading, mathematics, science, and career-technical education.

Why it matters

Local school boards gain the ability to sign multi-year tech and textbook procurement contracts, the Department of Education is authorized to retain $7,100,000 for mandatory K-5 reading training, and elementary teachers face new mandatory professional development requirements.

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Kindergarten through Grade 5 public school teachers

Must complete professional training in the science of reading and apply for an endorsement.

Directly affected

Local fiscal bodies

Gained authority to enter into multi-year technology and educational material contracts up to five years under specific conditions.

Directly affected

Public charter school educators

Given the option to voluntarily participate in the science of reading training requirements.

Directly affected

West Virginia Department of Education

Authorized to retain up to $7,100,000 to develop and provide reading training and oversee project reporting.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What changes for local school boards regarding multi-year contracts?
Local fiscal bodies are authorized to enter into multi-year contracts of up to five years specifically for procuring educational materials that include a technology licensing service component, provided they keep documentation of material fiscal savings and include a 30-day cancellation clause.
Who must take the new science of reading training?
Every kindergarten through grade five public school teacher who provides literacy instruction must complete the training. Currently employed teachers must enroll no later than the 2027-2028 school year, and new teachers must enroll during their first year of employment.
Are charter school teachers required to complete the reading training?
No, public charter school teachers may choose to participate voluntarily.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in Senate committee.

Procedural history

4 actions
  1. Feb 11, 2026SenateCommittee
    To Education
  2. Feb 11, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Introduced in Senate
  3. Feb 11, 2026SenateCommittee
    To Education then Finance
  4. Feb 11, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Filed for introduction

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Randy SmithSenateRepublicanPrimary sponsor
Mike WoelfelSenateDemocraticSponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Expansion of Digital Literacy Initiative

The legislation broadens the Mountain State Digital Literacy Project from its original K-8 pilot scope to include high school grades (9-12) and adds tutoring curricula.

Mountain State Digital Project

Connected Entities

Randy Smith, West Virginia Retiree Health Benefit Trust Fund, Mike Woelfel and 2 more
PersonRandy Smith“Senate President and primary sponsor of Senate Bill 909”Map →
OrganizationWest Virginia Retiree Health Benefit Trust Fund“Fund referenced in levy deficit exception calculations”Map →
PersonMike Woelfel“Cosponsor of Senate Bill 909”Map →
OrganizationMountain State Digital Project“Educational digital literacy project expanded by the bill”Map →
OrganizationWest Virginia Department of Education“Authorized to retain funds and provide science of reading training”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.wvlegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz40
    Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools

Share or embed this record

POLISCOPE publisher tools

Share or embed this record