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Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia Bill Requires County Schools to Report Unused Buildings and Offer Them to Charter Schools
Last action · January 26, 2026: To House EducationSponsor: Kathie Hess Crouse
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What This Bill Proposed
County school superintendents in West Virginia must report unused and underutilized school properties to the state department of education starting January 1, 2027, and districts must offer these properties to public charter schools for purchase or lease at or below fair market value. Public charter schools gain a if a district offers such property to another party, and districts must engage in good-faith negotiations when a charter school initiates an offer.
County school districts face new reporting mandates and obligations to make vacant or underutilized facilities available to charter schools, while charter schools gain prioritized access to purchase or lease public buildings at or below market rates.
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.
county school districts
County school districts must report unused and underutilized properties, offer them to charter schools at or below fair market value, include rights of first refusal in third-party contracts, and participate in negotiations.
public charter schools
Public charter schools gain access to lists of unused and underutilized public school properties, rights of first refusal, and mechanisms to negotiate purchases or leases at or below fair market value.
department of education
The department must establish and maintain a list of unused and underutilized facilities on its website, notify charter schools of contracts, and engage independent mediators when negotiations fail.
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
When do county superintendents have to start reporting unused school properties?
What happens if a county school district wants to sell an unused school building to a third party?
Who is responsible for maintenance and utilities during a charter school's lease of a public facility?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
4 actions- Jan 26, 2026HouseCommitteeTo House Education
- Jan 26, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced in House
- Jan 26, 2026HouseCommitteeTo Education then Finance
- Jan 26, 2026HouseIntroducedFiled 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
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy55Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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