Bill to remove local control of reductions in force passes Senate Education

By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV

CHARLESTON, WV – On Tuesday morning, the Senate Education Committee unanimously passed SB1048 to remove local control over reductions in force (RIF) in schools, a power currently held by elected county boards of education. Under the bill, the state would have control over the elimination of county jobs.

Committee counsel explained the bill, saying, “The bill transfers the responsibility for making determinations on reductions in force for all county school districts from the county board of those school districts to the state board.”

Currently, county school boards make these personnel decisions each spring. If they must eliminate a position, they follow a matrix of various factors including seniority, certifications, evaluations, and more. Any impacted employees are entitled to a hearing before the county board and are eligible to be given preferred recall status if and when another job becomes available. 

Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, asked counsel if the bill was written in response to recent county school system takeovers and fiscal mismanagement, specifically in Hancock County? 

He responded, “Yes,” saying that supporters of the bill indicated they would like to “take the politics out” of the RIF decisions since the county board members know the involved parties. 

Garcia followed up, asking, “If there’s a difference of opinion between the local board and the state board, it sounds like there’s a process where a plan is sent from county to state? Or how does that work?” 

“Actually it’s the WV Department of Education (WVDE) that meets with the county superintendent to make this determination,” counsel said, explaining a county would present a RIF plan to the WVDE, and they would submit it to the state board if they approved of it. If they did not, counsel said, they can submit an alternative plan. 

“Where does it end?” Garcia asked, wondering what happens if there’s no agreement between the county, WVDE, and state board. 

Counsel said the bill doesn’t address that issue. 

Sen. Charles Clements, R-Wetzel, asked counsel, “Instead of saying, ‘You need to cut 10 positions’, this bill says, ‘You’re gonna cut this position and that one’?”  

Counsel affirmed that would be the effect of the bill. 

Sen. Amy Grady, R-Mason, is a public school teacher, the sponsor of the bill, and the chair of the committee. 

Grady asked if there were amendments or discussion, and no senators spoke. She then called for the vote, and it passed unanimously on a voice vote. 

SB1048 now heads to the Senate Finance Committee for further consideration.