WEST virginia legislature

2023 regular session

Committee Substitute

for

House Bill 3113

By Delegates Martin, Clark, Ferrell, Phillips, Hardy, Toney, Ellington, Barnhart, Tully, Mazzocchi and Howell

[Introduced in the Committee on Education; January 27, 2023]

A BILL to amend and reenact §18-2-7c of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to requiring additional class options for the delivery of a program of instruction on personal finance for students in secondary schools and requiring every student to complete a course prior to high school graduation.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 2. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

§18-2-7c. Program in personal finance.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that persons with an understanding of personal finance are better prepared to manage their money and that providing a personal finance program in secondary schools in West Virginia will prepare students to handle their finances.

(b) To provide students a basic understanding of personal finance, the state board shall develop a program of instruction on personal finance which may be integrated into the curriculum of an appropriate existing course or courses for students in secondary schools.

(c) Beginning with the 2023 - 2024 school year, each county board shall provide additional class options for the delivery of a program of instruction on personal finance for students in secondary schools. The additional class options shall be an elective course in personal finance for one credit (two semesters) or one-half credit (one semester) and shall include an end-of-course examination included in the final grade. In addition, the Department of Education shall include a course in personal finance for secondary students as an option through the West Virginia Virtual School. The State Board of Education shall develop the curriculum for this coursework before July 1, 2023.

(d) Every student shall complete a course in personal finance prior to high school graduation.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require each high school student to complete a program of instruction in personal finance prior to high school graduation and to require additional program delivery options.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.