HB 2014, Governor Morrisey’s “Certified Microgrid Program” legislation, remains under consideration by the West Virginia Legislature. The bill would take local control from counties and municipalities to enforce their own ordinances while diverting millions in property tax dollars generated from High Imact Data Centers. Instead of staying in the community to fund schools, public safety, and other local public…
Budget Beat
Recent proposals from the Trump Administration and Congress aim to cut federal education funding and dismantle the United States Department of Education, contributing to the rising trend of disinvestment from public education. Federal funds support critical programs in West Virginia like Title I, which serves low-income children, Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) funding to serve children with…
The WVCBP is excited to welcome Sarah Duncan to the team as our public education campaign coordinator! Sarah is a lifelong West Virginian who holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of New Mexico and a Master of Arts in Education from Marshall University. Sarah has taught for over 10 years in the West…
We are currently in a mental health crisis both nationally and in West Virginia. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, youth across the country were experiencing mental health challenges, but during the pandemic there were steep increases in the number of youth experiencing anxiety and depression. The pandemic led to new stressors for youth, including school closures,…
West Virginia’s new governor, Patrick Morrisey, has called for a “backyard brawl” with our neighboring states to ensure West Virginia has the most competitive possible environment to attract people to our state. Up to this point, that has centered almost exclusively on cutting taxes and deregulation as a means of attracting people and businesses. While…
Overview According to the state constitution, West Virginians are guaranteed “a thorough and efficient system of free schools” provided by the Legislature. However, the ability of our state to fulfill this guarantee for the nearly 90 percent of school-aged children in West Virginia who attend public schools is currently threatened by a variety of challenges.…
Overview Federal policymakers are reportedly considering enacting work reporting requirements for Medicaid in the new Congress. Similar state-level policy led to disastrous consequences in Arkansas in 2018-19 until a federal judge blocked the program. Enacting an Arkansas-style work reporting requirement at the federal level would result in West Virginia’s health care system losing an estimated…
The West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy (WVCBP) is excited to announce the release of the 2024 KIDS COUNT® Data Book for West Virginia. KIDS COUNT in West Virginia is a joint effort by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the WVCBP which provides an annual snapshot of the well-being of West Virginia children statewide and on a…
If we want to understand what is happening in West Virginia jails and prisons, we must listen to the people inside them. The Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) has taken a step in that direction. On Monday, the agency released a new policy that allows people behind bars to submit their grievances electronically. A grievance is a formal, written…
The WVCBP is seeking a campaign coordinator who executes an outreach and engagement plan that protects and increases support for public education by building community support, disseminating research, creating an active coalition, and garnering earned media about investing in public schools in West Virginia so that all children can thrive and feel supported. The campaign coordinator will:…