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SB489 • 2026
Creating High School Educator Flexibility Act
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
Creating High School Educator Flexibility Act
To Education
Introduced in Senate
To Education then Finance
Filed for introduction
Creating High School Educator Flexibility Act
SB 489 Text skip navigation SENATE PRESIDENT SENATORS COMMITTEES VIDEO/AUDIO DISTRICT MAPS SENATE CLERK SENATE RULES HOUSE SPEAKER DELEGATES COMMITTEES VIDEO/AUDIO DISTRICT MAPS HOUSE CLERK HOUSE RULES HOUSE STAFF JOINT INTERIM COMMITTEES LEGISLATIVE ADMINISTRATOR LEGISLATIVE SERVICES DIVISION PUBLIC INFORMATION LEGISLATIVE AUTOMATED SYSTEMS DIVISION LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR'S OFFICE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION & RESEARCH DIVISION POST AUDIT DIVISION BUDGET DIVISION REGULATORY AND FISCAL AFFAIRS DIVISION CLAIMS COMMISSION CRIME VICTIMS RULE-MAKING REVIEW SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS JUDICIAL COMP. COMMISSION JOINT RULES STAFF INFO BILL STATUS BILL STATUS BILL TRACKING STATE LAW WEST VIRGINIA CODE ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE CODE OF 1931 WV CONSTITUTION US CONSTITUTION REPORTS AGENCY REPORTS AGENCY GRANT AWARDS PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS POST AUDITS EDUCATIONAL CITIZEN’S GUIDE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PAGE PROGRAM PUBLICATIONS PHOTO GALLERY CAPITOL HISTORY HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW CONTACT SENATE ROSTER HOUSE ROSTER PUBLIC INFO. NEWS RELEASES HELPFUL LINKS Introduced Version Senate Bill 489 History | Email Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE 2026 REGULAR SESSION FISCAL NOTE Introduced Senate Bill 489 By Senator Rucker [Introduced January 19, 2026; referred to the Committee on Education; and then to the Committee on Finance] A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new article, designated §18-2L-1, §18-2L-2, and §18-2L-3, relating to course-specific teaching; providing a short title; providing definitions; and establishing course-specific teaching permits. Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia: ARTICLE 2L. High School Educator FlexIbility Act of 2026. §18-2L-1. Short title. This article shall be known as "The High School Educator Flexibility Act." §18-2L-2. Definitions. For the purposes of this article: (1) "Approved professional learning" means a professional learning experience facilitated by an approved provider that satisfies all the following conditions: (A) The professional learning consists of no fewer than 30 clock hours of course-specific content and pedagogy instruction offered in one training or in sequenced modules completed within a single year; (B) Professional learning sessions are anchored to the provider’s course framework; (C) Professional learning sessions are facilitated by an individual the provider has formally vetted and then endorsed after completing the provider’s own faculty-development program and maintaining currency with the latest framework version; and (D) At the conclusion of professional learning, participants receive a dated certificate verifying the course title, hours earned, and the approved provider’s name; districts shall accept that certificate as proof of compliance, verifying the course title, hours earned, and the approved provider's name. (2) "Approved provider" means a U.S.-based, non-profit educational organization that publishes the curriculum framework for each high-quality course and requires each school offering the course to secure course authorization. (3) “Eligible educator” means a currently certified educator, including: (A) Teachers certified through alternative pathways; (B) Individuals holding a state-issued conditional teaching license who possess a bachelor’s or associate degree relevant to the high-quality course; or (C) Individuals who hold valid professional educator certificates but do not possess an endorsement for a specific subject area. (4) "High-quality course" means a high school course that: (A) Is designed and maintained in partnership with: (i) Accredited postsecondary institutions; (ii) Postsecondary institutions that are actively pursuing accreditation and have been verified for quality by the state board of education/state department of education; or (iii) Industry representatives. §18-2L-3 Establishment of course-specific teaching permit. (a) The Board of Education or West Virginia Commission for Professional Teaching Standards shall establish a course-specific teaching permit for eligible educators that: (1) Authorizes eligible educators to teach a high-quality course outside their formally endorsed certification area; (2) Is permanently issued to the educator upon completion of approved professional learning directly linked to the specific high-quality course content; and (3) Once earned by an educator, enables them to immediately begin classroom instruction. (b) Public school districts shall have the authority and flexibility to assign educators holding course-specific teaching permits to classrooms requiring such specialized instructional capacity. (c) The Board of Education shall maintain, and update on an annual basis, a list of: (1) Approved high-quality courses eligible for staffing through course-specific teaching permits; (2) Approved providers who facilitate approved professional learning experiences; and (3) Approved professional learning experiences. NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create a course-specific teaching permit system allowing certified educators to teach high-quality academic or career-technical courses outside their formal endorsement areas once they complete approved professional learning tied to that course. Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added. 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