HB 4693 — To declassify Community and Technical Education (“CTE”) teaching positions to allow for counties to provide additional funding for certain positions.

CS for HB 4693 WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION IntroducedCommittee Substitute for House Bill 4693 By Delegates Willis, Dean, Eldridge, Hornby, Hanshaw (Mr.

Speaker) Ellington, Hite, Hott, Toney, and Stephens [Introduced Januaryin 21,the Committee on Education on February ,18 2026;

referredthen to the Committee on EducationFinance] thenCS Financefor Intr.HB 4693 A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by amending §18A-4-5a of the code, relating to allowing county boards to declassify career technical education instructors to provide additional compensation to those instructors if it determines that it has a critical need and shortage.

HB 2026R1662 A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §18B-3C-17, relating to the declassification of community and technical college instructors, as well as certain high school instructors;

allowing counties to provide additional funding to instructors in areas of critical need;

and continuing state funding.

ARTICLE 3C.4.

COMMUNITYSALARIES, WAGES AND TECHNICALOTHER COLLEGEBENEFITS. SYSTEM.

§18B-3C-17.§18A-4-5a.

DeclassificationCounty ofsalary communitysupplements andfor technicalteachers. college and certain high school positions;

position(a) specificCounty countyboards fundingof permitted.education in fixing the salaries of teachers shall use at least the state minimum salaries established under the provisions of this article.

(a)The Legislativeboard intent.may establish salary schedules which shall be in excess of the state minimums fixed by this article, such county schedules to be uniform throughout the county as to the classification of training, experience, responsibility and other requirements subject to the following:

–(1) TheCounties Legislaturemay findsfix thathigher currently,salaries allfor communityteachers andplaced technicalin collegespecial ("CTE")instructional positionsassignments, arefor classifiedthose together,assigned regardlessto ofor specialtyemployed orfor position.duties other than regular instructional duties, and for teachers of one-teacher schools;

Additionally,(2) certainCounties trades-basedmay highprovide schooladditional educatorscompensation teachingfor CTEany coursesteacher assigned duties in addition to the teacher’s regular instructional duties wherein such noninstructional duties are alsonot classifieda together.part of the scheduled hours of the regular school day;

Because(3) ofCounties this,may ifprovide countiesadditional wantcompensation for teachers who are assigned and fully certified to provideteach morein fundinga forsubject positions,area in which the fundingcounty isboard distributedfinds toit allhas classifieda positions.critical need and shortage of fully certified teachers;

By(4) declassifyingCounties communitymay andprovide technicaladditional collegecompensation teachingor positions,other asfinancial wellassistance asto similarlyteachers situatedwho trades-basedteach highin schoolschools educatorthat positions,are certainin areasremote ofgeographical criticallocations needor mayhave beexperienced filledhigh byrates countyof funding.turnover in experienced teachers;

Forand that(5) reason,Counties may provide additional compensation to teachers who, in addition to regularly assigned teaching duties, are assigned as a master teacher, mentor, academic coach, or other title 1 CS for HB 4693 whose duties include providing strong school-based support and supervision to assist licensure candidates in a clinical internship, beginning teachers, and other teachers at the Legislatureschool findsto thatimprove declassificationtheir professional practice as set forth in the county’s comprehensive system of thesesupport positionsfor isteacher necessary.and leader induction and professional growth provided for in section §18A-3C-3 of this code.;

(b)and Declassification(6) Counties may declassify career technical education instructors for the purpose of positions.increasing compensation if the county board finds that it has a critical need and shortage of certified career technical education instructors in a particular area of expertise.

–(b) ForIn purposesestablishing such local salary schedules authorized in subsection (a) of this section, a county funding,may communitynot reduce local funds allocated for salaries in effect on January 1, 1990, and technicalused collegein instructorsupplementing positionsthe arestate declassified.minimum salaries as provided for in this article, unless forced to do so by defeat of a special levy, or a loss in assessed values or events over which it has no control and for which the county board has received approval from the state board prior to making such reduction.

(1)(c) ACounties county may provideprovide, additionalin fundinga touniform amanner, communitybenefits for teachers which require an appropriation from local funds including, but not limited to, dental, optical, health and technicalincome collegeprotection instructor,insurance, regardlessvacation oftime anyand priorretirement classification,plans forexcluding anthe areaState ofTeachers need.Retirement System.

(2)Nothing Theherein stateshall portionprohibit the maintenance nor result in the reduction of fundingany alreadybenefits providedin foreffect communityon andJanuary technical1, college1984, positionsby shallany continuecounty toboard beof provided.education.

(3) Trades-based high school instructors teaching CTE courses are also declassified, and subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall also apply to these instructors.

NOTE:

The purpose of this bill is to provide for the declassification of community and technical college positions, as well as trades-based high school instructors providing CTE Intr HB 2026R1662 instruction.

The bill permits counties to provide additional funding to these positions, regardless of classification.

Finally, the bill continues state funding for these positions.

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