House 4944

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2026 REGULAR SESSION

House Bill 4944

By Delegates Pritt and Brooks

[Introduced January 29, 2026; referred to the Committee on Education then Finance]

A BILL to amend and reenact §18-4-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to establishing maximum salaries of county school superintendents for each of the 55 counties, based on student population of each county.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 4. COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.

§18-4-4. Compensation.

On or before June 1 of the year in which the superintendent is appointed, the board shall fix the annual salary of the superintendent for the period of appointment for the term beginning on the following July 1. The board shall pay the salary from the general current expense fund of the district.

Beginning July 1, 2027, the salaries of all county superintendents of schools shall be based on the student population of the county in which he or she serves.  The Department of Education shall develop and establish a formula and schedule to set the maximum salary for the superintendents of each of the 55 counties based on the student population of each county. The salaries shall be prorated in relation to each other to provide equitable maximum salaries so that maximum salaries shall increase proportionately based on the student population and the maximum salary shall be the same per pupil in each county. The schedule shall be revised not less than every five years.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to establish maximum salaries of county school superintendents for each of the 55 counties, based on student population of each county.

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