Senate 68

WEST virginia legislature

2026 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 689

By Senator Grady

[Introduced January 30, 2026; referred
to the Committee on Education]

A BILL to amend and reenact §18-2-25e of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to reducing the grade levels in which a student is allowed to transfer schools at least one time without losing academic eligibility to grades nine and 10.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 2. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

§18-2-25e. Athletic eligibility of transfer students.

(a) The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission shall modify its rule, prior to the 2023-2024 2026-2027 school year, to allow students to transfer schools and retain athletic eligibility at least one time during a student's four first two years of secondary school, inclusive of grades nine through 12 and 10. The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission may promulgate an emergency rule, if necessary, to modify its rule prior to the 2023-2024 2026-2027 school year.

(b) Nothing in this section is intended to limit or restrict a student transferring more than one time for the following reasons:

(1) The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission's ability to make eligibility determinations on a case-by-case basis when warranted by a student's circumstances in accordance with the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission's rules; or

(2) For any other reason permitted under the rules of the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to reduce the grade levels in which a student is allowed to transfer schools at least one time without losing academic eligibility to grades nine and 10.

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