West Virginia lawmakers concluded their December interim meetings at the Capitol in Charleston, focusing on the issue of growing instances of violent behavior among students towards their peers and school staff. The Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability received an annual report from the state Department of Education on harassment, intimidation, and bullying student behaviors during the 2023-24 school year. Of the 170,721 discipline referrals, 2% were for incidents of bullying. Most incidents occurred at the middle school level, with 38% involving seventh- and eighth-graders.
Teachers and school principals testified about violent student behavior during the meetings, emphasizing the need for interventions and resources to address these issues. Lawmakers passed a bill in 2023 allowing teachers in grades six through 12 to exclude disruptive students from the classroom for the remainder of the day. Suggestions were made to expand funding for alternative education centers and hire more support staff to help troubled students. Lawmakers are considering utilizing funds from the West Virginia First Foundation to address these issues.
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