FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: February 02, 2026
Time Requested: 01:59 PM |
| Agency: |
Education, WV Department of |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 3526 |
Introduced |
HB5045 |
|
|---|
| CBD Subject: |
|
|---|
|
FUND(S):
N/A
Sources of Revenue:
Other Fund County Boards of Education
Legislation creates:
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
This proposed legislation changes the recommended guidelines for full-day and half-day cooks to the minimum ratio of one cook for every 110 meals. In its current form, this legislation does not have any fiscal impact on the State because the allowances under the Public School Support Plan (PSSP) are not being increased. Consequently, the total estimated cost would have to be borne by the county boards of education. The estimated cost to the county boards of education for the proposed legislation is $13,261,214.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2026
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2027
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
13,261,214 |
13,261,214 |
| Personal Services |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Current Expenses |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Repairs and Alterations |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Assets |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Other |
0 |
13,261,214 |
13,261,214 |
| 2. Estimated Total Revenues |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
Utilizing data regarding the average cook hours per workday and data provided by the West Virginia Department of Education’s Office of Child Nutrition regarding the number of equivalent meals served statewide during the 2024-25 school year, county boards of education would be required to employ 2,188.68 FTE of cooks statewide to comply with the average of 14.67 Meals Per Cook Hour requirement.
After comparison of the number of cooks currently employed by the county against the number required by the county, an additional 277.51 FTE of cooks would need to be hired statewide to be in full compliance for the 2027-28 school year. This number is subject to change with updated staffing levels provided each school year.
The estimated cost for the additional 277.51 positions is $13,261,214. This estimate includes the cost of salaries and fringe benefits (fixed charges, retirement, and PEIA) and is subject to change based on the delay of implementation and the most current data being for FY25. The full cost of the additional required cook positions would be borne by the county boards of education since the service personnel allowances under the Public School Support Plan are not being increased.
Memorandum
This data includes school meals served through the National School Lunch Program only. WV schools served an additional 1.5M after school snack and supper meals through the Child and Adult Care Food Program during SY2025. Site-level data is not currently available for those meals, so they could not be properly included at this time.
Also, this data does not include adult meals served for SY2025. Site-level data for adult meals is not available at this time.
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Tina Payne
Email Address: tina.a.payne@k12.wv.us