FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: January 20, 2026
Time Requested: 03:04 PM |
| Agency: |
Education, WV Department of |
|---|
| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 2320 |
Introduced |
HB4573 |
|
|---|
| CBD Subject: |
Education (K12) |
|---|
|
FUND(S):
0313
Sources of Revenue:
General Fund N/A
Legislation creates:
Increases Existing Expenses
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
This bill adds §18-5-55 to the West Virginia Code to support foster youth as they transition out of high school. It requires the West Virginia Department of Education to provide guidance and training to school counselors and graduation coaches on post-secondary education, workforce training, housing, and independent-living resources for students with current or prior foster care experience. County boards of education must ensure that eligible students receive this information before graduation. The Department of Education will also develop and maintain a Foster Youth Resource Guide. The bill explicitly protects students’ privacy by not requiring disclosure of foster care status.
This legislation, in its current form, is unlikely to significantly affect state revenues; however, it may have a fiscal impact on the West Virginia Department of Education relating to developing and maintaining the Foster Youth Resource Guide and providing guidance or training to school counselors and graduation coaches. Any expenses would likely be limited to training delivery, printing, and online resource maintenance.
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 |
250,900 |
250,900 |
250,900 |
| Personal Services |
250,900 |
250,900 |
250,900 |
| Current Expenses |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Repairs and Alterations |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Assets |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2. Estimated Total Revenues |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
The bill is not expected to generate any revenue for the state; however, it may have fiscal impact on the West Virginia Department of Education, primarily related to developing and maintaining the Foster Youth Resource Guide and providing guidance or training to school counselors and graduation coaches. Costs could be incurred if training is delivered in-person, while virtual training may reduce expenses. For example, providing a one-day training for approximately 1,300 school counselors could cost around $250,900, based on substitute coverage including benefits. Printing costs for the resource manual are expected to be minimal but may vary by district depending on the number of foster care students who require a copy, with some printing at the state level as well. Additionally, a process will need to be established to ensure that local school districts have access to all students in the foster care system, as this information has historically been difficult to obtain and may be out of date. Start-up costs may be higher in the first year if materials or digital platforms are needed, but ongoing expenditures are expected to be minimal.
Memorandum
The bill contains some vagueness and technical issues, including undefined terms such as the scope and format of the Foster Youth Resource Guide, the frequency and method of training for counselors, and the criteria for determining which students are “eligible.” While these ambiguities could affect implementation, the measure is not expected to have a significant fiscal impact because it primarily involves information dissemination and training that can be managed with existing WVDE staff and resources, requires no new positions, and does not mandate disclosure of foster care status. Costs may vary depending on whether training is delivered in-person or virtually, across counties depending on local infrastructure, and based on printing needs, since the number of foster care students varies by district, and each student may require a copy of the manual. For example, providing a one-day in-person training for approximately 1,300 school counselors could cost around $250,900, based on substitute coverage including benefits. Costs would increase proportionally if training extends beyond one day. Start-up costs may be higher in the first year if materials or digital platforms are needed, but overall expenditures are expected to be minimal.
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Tina Payne
Email Address: tina.a.payne@k12.wv.us