W.V.: Enrollment down, more SPED; greater awareness, better diagnosing

Jan 23, 2026, West Virginia Watch: As number of WV special education students increases, some school districts are going into debt

https://westvirginiawatch.com/2026/01/23/as-number-of-wv-special-education-students-increases-some-schools-districts-are-going-into-debt/

West Virginia has seen an increase in special education students, and in some counties, those students now account for a quarter of enrollment.

Required services for special education students — like one-on-one aids and nurses — have impacted schools’ budgets. Federal and state education laws mandate services be provided to special education students.  

Jackson County Schools Superintendent William Hosaflook said his county has a roughly $2.8 million deficit in order to educate around 600 special education students in his district.  

“What we have to do is look at other areas. It could be our (Career and Technical Education)  courses, it could be our (agriculture) programs, it could be our band programs, but somehow we have to reduce that to make sure that we can meet our budgetary goals,” he said. 

As lawmakers contemplate a change to West Virginia’s complicated school funding formula, state schools Superintendent Michele Blatt asked lawmakers to prioritize giving counties more resources for special education students. 

“We believe that our state’s growing number of special education students that are being served in our public schools is the area where we are really falling behind,” she told members of the House Committee on Finance Thursday. “We are probably getting about half of what it costs to educate those students.”

The school aid formula is a seven-step formula that determines how much state funding goes to county school systems based on factors including the number of students enrolled in the county public school system.

While services for special education students can cost anywhere from 50% to 420% more than general education, West Virginia’s current school funding formula offers resources for only “high acuity” special cases. . . .

Number of special education students increasing

The number of special education students has grown nationwide due to improved identification and a better understanding of common conditions such as autism spectrum disorder and ADHD,  education experts say. 

In West Virginia, educators have linked special education needs to the state’s substance abuse crisis. Fetal drug exposure is tied to a higher likelihood of mental disorders, adverse behavior problems and needing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

The RAND Corporation, which presented its analysis of West Virginia’s school funding formula to lawmakers last week, recommended that the state adjust its funding formula to increase funding for special education students. 

“Districts need more resources to adequately serve students from low-income families, students with disabilities and English learners,” RAND Corporation researcher Brian Phillips told lawmakers. “These students require additional support, specialized staff and services if they’re going to have an equal opportunity to succeed.”

Ahead of the legislative session, Senate and House leadership told reporters that they expected lawmakers to focus on changing the state school aid formula.

Public school officials have said that the current school aid formula isn’t working due to West Virginia’s declining student population, the rising number of special education students and other factors. Decreases in enrollment over decades — along with waning federal pandemic funds — have caused county school systems to consolidate and lay off teachers. . . .