Governor Patrick Morrisey held a ceremonial law for the Senate Bill 765 in the Hedgesville Middle School in Hedgesville, W.VA on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (West Virginia Office by Governor Patrick Morrisey | Courtesy Photo), held, which sets up a program for introducing troops to teachers.
Governor Patrick Morrisey has advertised the state’s fresh “Troops” program with which veterans are to be put into classrooms while the state has to deal with a shortage of teachers.
The governor called the program a “healthy human mind solution”.
“Let’s really get a smart, talented people into the classroom as soon as possible,” said Morrisey. “Veterans will help navigate through the certification process and will enable them to get into the classroom faster. It will reduce part of the bureaucracy. “
He announced the program on Wednesday at the Hedgesville Middle School in the eastern Panhandle of the state.
“Veterans have certainly demonstrated their value for our state and our country,” said Morrisey before signing the measure sponsored by the Republican. Senate Bill 765in the law that the state program created.
The program of the troops to teachers helps veterans Get class experience while fulfilling the necessary requirements to be employed as a K-12 teacher.
The participants must have a bachelor’s degree and pass the capabilities and specialist exams of the state in the area for which license is sought. The superintendent of state schools will issue apprenticeships to the participants.
Del. Bill Riderour, who retired from the US Marine Corps, supported the legislation for years after his own experience after his military service. He had hoped to be a teacher, but could not finance his training.
“West Virginia has one of the larger experienced population groups in the country. We do not take advantage of this resource,” said Rideour, R-Jefferson.
He has been working on the farewell on legislation this year for several years. The Delegate House And senate The invoice unanimously passed at the beginning of this year.
“I am very, very proud that we will do that for our children,” said Riden tour.
Bill sponsor Sen. Tom Willis, R-Jefferson, is one West Virginia National Guard Green Beret. “Veterans are uniquely suitable for bringing these properties to our classrooms – to lead the next generation, inspire and shape,” he said.
Low teacher -Payment, Peia problems remain
West Virginia has the lowest teacher wage in the nation, which contributed to the lack of teachers, especially in border districts.
Morrisey said that he would like to see a salary enhance for teachers, but has not proposed legislation to achieve it. This year a Republican Senator proposed an invoice That would have implemented the location for teachers; The teachers in half of the state districts had seen an enhance based on the middle home value of their region. The draft law did not get up in the Senate, and this year’s legislative period ended without measures against teacher payment.
The state’s public employee insurance agency that offers school employees. will see premium increases In July of 14% for national workers and 16% for the local government employees as well as on payment increases.
Union leaders who represent the public workers in West Virginia have called the legislator To stabilize the increasing costs of health insurance for state employees.
In April Morrisey said he would do it Call a special legislative period However, so that the legislator indicates the increasing costs of the program, no further details were published before the price enhance in July.
This spring, the governor signed several other educational -oriented legislative templates, including an vital measure that strengthens the ability of primary school teachers to remove disruptive and violent students. Other bills mandate These counties prohibit cell phones During the lesson in the classroom and these schools Show a framed poster From “in God, we trust.”
The public schools in West Virginia continue to have some of the country in the country Lowest academic results During the service, many children in poverty, grew up by grandparents and in the state Care system.
“I am obliged to improve our education system,” said Morrisey.
They enable our work.
