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HB 5478

Establish a statewide pilot program to improve kindergarten readiness.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Vernon Criss and 8 co-sponsors

WVDE pilots offline touchpad kits for 3–4 year olds to boost kindergarten readiness, with targeted outreach, family support, evaluation, and privacy safeguards.

To House Finance
#education(k12)
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Bill Summary · HB 5478

Summary of Bill HB 5478 (2026) – West Virginia

Title

Kindergarten Readiness Touchpad Pilot Program

Purpose and Intent

  • Establish a statewide pilot program to improve kindergarten readiness by providing preloaded early-learning touchpads to eligible preschool-aged children.
  • Evaluate the program’s impact on kindergarten readiness indicators and inform potential scaling.

Key Provisions and Changes

Creation and Scope

  • Creates the “Kindergarten Readiness Touchpad Pilot Program” within the West Virginia Code.
  • The program is a pilot, not a permanent statewide mandate at this stage.

Definitions

  • Touchpad: A durable, child-friendly learning device preloaded with early learning apps, designed to function without internet access.
  • Eligible child: A child who is 3–4 years old (or rising kindergartener) residing in West Virginia, who meets at least one eligibility criterion:
    • Family income at or below the federal poverty level; or
    • Enrollment in/eligibility for Head Start, Early Head Start, WV Pre-K, WIC, SNAP, Medicaid, or foster/kinship care; or
    • Other risk factors identified by the WV Department of Education (WVDE) via legislative rule.

Administration and Partnerships

  • WVDE will establish and administer the program.
  • WVDE may coordinate with:
    • Department of Human Services
    • Department of Health
    • County boards of education
    • WV Pre-K programs, Head Start agencies, pediatric/ family health clinics, libraries, and other community partners

Site Selection and Targeting

  • Participating counties/regions will be selected based on:
    • Kindergarten readiness indicators
    • Child poverty and economic distress indicators
    • Limited broadband/digital access barriers
    • Partner capacity for enrollment and family engagement

Program Components and Distribution

  • WVDE will procure and distribute touchpad kits during the pilot period.
  • Each touchpad kit must include:
    • The touchpad device preloaded with school-readiness content
    • Child-safe headphones
    • Protective carrying case
    • Simple parent/caregiver guides
  • Family Support: The program will provide ongoing guidance to families, potentially including:
    • Printed/digital tip sheets
    • Short training videos
    • Weekly text-message tips
    • Suggested daily routines
    • Optional caregiver check-ins through partners and digital surveys

Data Privacy and Protections

  • Compliance with applicable state and federal privacy laws (e.g., FERPA where applicable).
  • Minimum privacy standards to be adopted:
    • Limit collection of personally identifiable information
    • Secure data storage and restricted access

Evaluation and Reporting

  • The WVDE shall collect data and evaluate the pilot annually.
  • An independent evaluator (e.g., in-state higher education institution) may be contracted.
  • Reporting to Legislative Oversight on Education Accountability.
  • Evaluation metrics may include:
    • Distribution counts and demographic reach
    • Caregiver engagement measures
    • Pre/post measures of school readiness skills using state-selected tools
    • Kindergarten entry indicators available to WVDE
    • Cost per child and recommendations for scaling

Funding and Financial Administration

  • Establishes a Special Revenue Account: “Kindergarten Readiness Touchpad Pilot Program Fund”
    • Funds consist of legislative appropriations, investment income, and other eligible sums from public or private sources
    • Expenditures are limited to purposes in the bill and governed by state accounting rules
  • Moneys in the fund must be appropriated to the WVDE to cover:
    • Procurement of touchpads and kit components
    • Distribution logistics
    • Family engagement supports
    • Evaluation and reporting
  • No expenditures under this section may be charged to the General Revenue Fund

Target Population and Impact

  • Eligible children are 3–4 years old and residing in WV who meet income, program enrollment, or risk-factor criteria.
  • Aims to reduce disparities in early literacy and numeracy readiness by providing a tangible, offline-ready learning tool to families with limited digital access or resources.

Timeline and Procedural Elements

  • Introduced February 12, 2026; referred to Education and then Finance.
  • The bill’s progress indicates a move toward a funding appropriation and annual evaluation if enacted.
  • Planned annual evaluation culminating in recommendations for scaling.

Governance and Oversight

  • Ongoing oversight through Legislative Oversight on Education Accountability.
  • Potential involvement of multiple state agencies and local educational partners to support implementation and family engagement.

This summary captures the bill’s intent to pilot a tech-enabled, offline-friendly early learning tool distribution program, outlining how it would operate, who it targets, how data and privacy would be handled, and how success would be measured.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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