(a) The Legislature recognizes its constitutional responsibility to provide for a thorough and efficient system of education. To carry out this responsibility the Legislature enacted, and continues to update, as necessary, the public school support program as set forth in §18-9A-1, et seq. of this code. The public school support program is a non-discriminatory funding mechanism for financing the educational system in this state as it takes into account each county"s specific characteristics, and ensures that all counties are provided equitable funding.

(b) The Legislature further finds that the purpose of the public school support program is not to deter counties from growing economically or from using county resources in a manner that best meets their specific educational needs and the desires of their citizens. To that end, counties must have the discretion and flexibility to use local county funds, not otherwise factored into the public school support program, to provide the best education possible to their students, including, but not limited to, providing salary supplements to teachers.

(c) Subject to available state appropriations and the conditions set forth herein, each teacher and school service personnel shall receive a supplement amount as specified in §18-4-2 and §18A-4-8a of this code, respectively, of this article in addition to the amount from the state minimum salary schedules provided in those sections. State funds for this purpose shall be paid within the West Virginia public school support plan in accordance with §18-9A-1 et seq. of this code. The amount allocated for this supplement shall be apportioned between teachers and school service personnel in direct proportion to that amount necessary to support the professional salaries and service personnel salaries statewide under §18-9A-4, §18-9A-5, and §18-9A-8 of this code.

(d) Pursuant to this section, each teacher and service person shall receive from state funds the supplement amount indicated in §18A-4-2(f) and §18A-4-8a(f) of this code, as applicable, reduced by any amount provided by the county as a salary supplement for teachers and school service personnel on January 1, 1984.

(e) The amount received pursuant to this section shall not be decreased as a result of any county supplement increase instituted after January 1, 1984: Provided, That any amount received pursuant to this section may be reduced proportionately based upon the amount of funds appropriated for this purpose. No county may reduce any salary supplement that was in effect on January 1, 1984, except as permitted by §18-4-5a and §18-4-5b of this code.

(f) The amendments to this section during the 2019 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature shall be effective for school years beginning on or after July 1, 2019, and the provisions of this section existing immediately prior to the 2019 First Extraordinary Session of the Legislature remain in effect for school years beginning prior to July 1, 2019.