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Engrossed Version Senate Bill 1013 History

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ENGROSSED

Senate Bill No. 1013

(By Senator Tomblin (Mr. President))

(By Request of the Executive)

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[Introduced May 13, 2010;

referred to the Committee on Education.]

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A BILL to amend and reenact §18-5A-5 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; to amend and reenact §18A-2-1 of said code; and to amend and reenact §18A-4-7a of said code, all relating to hiring professional school personnel; revising criteria when hiring a professional personnel; requiring the consideration of criteria according to equal weighting in certain circumstances; providing for hiring committees to interview certain candidates and make a hiring recommendation to the county superintendent; requiring the county superintendent to communicate the recommendation to the county board; and providing for hiring committee membership.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
    That §18-5A-5 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted; that §18A-2-1 of said code be amended and reenacted; and that §18A-4-7a of said code be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
CHAPTER 18. EDUCATION.

ARTICLE 5A. LOCAL SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT.
§18-5A-5. Public school faculty senates established; election of officers; powers and duties.

  (a) There is established at every public school in this state a faculty senate which is comprised of all permanent, full-time professional educators employed at the school who shall all be voting members. Professional educators, as used in this section, means professional educators as defined in chapter eighteen-a of this code. A quorum of more than one half of the voting members of the faculty shall be present at any meeting of the faculty senate at which official business is conducted. Prior to the beginning of the instructional term each year, but within the employment term, the principal shall convene a meeting of the faculty senate to elect a chair, vice chair and secretary and discuss matters relevant to the beginning of the school year. The vice chair shall preside at meetings when the chair is absent. Meetings of the faculty senate shall be held during the times provided in accordance with subdivision (12), subsection (b) of this section as determined by the faculty senate. Emergency meetings may be held during noninstructional time at the call of the chair or a majority of the voting members by petition submitted to the chair and vice chair. An agenda of matters to be considered at a scheduled meeting of the faculty senate shall be available to the members at least two employment days prior to the meeting. For emergency meetings the agenda shall be available as soon as possible prior to the meeting. The chair of the faculty senate may appoint such committees as may be desirable to study and submit recommendations to the full faculty senate, but the acts of the faculty senate shall be voted upon by the full body.
  (b) In addition to any other powers and duties conferred by law, or authorized by policies adopted by the state or county board of education or bylaws which may be adopted by the faculty senate not inconsistent with law, the powers and duties listed in this subsection are specifically reserved for the faculty senate. The intent of these provisions is neither to restrict nor to require the activities of every faculty senate to the enumerated items except as otherwise stated. Each faculty senate shall organize its activities as it deems most effective and efficient based on school size, departmental structure and other relevant factors.
  (1) Each faculty senate shall control funds allocated to the school from legislative appropriations pursuant to section nine, article nine-a of this chapter. From such funds, each classroom teacher and librarian shall be allotted $50 for expenditure during the instructional year for academic materials, supplies or equipment which, in the judgment of the teacher or librarian, will assist him or her in providing instruction in his or her assigned academic subjects or shall be returned to the faculty senate: Provided, That nothing contained herein prohibits the funds from being used for programs and materials that, in the opinion of the teacher, enhance student behavior, increase academic achievement, improve self-esteem and address the problems of students at-risk. The remainder of funds shall be expended for academic materials, supplies or equipment in accordance with a budget approved by the faculty senate. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law to the contrary, funds not expended in one school year are available for expenditure in the next school year: Provided, however, That the amount of county funds budgeted in a fiscal year may not be reduced throughout the year as a result of the faculty appropriations in the same fiscal year for such materials, supplies and equipment. Accounts shall be maintained of the allocations and expenditures of such funds for the purpose of financial audit. Academic materials, supplies or equipment shall be interpreted broadly, but does not include materials, supplies or equipment which will be used in or connected with interscholastic athletic events.
  (2) (A) A faculty senate may establish a process for faculty members to interview new prospective professional educators and select the faculty senate member of the committee established in subdivision (2), subsection (d), section seven-a, article four, chapter eighteen-a of this code.
__(B) A faculty senate may establish a process for faculty members to interview new
paraprofessional employees at the school and submit recommendations regarding employment to the principal, who may also make independent recommendations, for submission to the county superintendent: Provided, That such process shall be chaired by the school principal and must permit the timely employment of persons to perform necessary duties.
  (3) A faculty senate may nominate teachers for recognition as outstanding teachers under state and local teacher recognition programs and other personnel at the school, including parents, for recognition under other appropriate recognition programs and may establish such programs for operation at the school.
  (4) A faculty senate may submit recommendations to the principal regarding the assignment scheduling of secretaries, clerks, aides and paraprofessionals at the school.
  (5) A faculty senate may submit recommendations to the principal regarding establishment of the master curriculum schedule for the next ensuing school year.
  (6) A faculty senate may establish a process for the review and comment on sabbatical leave requests submitted by employees at the school pursuant to section eleven, article two of this chapter.
  (7) Each faculty senate shall elect three faculty representatives to the local school improvement council established pursuant to section two of this article.
  (8) Each faculty senate may nominate a member for election to the county staff development council pursuant to section eight, article three, chapter eighteen-a of this code.
  (9) Each faculty senate shall have an opportunity to make recommendations on the selection of faculty to serve as mentors for beginning teachers under beginning teacher internship programs at the school.
  (10) A faculty senate may solicit, accept and expend any grants, gifts, bequests, donations and any other funds made available to the faculty senate: Provided, That the faculty senate shall select a member who has the duty of maintaining a record of all funds received and expended by the faculty senate, which record shall be kept in the school office and is subject to normal auditing procedures.
  (11) Any faculty senate may review the evaluation procedure as conducted in their school to ascertain whether the evaluations were conducted in accordance with the written system required pursuant to section twelve, article two, chapter eighteen-a of this code and the general intent of this Legislature regarding meaningful performance evaluations of school personnel. If a majority of members of the faculty senate determine that such evaluations were not so conducted, they shall submit a report in writing to the State Board of Education: Provided, That nothing herein creates any new right of access to or review of any individual's evaluations.
  (12) A local board shall provide to each faculty senate a two-hour block of time for a faculty senate meeting on a day scheduled for the opening of school prior to the beginning of the instructional term, and a two-hour block of time on each instructional support and enhancement day scheduled by the board for instructional activities for students and professional activities for teachers pursuant to section forty-five, article five of this chapter. A faculty senate may meet for an unlimited block of time per month during noninstructional days to discuss and plan strategies to improve student instruction and to conduct other faculty senate business. A faculty senate meeting scheduled on a noninstructional day shall be considered as part of the purpose for which the noninstructional day is scheduled. This time may be utilized and determined at the local school level and includes, but is not limited to, faculty senate meetings.
  (13) Each faculty senate shall develop a strategic plan to manage the integration of special needs students into the regular classroom at their respective schools and submit the strategic plan to the superintendent of the county board of education periodically pursuant to guidelines developed by the State Department of Education. Each faculty senate shall encourage the participation of local school improvement councils, parents and the community at large in developing the strategic plan for each school.
  Each strategic plan developed by the faculty senate shall include at least: (A) A mission statement; (B) goals; (C) needs; (D) objectives and activities to implement plans relating to each goal; (E) work in progress to implement the strategic plan; (F) guidelines for placing additional staff into integrated classrooms to meet the needs of exceptional needs students without diminishing the services rendered to the other students in integrated classrooms; (G) guidelines for implementation of collaborative planning and instruction; and (H) training for all regular classroom teachers who serve students with exceptional needs in integrated classrooms.
CHAPTER 18A. SCHOOL PERSONNEL.

ARTICLE 2. SCHOOL PERSONNEL
.
§18A-2-1. Employment in general.
  The employment of professional personnel shall be made by the board only upon nomination and recommendation of the superintendent: Provided, That the superintendent shall provide the principal at the school at which the professional educator or paraprofessional employee is to be employed an opportunity to interview all committee established in section seven-a, article four of this chapter the opportunity to interview the most qualified applicants and make recommendations to the county superintendent regarding their employment: Provided, however, That nothing shall prohibit the timely employment of persons to perform necessary duties. In case the board refuses to employ any or all of the persons nominated, the superintendent shall nominate others and submit the same to the board at such time as the board may direct. All personnel so nominated and recommended for employment and for subsequent assignment shall meet the certification, licensing, training and other eligibility classifications as may be required by provisions of this chapter and by state board regulation. In addition to any other information required, the application for any certification or licensing shall include the applicant's social security number. Professional personnel employed as deputy, associate or assistant superintendents by the board in offices, departments or divisions at locations other than a school and who are directly answerable to the superintendent shall serve at the will and pleasure of the superintendent and may be removed by the superintendent upon approval of the board. Such professional personnel shall retain seniority rights only in the area or areas in which they hold valid certification or licensure. ARTICLE FOUR. SALARIES, WAGES AND OTHER BENEFITS.
§18A-4-7a. Employment, promotion and transfer of professional personnel; seniority.

          (a) A county board of education shall make decisions affecting the hiring of professional personnel other than classroom teachers on the basis of the applicant with the highest qualifications.
          (b) The county board shall make decisions affecting the hiring of new classroom teachers on the basis of the applicant with the highest qualifications.
          
(c) In judging qualifications for hiring employees pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section, consideration shall be given to each of the following:
          
(1) Appropriate certification, licensure or both;
          
(2) Amount of experience relevant to the position; or, in the case of a classroom teaching position, the amount of teaching experience in the subject area;
          
(3) The amount of course work, degree level or both in the relevant field and degree level generally;
          
(4) Academic achievement;
          
(5) Relevant specialized training;
          
(6) Past performance evaluations conducted pursuant to section twelve, article two of this chapter; and
          
(7) Other measures or indicators upon which the relative qualifications of the applicant may fairly be judged.
          
(d) If one or more permanently employed instructional personnel apply for a classroom teaching position and meet the standards set forth in the job posting, the county board of education shall make a decision affecting the filling of the position on the basis of the following criteria:
          
(1) Appropriate certification, licensure or both;
          
(2) Total amount of teaching experience;
          
(3) The existence of teaching experience in the required certification area;
          
(4) Degree level in the required certification area;
          
(5) Specialized training directly related to the performance of the job as stated in the job description;
          
(6) Receiving an overall rating of satisfactory in the previous two evaluations conducted pursuant to section twelve, article two of this chapter; and
          
(7) Seniority.
          
(e) In filling positions pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, consideration shall be given to each criterion with each criterion being given equal weight. If the applicant with the most seniority is not selected for the position, upon the request of the applicant a written statement of reasons shall be given to the applicant with suggestions for improving the applicant's qualifications.
          
(b) In judging the qualifications for hiring professional personnel, consideration shall be given to each of the following criteria: Provided, That for classroom teachers, the criteria shall be considered according to equal weighting:
__________(1) Amount of experience relevant to the position;
__________(2) The amount of course work and degree level relevant to the position;
__________(3) Past performance evaluations relevant to the position;
__________(4) Academic and professional achievement;
__________(5) Specialized training relevant to the position;
__________(6) Seniority, except in the case of hiring administrators, including a principal, assistant principal or central office administrator, where only seniority based on the length of time a person was employed as an administrator may be considered; and
__________(7) Other measures or indicators upon which the relative qualifications of the applicant may fairly be judged.
__________(c) In the event that no applicant holds the certification required by the job posting, only those applicants who qualify for a full-time permit or for an alternative program certificate in accordance with section one-a, article three of this chapter, or an applicant who is a prospective graduate of a teacher preparation program who will obtain the required certification prior to the commencement of his or her duties, may be considered for employment by a county board of education.  When selecting a candidate who does not hold the certification required by the job posting, the county board of education shall use the criteria listed in subsection (b).
__________(d)(1) A hiring committee shall interview the most qualified candidates based upon the application of the criteria listed in subsection (b). The committee shall make a hiring recommendation to the county superintendent, who shall communicate the recommendation to the county board.
__________(2) To hire a classroom teacher, the hiring committee shall be composed of a member of the school's faculty senate, selected in accordance with section five, article five-a, chapter eighteen of this code, a representative designated by the county superintendent and the school principal or his or her designee, who shall serve as chairperson of the committee.
__________(3) To hire professional personnel who are not classroom teachers and are not will and pleasure personnel as defined in section one, article two of this chapter, the committee shall be composed of at least a principal, a teacher and a representative designated by and on behalf of the county superintendent. The county board shall adopt a policy to determine the selection of committee members and the chairperson of the committee.
__________
(f) (e) With the exception of guidance counselors, the seniority of classroom teachers, as defined in section one, article one of this chapter, shall be determined on the basis of the length of time the employee has been employed as a regular full-time certified and/or licensed professional educator by the county board of education and shall be granted in all areas that the employee is certified, licensed or both.
          (g) (f) Upon completion of one hundred thirty-three days of employment in any one school year, substitute teachers, except retired teachers and other retired professional educators employed as substitutes, shall accrue seniority exclusively for the purpose of applying for employment as a permanent, full-time professional employee. One hundred thirty-three days or more of said employment shall be prorated and shall vest as a fraction of the school year worked by the permanent, full-time teacher.
          (h) (g) Guidance counselors and all other professional employees, as defined in section one, article one of this chapter, except classroom teachers, shall gain seniority in their nonteaching area of professional employment on the basis of the length of time the employee has been employed by the county board of education in that area: Provided, That if an employee is certified as a classroom teacher, the employee accrues classroom teaching seniority for the time that employee is employed in another professional area. For the purposes of accruing seniority under this paragraph, employment as principal, supervisor or central office administrator, as defined in section one, article one of this chapter, shall be considered one area of employment.
          (i) (h) Employment for a full employment term shall equal one year of seniority, but no employee may accrue more than one year of seniority during any given fiscal year. Employment for less than the full employment term shall be prorated. A random selection system established by the employees and approved by the board shall be used to determine the priority if two or more employees accumulate identical seniority: Provided, That when two or more principals have accumulated identical seniority, decisions on reductions in force shall be based on qualifications.
          (j) (i) Whenever a county board is required to reduce the number of professional personnel in its employment, the employee with the least amount of seniority shall be properly notified and released from employment pursuant to the provisions of section two, article two of this chapter. The provisions of this subsection are subject to the following:
          (1) All persons employed in a certification area to be reduced who are employed under a temporary permit shall be properly notified and released before a fully certified employee in such a position is subject to release;
          (2) An employee subject to release shall be employed in any other professional position where the employee is certified and was previously employed or to any lateral area for which the employee is certified, licensed or both, if the employee's seniority is greater than the seniority of any other employee in that area of certification, licensure or both;
          (3) If an employee subject to release holds certification, licensure or both in more than one lateral area and if the employee's seniority is greater than the seniority of any other employee in one or more of those areas of certification, licensure or both, the employee subject to release shall be employed in the professional position held by the employee with the least seniority in any of those areas of certification, licensure or both; and
          (4) If, prior to August 1 of the year a reduction in force is approved, the reason for any particular reduction in force no longer exists as determined by the county board in its sole and exclusive judgment, the board shall rescind the reduction in force or transfer and shall notify the released employee in writing of his or her right to be restored to his or her position of employment. Within five days of being so notified, the released employee shall notify the board, in writing, of his or her intent to resume his or her position of employment or the right to be restored shall terminate. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision, if there is another employee on the preferred recall list with proper certification and higher seniority, that person shall be placed in the position restored as a result of the reduction in force being rescinded.
          (k) (j) For the purpose of this article, all positions which meet the definition of classroom teacher as defined in section one, article one of this chapter shall be lateral positions. For all other professional positions, the county board of education shall adopt a policy by October 31, 1993, and may modify the policy thereafter as necessary, which defines which positions shall be lateral positions. The board shall submit a copy of its policy to the state board within thirty days of adoption or any modification, and the state board shall compile a report and submit the report to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability by December 31, 1993, and by that date in any succeeding year in which any county board submits a modification of its policy relating to lateral positions. In adopting the policy, the board shall give consideration to the rank of each position in terms of title; nature of responsibilities; salary level; certification, licensure or both; and days in the period of employment.
          (l) (k) After the fifth day prior to the beginning of the instructional term, no person employed and assigned to a professional position may transfer to another professional position in the county during that instructional term unless the person holding that position does not have valid certification. The provisions of this subsection are subject to the following:
          (1) The person may apply for any posted, vacant positions with the successful applicant assuming the position at the beginning of the next instructional term;
          (2) Professional personnel who have been on an approved leave of absence may fill these vacancies upon their return from the approved leave of absence; and
          (3) The county board, upon recommendation of the superintendent may fill a position before the next instructional term when it is determined to be in the best interest of the students: Provided, That the county superintendent shall notify the state board of each transfer of a person employed in a professional position to another professional position after the fifth day prior to the beginning of the instructional term. The Legislature finds that it is not in the best interest of the students particularly in the elementary grades to have multiple teachers for any one grade level or course during the instructional term. It is the intent of the Legislature that the filling of positions through transfers of personnel from one professional position to another after the fifth day prior to the beginning of the instructional term should be kept to a minimum.
          (m) (l) All professional personnel whose seniority with the county board is insufficient to allow their retention by the county board during a reduction in work force shall be placed upon a preferred recall list. As to any professional position opening within the area where they had previously been employed or to any lateral area for which they have certification, licensure or both, the employee shall be recalled on the basis of seniority if no regular, full-time professional personnel, or those returning from leaves of absence with greater seniority, are qualified, apply for and accept the position.
          (n) (m) Before position openings that are known or expected to extend for twenty consecutive employment days or longer for professional personnel may be filled by the board, the board shall be required to notify all qualified professional personnel on the preferred list and give them an opportunity to apply, but failure to apply shall not cause the employee to forfeit any right to recall. The notice shall be sent by certified mail to the last known address of the employee, and it shall be the duty of each professional personnel to notify the board of continued availability annually, of any change in address or of any change in certification, licensure or both.
          (o) (n) Openings in established, existing or newly created positions shall be processed as follows:
          (1) Boards shall be required to post and date notices which shall be subject to the following:
          (A) The notices shall be posted in conspicuous working places for all professional personnel to observe for at least five working days;
          (B) The notice shall be posted within twenty working days of the position openings and shall include the job description;
          (C) Any special criteria or skills that are required by the position shall be specifically stated in the job description and directly related to the performance of the job;
          (D) Postings for vacancies made pursuant to this section shall be written so as to ensure that the largest possible pool of qualified applicants may apply; and
          (E) Job postings may not require criteria which are not necessary for the successful performance of the job and may not be written with the intent to favor a specific applicant;
          (2) No vacancy shall be filled until after the five-day minimum posting period;
          (3) If one or more applicants meets the qualifications listed in the job posting, the successful applicant to fill the vacancy shall be selected by the board within thirty working days of the end of the posting period;
          (4) A position held by a teacher who is certified, licensed or both, who has been issued a permit for full-time employment and is working toward certification in the permit area shall not be subject to posting if the certificate is awarded within five years; and
          (5) Nothing provided herein shall prevent the county board of education from eliminating a position due to lack of need.
          (p) (o) Notwithstanding any other provision of the code to the contrary, where the total number of classroom teaching positions in an elementary school does not increase from one school year to the next, but there exists in that school a need to realign the number of teachers in one or more grade levels, kindergarten through six, teachers at the school may be reassigned to grade levels for which they are certified without that position being posted: Provided, That the employee and the county board of education mutually agree to the reassignment.
          (q) (p) Reductions in classroom teaching positions in elementary schools shall be processed as follows:
          (1) When the total number of classroom teaching positions in an elementary school needs to be reduced, the reduction shall be made on the basis of seniority with the least senior classroom teacher being recommended for transfer; and
          (2) When a specified grade level needs to be reduced and the least senior employee in the school is not in that grade level, the least senior classroom teacher in the grade level that needs to be reduced shall be reassigned to the position made vacant by the transfer of the least senior classroom teacher in the school without that position being posted: Provided, That the employee is certified, licensed or both and agrees to the reassignment.
          (r) (q) Any board failing to comply with the provisions of this article may be compelled to do so by mandamus and shall be liable to any party prevailing against the board for court costs and reasonable attorney fees as determined and established by the court. Further, employees denied promotion or employment in violation of this section shall be awarded the job, pay and any applicable benefits retroactive to the date of the violation and payable entirely from local funds. Further, the board shall be liable to any party prevailing against the board for any court reporter costs including copies of transcripts.
          (s) (r) The county board shall compile, update annually on July 1 and make available by electronic or other means to all employees a list of all professional personnel employed by the county, their areas of certification and their seniority.   
          
          
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