Senate Bill No. 569
(By Senator Hunter)
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[Introduced February 5, 2008; referred to the Committee on
Education; and then to the Committee on Finance.]
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A BILL to amend and reenact §18-8-3 of the Code of West Virginia,
1931, as amended, relating to compulsory school attendance
directors.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §18-8-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 8. COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
§18-8-3. Employment of county director of school attendance and
assistants; qualifications; salary and traveling
expenses; removal.
(a) The county board of education of every county, not later
than the first day of August of each year, shall employ the
equivalent of a full-time county director of school attendance if
such county has a net enrollment of more than
four thousand two
thousand five hundred pupils, at least a half-time director of school attendance if such county has a net enrollment equal to or
less than
four thousand two thousand five hundred pupils and such
assistant attendance directors as deemed necessary. All persons to
be employed as attendance directors shall have the written
recommendation of the county superintendent.
(b) The county board of education may establish special and
professional qualifications for attendance directors and assistants
as are deemed expedient and proper and are consistent with
regulations of the State Board of Education relating thereto.
However the county may not require additional certification for an
attendance director if that director has earned a professional
degree in social work that is accredited by the Council on Social
Work Accreditation.
(c) The attendance director or assistant director shall be
paid a monthly salary as fixed by the county board,
and the board
shall offer a salary incentive for attendance directors if that
director has earned a professional degree in social work that is
accredited by the Council on Social Work Accreditation. The
attendance director or assistant director shall prepare attendance
reports, and such other reports as the county superintendent may
request.
(d) The county board of education shall reimburse the
attendance directors or assistant directors for their necessary
traveling expenses upon presentation of a monthly, itemized, sworn statement approved by the county superintendent.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to reduce the ratio of
pupils per attendance director, waive additional certification for
attendance directors who hold certain social work degrees, and
provide salary increases for attendance directors who hold social
work degrees.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.