Senate Bill No. 390
(By Senator Blatnik)
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[Introduced March 17, 1993; referred to the Committee
on Education.]
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A BILL to amend and reenact section two-a, article three, chapter
eighteen-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to school
personnel; and requiring persons serving in positions of
deans of students or education to be certified.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section two-a, article three, chapter eighteen-a of the
code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, LICENSING, PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT.
§18A-3-2a. Authority of state superintendent to issue
certificates; kinds of certificates.
In accordance with state board of education rules for the
education of professional educators adopted after consultation
with the secretary of education and the arts, the state
superintendent of schools may issue certificates valid in thepublic schools of the state: Provided, That a certificate shall
not be issued to any person who is not a citizen of the United
States, is not of good moral character and physically, mentally
and emotionally qualified to perform the duties for which the
certification would be granted and who has not attained the age
of eighteen years on or before the first day of October of the
year in which the certificate is issued: Provided, however, That
an exchange teacher from a foreign country or an alien person who
meets the requirements to teach may be granted a permit to teach
within the public schools of the state.
Certificates authorized to be issued include:
(1) Professional teaching certificates. -- A professional
teaching certificate for teaching in the public schools may be
issued to a person who:
(A) Has at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited
institution of higher education in this state, has completed a
program for the education of teachers which meets the
requirements approved by the state board of education or has met
equivalent standards at institutions in other states and has
passed appropriate state board approved basic skills and subject
matter tests or has completed three years of successful
experience within the last seven years in the area for which
licensure is being sought; or
(B) Has at least a bachelor's degree in a discipline taught
in the public schools from an accredited institution of higher
education, has passed appropriate state board approved basicskills and subject matter tests or has completed three years of
successful experience within the last seven years in the area for
which licensure is being sought, has completed an alternative
program for teacher education approved by the state board and is
recommended for a certificate by the chairperson of the
professional support team of the person's alternative program or
the state superintendent based on documentation submitted.
The certificate shall be endorsed to indicate the grade
level or levels or areas of specialization in which the person is
certified to teach or to serve in the public schools. The
initial professional certificate shall be issued provisionally
for a period of three years from the date of issuance and may be
converted to a professional certificate valid for five years
subject to successful completion of a beginning teacher
internship, if applicable, or renewed subject to rules adopted by
the state board.
(2) Professional administrative certificate. -- A
professional administrative certificate, endorsed for serving in
the public schools, with specific endorsement as a principal,
vocational administrator, supervisor of instructions or
superintendent, may be issued to a person who has completed
requirements all to be approved by the state board as follows:
For a master's degree from an institution of higher education
accredited to offer a master's degree, has successfully completed
an approved program for administrative certification, developed
by the state board of education in cooperation with the governingboards of the university of West Virginia system and the state
college system, has successfully completed education and training
in evaluation skills through the center for professional
development, or equivalent education and training in evaluation
skills, and three years of management level experience:
Provided, That anyone having received a certificate during the
period from the thirtieth day of August, one thousand nine
hundred ninety, until the effective date of this bill without
having met the above requirements shall complete those
requirements within five years after the effective date of this
bill. Provided, however, That any person serving in the position
of dean of students on the effective date of this section shall
not be required to hold a professional administrative certificate
Beginning the first day of September, one thousand nine hundred
ninety-two, the initial professional administrative certificate
shall be issued provisionally for a period of five years. This
certificate may be converted to a professional administrative
certificate valid for five years or renewed, subject to the
regulations of the state board.
(3) Paraprofessional certificate. -- A paraprofessional
certificate may be issued to a person who has completed thirty-
six semester hours of post-secondary education or its equivalent
in subjects directly related to performance of the job, all
approved by the state board, and can demonstrate the
proficiencies to perform duties as required of a paraprofessional
as defined in section eight, article four of this chapter.
(4) Other certificates; permits. -- Other certificates and
permits may be issued, subject to the approval of the state
board, to persons who do not qualify for the professional or
paraprofessional certificate. Such Certificates or permits shall
may not be given permanent status and persons holding such them
shall meet renewal requirements provided by law and by regulation
rule, unless the state board declares certain of these
certificates to be the equivalent of the professional
certificate.
Within the category of other certificates and permits, the
state superintendent may issue certificates for persons to serve
in the public schools as athletic coaches or other
extracurricular activities coaches whose duties may include the
supervision of students, subject to the following limitations:
(A) Such The person shall be is employed under a contract with
the county board of education which specifies the duties to be
performed, which specifies a rate of pay equivalent to the rate
of pay for professional educators in the district who accept
similar duties as extra duty assignments and which provides for
liability insurance associated with the activity: Provided, That
such these persons shall not be are not considered employees of
the board for salary and benefit purposes other than as specified
in the contract; (B) a currently employed certified professional
educator has not applied for the position; and (C) such the
person completes an orientation program designed and approved in
accordance with state board rules which shall be adopted no laterthan the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred ninety-
one.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require persons who
serve in positions as dean of students or dean of education to be
certified.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken
from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language
that would be added.