H. B. 4594
(By Delegates Hall, Mezzatesta, Manuel, Williams,
Anderson, Gillespie and Webb)
(Originating in the Committee on Education)
[February 26, 1998]
A BILL to amend and reenact section six, article two, chapter
eighteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended; to amend article two-e of
said chapter by adding thereto a new section, designated
section eight-a; and to amend and reenact section one-e,
article one, chapter eighteen-b of said code, all relating
to voiding provisions for development of an electronic
portfolio by the state board of education and their future
effect.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section six, article two, chapter eighteen of the code
of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted; that article two-e of said
chapter be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated
section eight-a; and that section one-e, article one, chapter
eighteen-b of said code be amended and reenacted, all to read as
follows:
CHAPTER 18. EDUCATION.
ARTICLE 2. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
§18-2-6. Classification and standardization of schools;
standardsfor degrees and diploma; certificates of
proficiency; establishment of alternative education
programs.
The state board shall make rules for the accreditation,
classification and standardization of all schools in the state,
except institutions of higher education, and shall determine the
minimum standards for the granting of diplomas and certificates
of proficiency by those schools. Not later than the school year
one thousand nine hundred ninety--ninety-one, certificates of
proficiency including specific information regarding the
graduate's skills, competence and readiness for employment or
honors and advanced education shall be granted, along with the
diploma, to every eligible high school graduate.
No institution of less than collegiate or university status
may grant any diploma or certificate of proficiency on any basis
of work or merit below the minimum standards prescribed by the
state board.
No charter or other instrument containing the right to issue
diplomas or certificates of proficiency shall be granted by the
state of West Virginia to any institution or other associations
or organizations of less than collegiate or university status
within the state until the condition of granting or issuing such
diplomas or other certificates of proficiency has first been
approved in writing by the state board.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section to the
contrary, the requirement for granting certificates of proficiency shall be replaced by the requirement that information
be provided on an electronic portfolio system established by the
state board pursuant to section eight, article two-e of this
chapter and issued to every high school graduate by the
appropriate county board: Provided, That the requirements for
granting certificates of proficiency shall be continued until
such time as the electronic portfolio system has been made
available to the county boards.
The state board also may establish policies and procedures
for the approval of alternative education programs for disruptive
students who are at risk of not succeeding in the traditional
school structure. These policies and procedures may provide for
the waiver of other policies of the state board, the
establishment and delivery of a nontraditional curriculum,
establishment of licensure requirements for alternative education
program teachers, and the establishment of performance measures
for school accreditation.
ARTICLE 2E. HIGH QUALITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.
§18-2E-8a. Electronic portfolio repealed.
Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (i) and (j),
section eight of this article, information on student attainment
of special skills, honors, advanced education, exceptional
performance and other outstanding accomplishments shall be
included on the certificate of proficiency granted to eligible
high school graduates along with the diploma pursuant to section
six, article two of this chapter. All provisions for development
of an electronic portfolio by the state board are hereby null and void and without future effect.
CHAPTER 18B. HIGHER EDUCATION.
ARTICLE 1. GOVERNANCE.
§18B-1-1e. Public education and higher education collaboration
for the preparation of students for college and other post-secondary education.
(a) Purpose. -- The purpose of this section is as follows:
(1) To assist students in the planning and preparation for
success in college and other post-secondary education if their
education major interests require such formal education after
high school;
(2) To establish the minimum expected level of knowledge,
skill and competency a student must possess to be prepared fully
for college and other post-secondary education at state
institutions of higher education;
(3) To implement a method for communicating the minimum
level of knowledge, skill and competency to students, parents,
educators and counselors in the public schools, and admissions
officers, advisors and faculty in the higher education
institutions; and
(4) To assure that the teacher preparation programs in state
institutions of higher education prepare educators to, at a
minimum, deliver instruction necessary to prepare students fully
for college and other post-secondary education or gainful
employment consistent with the provisions of section eight,
article two-e, chapter eighteen of this code.
(b) Joint rule. -- On or before the first day of October, one thousand nine hundred ninety-six, the higher education
governing boards shall promulgate a joint rule to achieve the
purposes of subsection (a) of this section. In the development of
such rule, the governing boards shall consult with the state
board and the jobs through education employer panel, established
pursuant to section eight, article two-e, chapter eighteen of
this code, and shall collaborate with the state board in the
establishment of compatible practices within their separate
systems.
(c) Assessment of student readiness. -- To provide
continuous assessment and program improvement in the preparation
of high school students for success in college or other post- secondary education, the higher education governing boards shall
communicate to the state board and the legislative oversight
commission on education accountability by the first day of
December in each year, beginning in December, one thousand nine
hundred ninety-seven, or as soon thereafter as the establishment
of an electronic portfolio system permits, the number of
graduates from the public schools in the state by high schools
who were accepted in the last calendar year for enrollment at
each of the state institutions of higher education within one
year of graduation, whose electronic portfolio indicated
readiness for college or other post-secondary education, and
whose knowledge, skill and competency were below the minimum
expected levels for full preparation as defined by the governing
boards. The governing boards also shall report the areas in
which the knowledge, skill and competency of the students were below the minimum expected level. The state board shall provide
information to each of the high schools of the state for
graduates from the high school.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to repeal provisions for
the development of an electronic portfolio by the State Board of
Education.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken
from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language
that would be added.
§18-2E-8a is new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.