H. B. 3024
(By Delegates Williams, Romine, Susman, Manuel, Shelton, Stemple
and Anderson)
(Originating in the Committee on Education)
(March 2, 1999)
A BILL to amend article two-e, chapter eighteen of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated section three-d,
relating to establishment of a competitive grant "Mathematic
Achievement Through Help" program; providing legislative
intent and purposes; specifying priorities for grant awards;
and providing procedures for grant application and selection.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article two-e, chapter eighteen of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be
amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section three- d, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2E. HIGH QUALITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.
§18-2E-3d. Summer school MATH grant program created; legislative
findings and purpose of section.
(a) The Legislature hereby finds and acknowledges that, if remediation is necessary, it should be provided when students are
younger and before patterns of failure are established. The
Legislature further acknowledges that the people of West Virginia
would be better served if the state acted to ensure that all public
school students were able to execute mathematical skills at or
above grade level upon exiting grade four, that county boards are
in the best position to determine if remediation is necessary for
students in kindergarten through grade four and that the counties
should have the option of providing summer school for students and
may consider student attendance as a factor in determining whether
a child is eligible to be promoted to the next grade.
The Legislature further finds that not all students are
financially able to pay for summer school, nor do all county
schools hold summer school. It is, therefore, the purpose of this
section to help the county boards to provide, either individually
or cooperatively, free summer school and summer school
transportation for those students in kindergarten through grade
four who did not perform at grade level during the regular school
year. It also is the purpose of this section to help students in
kindergarten through grade four who are identified as being in
danger of failing to execute mathematical skills at grade level by
the end of the school year to receive intensive mathematics
instruction during their regularly scheduled mathematics time
throughout the regular school year.
(b) Subject to appropriation by the Legislature therefor, the state board shall establish a competitive grant program as set
forth in this section to provide mathematics programs for students
in kindergarten through grade four who are not performing at grade
level. The program shall be designated and known as the
"Mathematic Achievement Through Help" program and, along with such
designation, may be referred to as "West Virginia MATH".
Priorities for awarding the grants shall include, but are not
limited to:
(1) Schools that have math test scores below the state
standards; or
(2) Schools that receive federal funds for the improvement of
mathematics.
Competitive grant applications must be submitted by the county
boards, or by a community collaborative with the county board as a
partner with leadership responsibility, and shall describe how the
program will:
(1) Employ strategies, proven methods and innovative
techniques for student learning, teaching and school management
that are based on reliable research and effective practices, and
can be replicated in other schools to improve the mathematical
skills of students;
(2) Contain measurable goals for the improvement of student
mathematical skills and benchmarks for meeting those goals;
(3) Include a plan for the evaluation of student progress
toward achieving the state's high standards;
(4) Identify how other federal, state, local and private
resources, including volunteers, will be utilized to further the
intent of this section;
(5) Link summer improvement programs for mathematics with
mathematical instruction and remediation throughout the school
year;
(6) Determine the feasibility of collaborating with colleges
of education for the purpose of providing educational experiences
for prospective teachers;
(7) Identify the use of technology, including computers and
calculators, and demonstrate how technology will be integrated into
the program; and
(8) Accomplish other objectives as deemed necessary by the
state board.
(c) Any county receiving a grant should encourage students in
kindergarten through grade four who did not perform at grade level
during the regular school year to attend summer school and may
consider summer school attendance as a factor in determining
whether a child is eligible to be promoted to the next grade. The
county board shall provide intensive mathematics instruction during
regularly scheduled mathematics time throughout the regular school
year to students in kindergarten through grade four who are
identified by the classroom teacher as being in danger of failing
to execute mathematical skills at grade level by the end of the
school year. Nothing in this section shall prohibit county boards from permitting students to participate in mathematics programs on
a student fee basis.
(d) The state board shall approve procedures for the
implementation of this section. To assist the state board in
developing procedures for the implementation of this section,
including the grant application and the grant review and selection
process, the state board shall appoint an advisory board consisting
of the mathematics education coordinator and the title I
mathematics coordinator/specialist, both from the state department
of education, a college or university professor of mathematics, a
county mathematics curriculum specialist, an elementary teacher
with a mathematics certification, an elementary principal with a
mathematics certification, a mathematics teacher with a certificate
issued by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, a
representative from the West Virginia council of teachers of
mathematics and two or more representatives from local school
systems that are certified in mathematics education, or
representatives of like successor organizations should these named
organizations cease to exist. The procedures shall provide for:
(1) The appointment of a grant review and selection panel by
the state board consisting of persons with expertise and practical
experience in delivering programs to increase the mathematical
skills of young students, not more than one half of whom may be
employees of the state department of education, or the state board
may designate the advisory board as the grant review and selection panel;
(2) Notice to all schools of the grant competition and the
availability of applications on or before the thirtieth day of
September, in each fiscal year for which grant funds are available;
(3) A grant application deadline postmarked on or before the
fifteenth day of December, in each fiscal year for which grant
funds are available;
(4) Notice of grant awards on or before the first day of
March, in each fiscal year for which grant funds are available; and
(5) Other such requirements as deemed necessary by the state
board.
(e) The state board may fund, from any other funds available
for such purposes, the programs required by this section for
students in kindergarten through grade four and any programs
required by state board rules such as, but not limited to, the
following:
(1) Tutoring;
(2) Summer school educational services;
(3) Additional certified personnel to provide intensive
instruction in mathematics throughout the school year;
(4) Staff development for teachers; and
(5) Hot meal programs.
(f) Nothing in this section shall supersede the individualized
education program (IEP) of any student.
(g) Nothing in this section may be construed to require any specific level of funding by the Legislature.