H. B. 4499


(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss (By Request))

[Introduced February 15, 2002; referred to the

Committee on Education then Finance.]





A BILL to amend article four, chapter eighteen-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section two-c, relating to creating an incentive for school psychologists who are nationally certified by the National School Psychology Certification Board by reimbursing expenses and adding a supplement to the state minimum salary.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article four, chapter eighteen-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section two-c, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 4. SALARIES, WAGES AND OTHER BENEFITS.
§18A-4-2c. State minimum salary supplement for certified school psychologists.

(a) The Legislature finds that school psychologists who meet the requirements for certification as a nationally certified school psychologist through the national school psychology certification board (NSPCB) are highly trained and capable professionals that have met a nationally recognized standard for school psychologists, and that school psychologists provide needed guidance and services to the school students of this state. Therefore, school psychologists should be encouraged to achieve national certification by providing an incentive to all school psychologists who increase their professional knowledge and skills by reimbursing expenses and giving an additional salary bonus to those who have met the rigorous standards of certification by the national school psychology certification board (NSPCB), to be paid in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(b) One thousand dollars shall be paid annually to each school psychologist who holds a valid certificate by the national school psychology certification board for the life of the certificate, but in no event more than three years: Provided, That beginning the first day of July, two thousand two, in lieu of the one thousand dollars, two thousand five hundred dollars shall be paid annually to each school psychologist who holds a valid certificate issued by the national school psychology certification board for the life of the certification, but in no event more than three years for any one certificate.
(c) The payments: (i) Shall be in addition to any amounts prescribed in the applicable state minimum salary schedule; (ii) shall be paid in equal monthly installments; and (iii) shall be considered a part of the state minimum salaries for teachers.
(d) One thousand dollars shall be paid for reimbursement once to each school psychologist who enrolls in the program for national certification for school psychologist and one thousand dollars shall be paid for reimbursement once to each school psychologist who completes the national certification for school psychologist. Effective the first day of July, two thousand two, in lieu of the one thousand dollar payment for reimbursements, one-half the certification fee shall be paid for reimbursement once to each school psychologist who enrolls in the program for national certification for school psychologists and one-half the certification fee shall be paid for reimbursement once to each school psychologist who completes the national certification for school psychologist. A school psychologist who achieves national certification for school psychologist may be reimbursed a maximum of six hundred dollars for expenses actually incurred while obtaining the national certification for school psychologist.
(e) Funding for reimbursement of the certification fee and expenses actually incurred while obtaining the certification by the national school psychology certification board (NSPCB) shall be administered by the state department of education from appropriation established for that purpose by the Legislature. If funds appropriated by the Legislature to accomplish the purposes of this section are insufficient, the state department shall prorate the reimbursements for expenses and shall request of the Legislature, at its next regular session, funds sufficient to accomplish the purposes of this subsection, including needed retroactive payments.
(f) The state board shall promulgate legislative rules pursuant to article three-b, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to implement the provisions of this section.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create an incentive for school psychologists who are nationally certified by the National School Psychology Certification Board by reimbursing expenses and adding a supplement to the state minimum salary.
§ 18A-4-2b is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.