H. B. 2152
(By Delegate Mezzatesta)
[Introduced January 13, 2003; referred to the
Committee on Education.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section two-c, article three, chapter
eighteen-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to limiting required
attendance in principals academy training to certain times
within the school year.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section two-c, 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-3-2c. Training through the principals academy.
(a) Principal training and professional development required.
-- After the effective date of this section and subject to the
provisions of subsection (c) of this section, every principal shall complete training and professional development through the
principals academy as provided in subsection (b) of this section.
(b) Principal training and professional development through
the academy. -- The academy and the persons required to complete
training and professional development through the academy shall
adhere to the following guidelines:
(1) All persons assigned as a principal for the first time in
a West Virginia school after the first day of July, two thousand
two, shall complete specialized training and professional
development for newly appointed principals through the academy
within the first twelve months following assignment;
(2) All principals of schools which have been designated as
seriously impaired, in accordance with section five, article two-e,
chapter eighteen of this code, shall complete specialized training
and professional development through the academy specifically
designed to assist the principal to improve school performance
commencing as soon as practicable following receipt of the
designation;
(3) All principals who are subject to an improvement plan, in
accordance with section twelve, article two of this chapter, shall
complete specialized training and professional development through
the academy specifically designed for principals subject to an
improvement plan. The specialized training and professional
development shall be completed within twelve months from the date that the principal is first subject to the improvement plan;
(4) All principals who transfer to a school with a
significantly different grade configuration shall complete
specialized training and professional development for principals in
schools with the grade configuration to which they transferred
through the academy within the first twelve months following
transfer; and
(5) All persons serving as school principals shall complete
training and professional development through the academy designed
to build the qualities, proficiencies and skills required of all
principals as determined by the state board.
(c) Academy and requirements to complete training and
professional development subject to funding. -- The requirement
that principals complete training and professional development
through the academy shall be subject to the availability of funds
for the principals academy from legislative appropriation and from
other sources. If these funds are insufficient to provide for the
total cost of the training and professional development required by
subsection (b) of this section, then the academy shall provide
training and professional development for the persons described in
subdivisions (1) through (5), of subsection (b) according to the
priority in which the subdivisions appear in that subsection. If
such funds are insufficient to provide for the training and
professional development of all the persons described in one or more of subdivisions (1) through (5), subsection (b) of this
section, the academy is authorized to determine which persons
described within the subdivision or subdivisions shall be admitted
and which shall not be admitted: Provided, That the principals
academy shall make every effort to ensure that all principals
receive training and professional development through the academy
at least once every six years effective the first day of July, two
thousand two and thereafter: Provided, however, That nothing in
this section shall be construed to require any specific level of
funding by the Legislature.
(d) Principals standards advisory council. -- To assist the
state board in the performance of the duties described in
subsection (e) of this section, there is hereby created a
"Principals Standards Advisory Council", which shall consist of
nine persons, as follows: The executive director of the center for
professional development, who shall serve as the ex officio chair;
three principals, one from an elementary school and one from a
middle school or a junior high school selected by the West Virginia
association of elementary and middle school principals, and one
from a high school selected by the West Virginia association of
secondary school principals; one county school superintendent
selected by the West Virginia association of school administrators;
and two representatives from higher education who teach in
principal preparation programs selected by the teacher education advisory council; and two citizen representatives who are
knowledgeable on issues addressed in this section, appointed by the
governor. Members of the principals standards advisory council who
are public employees shall be granted release time from their
employment for attending meetings of the council. Members may be
reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred
in the performance of their official duties by the center for
professional development. The terms of all members appointed to
the principals standards advisory council under the prior enactment
of this section shall terminate on the thirty-first day of August,
two thousand two. The principals standards advisory council as
amended on the effective date of this section shall become
effective on the first day of September, two thousand two.
(e) Establishment of standards. -- On or before the first day
of October, one thousand nine hundred ninety-six, the state board
shall approve and promulgate rules regarding the minimum qualities,
proficiencies and skills that will be required of principals after
the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven.
The state board shall promulgate and may from time to time amend
such rules after consultation with the principals standards
advisory council created in subsection (d) of this section. The
rules promulgated by the state board shall address at least the
following:
(1) Staff relations, including, but not limited to, the development and use of skills necessary to make a positive use of
faculty senates, manage faculty and staff with courtesy and mutual
respect, coach and motivate employees, and build consensus as a
means of management;
(2) School community leadership qualities, including, but not
limited to, the ability to organize and leverage community
initiative, communicate effectively, work effectively with local
school improvement councils, manage change, resolve conflict and
reflect the highest personal values;
(3) Educational proficiencies, including, but not limited to,
knowledge of curriculum, instructional techniques, student learning
styles, student assessment criteria, school personnel performance,
evaluation skills and family issues; and
(4) Administrative skills, including, but not limited to,
organizational, fiscal, public policy and total quality management
skills and techniques.
(f) Waivers. -- Any person desiring to be relieved of the
requirements of all or any part of this section may apply in
writing to the state board for a waiver. Upon a showing of
reasonable cause why relief should be granted, the state board may
grant a waiver, upon such terms and conditions as the state board
shall determine proper, as to all or any part of this section.
(g) Failure to comply. -- Any person who fails or refuses to
complete training and professional development through the academy, as required by the provisions of this section, and who fails to
obtain a waiver, as described in subsection (f) of this section,
shall be ineligible to be employed as, or serve in the capacity of,
a principal.
(h) Tracking of requirement. -- On or before the first day of
January, one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven, the state board
shall establish a system to track the progress of each person
required to complete training through the academy and shall
regularly advise such persons of their progress.
(i) Payment of reasonable and necessary expenses and stipends.
-- The center for professional development shall reimburse persons
attending the academy for reasonable and necessary expenses. A
person may not be required to complete training and professional
development through the principals academy before the fifteenth day
of September and after the first day of June of the school year.
The center for professional development shall utilize alternative
methods of instructional delivery and scheduling, including
electronic delivery, as considered appropriate to minimize the
amount of time principals completing training and professional
development through the academy are required to be away from their
school duties:
Provided, That persons may not be required to
attend the principals academy before the fifteenth day of September
and after the first day of June of the school year. The center for
professional development shall utilize alternative methods of instructional delivery and scheduling, including electronic
delivery, as considered appropriate to limit the amount of time
principals are required to be away from their school duties:
Provided, however,
nothing in this section shall be construed to
require any specific level of funding by the Legislature.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to limit absences of school
principals from school duties to attend the principals academy.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.