H. B. 2383
(By Delegates Mezzatesta and Williams)
[Introduced January 17, 2003; referred to the
Committee on Education.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section two, article three, chapter
eighteen-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to teacher
certification generally; requiring the state department of
education to present a comprehensive teacher certification
plan to the legislative oversight commission on education
accountability prior to the first day of July, two thousand
three; prohibiting requirement of student-teaching for certain
different specialization or subject area; and providing that
county boards of education are responsible for certifying
teachers if the commission does not adopt the state plan by
the first day of January, two thousand five.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section two, 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-3-2. Teacher certification; required; expiration;
qualifications; certification of aliens.
Any professional educator, as defined in article one of this
chapter, who is employed within the public school system of the
state shall hold a valid teaching certificate licensing him or her
to teach in the specializations and grade levels as shown on the
certificate for the period of his or her employment. If a teacher
is employed in good faith on the anticipation that he or she is
eligible for a certificate and it is later determined that the
teacher was not eligible, the state superintendent of schools may
authorize payment by the county board of education to the teacher
for a time not exceeding three school months or the date of
notification of his or her ineligibility, whichever shall occur
first. All certificates shall expire on the thirtieth day of June
of the last year of their validity irrespective of the date of
issuance.
By the first day of July, two thousand three, the state
department shall present for adoption to the legislative oversight
commission on education accountability a comprehensive plan to be
implemented by the department for certifying teachers. The plan
may not require that a teacher who has previously fulfilled the student-teaching requirement and who has teaching experience,
perform student-teaching in order to acquire certification in a
different specialization or subject area.
If the commission does not adopt the plan, effective the first
day of January, two thousand five, each county is responsible for
certifying any teacher employed in that county, and for determining
the standards and qualifications necessary for certification.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the state
department of education to submit a comprehensive teacher
certification plan to LOCEA for adopting prior to July 1, 2003. If
LOCEA has not adopted the plan by January, 1, 2005, county boards
of education are responsible for teacher certification. The bill
also prohibits requiring teachers with student-teaching experience
in one subject area to perform student teaching for certification
in a different specification or subject area.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.