H. B. 2676
(By Delegates Boggs, Manuel and Poling)
[Introduced January 27, 2003; referred to the
Committee on Education then Finance.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section eighteen-b, article five,
chapter eighteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand
nine hundred thirty-one, as amended; and to amend article
four, chapter eighteen-a of said code by adding thereto a new
section, designated section two-b, all relating to requiring
rules by the state board regarding the activities of school
counselors; providing that the rules set minimum standards
for the supervision of counseling services in order to insure
uniform quality of counseling services; requiring the rules
set minimum annual staff development standards for counselors;
and, establishing a state minimum salary supplement for school
counselors who hold certification by the national board of
certified counselors or who are licensed counselors.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section eighteen-b, article five, chapter eighteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted; and that article four, chapter
eighteen-a of said code be amended by adding thereto a new section,
designated section two-b, to read as follows:
CHAPTER 18. EDUCATION.
ARTICLE 5. COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.
§18-5-18b. School counselors in public schools.
(a) The Legislature finds that school counselors have great
potential to impact the learning and lives of a wide population of
children through academic development, career development and
personal social development. Therefore, high quality school
counseling services are essential for students to achieve optimal
personal growth, acquire positive social skills and values, set
appropriate career goals and realize full academic potential to
become productive, contributing members of the world community.
Furthermore, parents, teachers and society expect school counselors
to work directly with children, helping them cope with the complex
issues affecting them in today's world.
(a) (b) A school counselor means a professional educator who
holds a valid school counselor's certificate in accordance with
article three of this chapter.
(b) (c) Each county board shall provide counseling services
for each pupil enrolled in the public schools of the county.
By
the school year two thousand ten, and thereafter, the recommended number of students per counselor shall be two hundred fifty. If
the number of students for whom a counselor is responsible exceeds
two hundred seventy-five, the counselor shall be paid an additional
salary supplement of five hundred dollars for the school year,
which supplement shall be increased by an additional five hundred
dollars for each additional twenty-five students.
(c) (d) The school counselor shall work with individual pupils
and groups of pupils in providing developmental, preventive and
remedial guidance and counseling programs to meet academic, social,
emotional and physical needs in accordance with the rules
established by the state board; including programs to identify and
address the problem of potential school dropouts. The school
counselor also may provide consultant services for parents,
teachers and administrators and may use outside referral services,
when appropriate, if no additional cost is incurred by the county
board.
(d) (e) The state board may adopt rules consistent with the
provisions of this section that define the role of a school
counselor based on the "National Standards for School Counseling
Programs" of the American school counselor association.
The rules
shall further include: (1) Minimum standards for the supervision
of counseling services at the state and county level to ensure a
uniform high quality in the delivery of counseling service to all
students; and (2) minimum required annual staff development approved by the department of education for all counselors employed
in the public schools.
A school counselor is authorized to shall
perform such services as are not inconsistent with the provisions
of the rule as adopted by the state board. To the extent that any
funds are made available for this purpose, county boards shall
provide training for counselors and administrators to implement the
rule as adopted by the state board.
(e) (f) Each county board shall develop a comprehensive
drop-out prevention program utilizing the expertise of school
counselors and any other appropriate resources available.
(f) (g) School counselors shall be full-time professional
personnel, shall spend at least seventy-five percent of work time
in a direct counseling relationship with pupils, and shall devote
no more than one fourth of the workday to administrative activities
Provided, That such activities are counselor related to the
administration of the counseling program.
(g) (h) Nothing in this section prohibits a county board from
exceeding the provisions of this section, or requires any specific
level of funding by the Legislature.
CHAPTER 18A. SCHOOL PERSONNEL.
ARTICLE 4. SALARIES, WAGES AND OTHER BENEFITS.
§18A-4-2b. State minimum salary supplement for certified and
licensed school counselors.
(a) The Legislature finds that school counselors who meet the requirements for national certification through the national board
for certified counselors or who are licensed professional
counselors in this state are highly trained and capable employees
who provide needed services to the school students of this state.
The purpose of this section is to create an incentive for all
school counselors to increase their professional knowledge and
skills by providing an additional statewide supplement to school
counselors who hold national certification by the national board
of certified counselors and school counselors who are licensed
professional counselors in this state, or both.
(b) In addition to any amounts prescribed in the applicable
state minimum salary schedule, each professional educator employed
as a school counselor who holds national certification by the
national board for certified counselors or who is a licensed
professional counselor in this state, or both, shall be paid
annually a supplement of two thousand five hundred dollars. The
payments shall be paid in equal monthly installments and shall be
considered a part of the state minimum salaries for teachers.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is
to set rules by the state
board regarding the activities of school counselors that provide
for minimum standards for the supervision of counseling services in
order to insure uniform quality of counseling services as well as
minimum annual staff development for counselors. The bill also
establishes a state minimum salary supplement for school counselors
who hold certification by the National Board of Certified
Counselors or who are licensed counselors.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.
18A-4-2b is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring
have been omitted.