COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
H. B. 4117
(By Delegate Browning)
(Originating in the Committee on Finance)
[February 22, 2008]
A BILL to amend and reenact §18A-4-2b of the Code of West Virginia,
1931, as amended, relating to providing the state minimum
salary supplement and the reimbursement of educational
expenses to school psychologists and school nurses for
achieving certain national certifications; increasing the
number of certificate holders who are eligible for the
supplements and reimbursements each year; and requiring State
Board of Education rule.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §18A-4-2b of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
be amended and reenacted, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 4. SALARIES, WAGES AND OTHER BENEFITS.
§18A-4-2b. State minimum salary supplement and educational
expense reimbursement for professional personnel
with recognized national certification in speech-language pathology, audiology, counseling,
school psychology or school nursing.
(a)(1) The Legislature finds that achieving a nationally
recognized professional certification in speech-language pathology
or audiology involves a rigorous process of demonstrating both
knowledge and skills and results in highly trained and capable
employees. Individuals who attain
the national professional
certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
(ASHA) provide needed and essential services to the school students
of this state.
and, consequently Individuals should be encouraged
to achieve and maintain the national
board professional
certification through reimbursement of expenses and a salary bonus
which reflects their additional certification.
to be paid in
accordance with subsection (b) of this section
(2) The Legislature
further finds
and declares that the
rigorous standards and processes for advanced certification by
either the National Board of Certified Counselors
(NBCC) or the
West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling
(WVBEC) helps to
promote the quality of counseling in schools. Counselors in the
public schools of West Virginia should be encouraged to achieve and
maintain the advanced certification through reimbursement of
expenses and a salary bonus that reflects their additional
certification.
to be paid in accordance with subsection (b) of
this section
(3) The Legislature finds that achieving a nationally
recognized professional certification in school psychology involves
a rigorous process of demonstrating competencies in scientific
research-based knowledge and skills. School psychologists provide
assessment, counseling and consultation to students, teachers,
school administrators and parents. Individuals who attain national
professional certification by the National Association of School
Psychologists provide services to students, families and school
systems in this state. School psychologists should be encouraged
to achieve and maintain this national professional certification
through reimbursement of expenses and a salary bonus which reflects
their additional certification.
(4) The Legislature finds that achieving a nationally
recognized professional certification in school nursing involves a
rigorous process of demonstrating competencies in health care and
nursing applications, knowledge and skills. School nurses provide
assessment, counseling and consultation to students, teachers,
school administrators and parents. School nurses who attain
national professional certification by the National Board for
Certification of School Nurses provide services to students,
families and school systems in this state. School nurses should be
encouraged to achieve and maintain this national professional
certification through reimbursement of expenses and a salary bonus
which reflects their additional certification.
(3) (5) Therefore, the purpose of this section is:
(A) To provide a statewide salary supplement for certain
professional personnel employed in the public schools who hold
a
nationally recognized professional certification in speech-language
pathology, audiology,
or counseling,
school psychology or school
nursing;
(B) To treat
the these professional
certification
certifications equally;
(C) To encourage others to attain such a certification; and
(D) To help school systems
with recruitment of recruit these
highly qualified professionals.
(b) In addition to any amounts prescribed in the applicable
state minimum salary schedule,
effective the first day of July, two
thousand six any professional personnel who hold national
certification or other credential as provided in this section
must
shall be paid an annual salary supplement of two thousand five
hundred dollars. The payment is:
(1) To be made in equal monthly installments;
(2) To be considered a part of the state minimum salaries for
teachers; and
(3) To continue for the life of the certification, or for ten
years for any one certification, whichever first expires.
(c)
Effective the first day of July, two thousand six
Professional personnel employed as speech-language pathologists, audiologists,
or counselors,
school psychologists or school nurses
are eligible upon enrollment for reimbursement for one-half of the
fee for certification in accordance with this section. In
addition, these personnel are eligible upon attainment of the
certification for reimbursement of the remainder of the application
fee plus other expenses actually incurred toward attainment of the
certification, not exceeding six hundred dollars, upon approval by
the department of education.
No Not more than one hundred
fifteen
speech-language pathologists, audiologists,
and counselors,
school
psychologists and school nurses, combined total, are eligible for
reimbursement in any one fiscal year.
(d) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section,
no more
than one hundred speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and
counselors, combined total, shall be paid the annual salary
supplement provided for in said subsection during the first year of
implementation. The for the school year beginning the first day of
July, two thousand eight, the number of speech-language
pathologists, audiologists,
and counselors,
school psychologists
and school nurses paid the annual salary supplement provided for in
said subsection may not exceed
an additional the number of speech-
language pathologists, audiologists and counselors eligible to be
paid the annual salary supplement under the provisions of this
section in effect during the school year beginning the first day of
July, two thousand seven, by more than one hundred
fifteen qualified recipients
, and the total amount of qualified recipients
may not increase thereafter by more than one hundred fifteen in
each
of the subsequent fiscal
years year.
(e) The state board shall promulgate a legislative rule
establishing criteria for selection of the individuals eligible for
reimbursement and a salary supplement in accordance with this
section. The selection criteria shall prioritize the length of
time the certification has been held and the years of experience of
the holder in determining eligibility.
(e) (f) The state board shall report the rule to the
Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability by the
January, two thousand
seven nine, legislative interim meeting
period and shall report on its progress in developing the rule to
the commission during
each prior interim
meeting period meetings as
requested.
(f) (g) Payment of the supplement and reimbursement provided
in this section No provision of this section may be construed to
require is subject to legislative appropriation. therefore nothing
in this section requires any appropriation, or any specific level
of appropriation, by the Legislature
, or payment of any supplement
or reimbursement described in this section for which a specific
appropriation has not been made.
(g) (h) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or
the provisions of section two-a of this article, professional personnel may not be paid a salary supplement pursuant to the
provisions of both said sections.