SENATE
HOUSE
JOINT
BILL STATUS
STATE LAW
REPORTS
EDUCATIONAL
CONTACT
home
home
Engrossed Version Senate Bill 1001 History

OTHER VERSIONS  -  Introduced Version  |  Committee Substitute (1)  |  SB1001 SUB1 REV  |     |  Email
Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
ENGROSSED



REVISED

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

FOR

Senate Bill No. 1001

(By Senator Tomblin (Mr. President),

By Request of the Executive)

____________

[Originating in the Committee on Education;

reported May 16, 2010.]

____________



A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §18-2-38; and to amend said code by adding thereto a new article, designated §18-5D-1, §18-5D-2 and §18-5D-3, all relating to school teams and school committees; making legislative findings; requiring state board study; establishing purposes; authorizing waiver of certain state board rules; authorizing creation of collaborative teams in certain circumstances; creating application and approval process for certain waiver requests; providing for certain votes; and requiring certain legislative rules.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
     That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a section, designated §18-2-38; and that said code be amended by adding thereto a new article, designated §18-5D- 1, §18-5D-2 and §18-5D-3, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
§18-2-38. School committees and school teams; legislative findings; state board study.
     (a) Legislative findings.
     (1) The Legislature finds that the ultimate purpose of public education is to create the best possible environment to foster the teaching and learning process and that this purpose is best accomplished when professional educators are involved in direct interaction with students.
     (2) The Legislature finds further that a number of school committees and school teams have been created over the years, both by state board policy and by state statute, designed to meet the needs of a specific time or place and that these committees and teams sometimes linger long after the specific purpose or need that created them has passed. The time and paperwork required to keep these committees and teams functioning may create a burden for school personnel in certain circumstances.
     (3) The Legislature finds further that a thorough study is needed to determine the feasibility, effectiveness and necessity of each of these committees and teams in relation to one other and to the needs of the students and schools they are intended to serve.
     (b) State board study.
     (1) Therefore, in view of the findings in subsection (a) of this section, it is the intent of the Legislature that the state board undertake a study of each school committee or school team created by statute or by state board policy and determine its organizational goals, effectiveness in meeting those goals, and viability in relation to the demands of time and paperwork it places on principals, teachers and other school personnel. The study further shall consider alternative ways that the goals of these teams and committees may be met to involve stakeholders in the education process while reducing the time demands and the paperwork burden they place on school personnel.
     (2) The state board shall report its study findings and recommendations, together with draft legislation to implement the recommendations, to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability and the Joint Standing Committee on Education by November 1, 2010.
ARTICLE 5D. COMMITTEE REORGANIZATION AND COLLABORATIVE TEAM      WAIVERS.
§18-5D-1. Purpose.
     The purposes of this article are as follows:
     (a) To facilitate and encourage teacher collaboration by empowering schools to create alternative decision-making processes that address school and classroom improvement. The intent is to authorize reorganization or consolidation of certain school committees and teams required by state board rules, including the Strategic Planning Committee, the Technology Team and the School Support Team; and
     (b) To recognize that schools in this state differ greatly in enrollment, grade configuration, demographics and student needs and to provide teachers and principals with flexibility to determine the types of committees and teams that are needed to move the school forward.
§18-5D-2. Waiver application.
     (a) Request for reorganization. -- A school may submit a waiver application to the state board to create collaborative teams that may replace the Strategic Planning Committee, the Technology Team and the School Support Team required by state board rules. Reorganization under this article may not replace the Student Assistance Team. The waiver application shall include at least the following information:
     (1) A description of the collaborative teams including documentation showing how the collaborative teams address each of the following issues:
(A) Emphasizing teacher collaboration and leadership;

(B) Enhancing school and classroom effectiveness;

(C) Creating and maintaining involvement and support of stakeholders; and

(D) Developing and implementing a coherent learner-focused improvement plan;

     (2) An explanation of how the existing membership of any committees or teams replaced by restructured collaborative teams are provided adequate representation in the reorganization and how the roles, responsibilities and tasks of those replaced committees are included in the reorganization;
     (3) Evidence that the employees and stakeholders who are involved in restructured collaborative teams have entered, or will enter, into a process of professional learning to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to enhance learner-focused collaboration; and
     (4) Evidence that employees and stakeholders have researched viable improvement structures and processes and that their proposed alternative to the current committee structure is more effective and better addresses the particular needs of the school, its students and employees.
     (b) Approval. -- Before submitting the waiver application to the state board, a school shall take the following steps:
     (1) Present to the faculty senate a detailed explanation of the proposed structure, roles and responsibilities addressed by the reorganization plan;
     (2) Provide for the chair of the faculty senate to conduct a vote by secret ballot on the issues addressed in the reorganization plan;
     (3) Obtain a favorable vote for the reorganization plan from eighty percent of the faculty senate members present and voting after a quorum is established.
     (4) Present to the local school improvement council a detailed explanation of the proposed structure, roles and responsibilities addressed by the reorganization plan;
     (5) If the faculty senate vote is favorable and if it meets the percentage threshold established in subdivision (3) of this subsection, within one week of the vote taken by the faculty senate, provide for the chair of the council to conduct a vote on the issues addressed in the reorganization.
     (6) Obtain a favorable vote for the reorganization plan from eighty percent of the local school improvement council members present and voting after a quorum is established; and
     (7) Obtain approval for the reorganization plan from the county superintendent and the county board.
     (c) When a school has met the requirements of subsection (b) of this section, it shall submit its waiver application to the state board. After review of the waiver application, the state board may approve the waiver of rules requiring the Strategic Planning Committee, the Technology Team or the School Support Team. After the state board has reviewed and approved a school's reorganization plan, the school may institute the plan as presented in its application.
§18-5D-3. Rulemaking.
     By October 1, 2010, the state board shall promulgate a legislative rule in accordance with article three-b, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to implement the provisions of this article.
This Web site is maintained by the West Virginia Legislature's Office of Reference & Information.  |  Terms of Use  |   Email WebmasterWebmaster   |   © 2024 West Virginia Legislature **


X

Print On Demand

Name:
Email:
Phone:

Print