SB359 HFA ARMSTEAD, ET AL 3-21

    Delegates Armstead, Border-Sheppard, Folk, Frich, Raines, Faircloth, Espinosa, Arvon, Householder, McCuskey, Westfall, Shott, Sumner, Sobonya, Cooper, E. Nelson, Cowles, Ambler and Ellington move to amend the committee substitute in article three of chapter eighteen on page ninety-four after line seven by inserting the following new section, designated as section nine-c, all to read as follows:“§18-3-9c. State Superintendent required to address excess bureaucracy.

(a) The Legislature finds the following:(1) West Virginia has one of the highest ratio of state administrators and staff to students enrolled in school in the nation; and

(2) This ratio is greatly in excess of that in any surrounding state; and

(3) Taxpayers and students in West Virginia deserve the most efficient use of scarce education resources possible; and

(4) Classroom education should be the primary focus of any education paradigm.

(b) By July 1, 2016, the State Superintendent shall undertake reductions in the Department of Education so that it shall on and after that date, at no time, exceed an employee to student ratio of more than one employee for every two thousand enrolled students. This ratio requirement shall continue to be met for each succeeding fiscal year thereafter: Provided, this ratio requirement shall not apply to the hiring of classroom teachers.”

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