SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 63

(By Senators Boley, Unger, Stollings and Ashley)

[Introduced March 5, 2016]

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study the demand for, and shortage of, teachers throughout West Virginia.

Whereas, The West Virginia State Superintendent of Schools has stated that there are approximately six hundred classroom vacancies for educational personnel; and

Whereas, The Nationwide Listing of Teacher Shortage Areas produced by the United States Department of Education recognizes critical shortages of teachers in nearly every county of the state and in most disciplines in the curriculum from prekindergarten to grade twelve; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to study the demand for, and shortage of, teachers throughout West Virginia; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the areas to be investigated should include, but not be limited to, the following matters: The shortage of teachers, by subject, in the elementary grades, middle grades and high school grades based upon posted position openings; the number of teachers licensed or certified in West Virginia by subject in elementary, middle school and high school education for the past ten years; the number of students graduating from a West Virginia institution of higher education with an undergraduate degree in education for the past ten years; the number of teachers currently teaching outside their area of specialty, broken down by county and by elementary, middle and high school; and the current methods and requirements for teacher certification that exist for elementary and secondary education teachers in this state; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2017, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.