H. B. 2094
(By Delegate Browning)
[Introduced January 20, 1995; referred to the
Committee on Education.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section fifteen, article five,
chapter eighteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand
nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to providing
that students who are expelled from school, whether such
school is in state or out of state, cannot re-enroll without
approval of the superintendent of the county where the
student seeks enrollment.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section fifteen, article five, chapter eighteen of the
code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 5. COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.
§18-5-15. School term; exception; levies; ages of persons to
whom schools are open.
(a) The board shall provide a school term for its schools
which shall be comprised of: (1) An employment term for
teachers; and (2) an instructional term for pupils. Nothing in
this section shall prohibit the establishment of year-round
schools in accordance with rules to be established by the state
board.
The employment term for teachers shall be no less than ten
months, a month to be defined as twenty employment days exclusive
of Saturdays and Sundays: Provided, That the board may contract
with all or part of the personnel for a longer term. The
employment term shall be fixed within such beginning and closing
dates as established by the state board: Provided, however, That
the time between the beginning and closing dates does not exceed
forty-three weeks.
Within the employment term there shall be an instructional
term for pupils of not less than one hundred eighty nor more than one hundred eighty-five instructional days: Provided, That the
minimum instructional term may be decreased, by order of the
state superintendent of schools, in any West Virginia county
declared to be a federal disaster area by the federal emergency
management agency. Instructional and noninstructional activities
may be scheduled during the same employment day.
Noninstructional interruptions to the instructional day shall be
minimized to allow the classroom teacher to teach. The
instructional term shall commence no earlier than the
twenty-sixth day of August and shall terminate no later than the
eighth day of June: Provided, however, That the state board of
education shall evaluate data which shall be submitted by each
county by the first of June, one thousand nine hundred
ninety-four, regarding the climate control conditions, such as
air conditioning and related information at each school in the
county, and how these conditions impact on the instructional
term.
The criterion referenced test mandated in section two, article two-e of this chapter shall not be required to be given
during school year one thousand nine hundred ninety-three --
ninety-four.
Noninstructional days in the employment term may be used for
making up canceled instructional days, curriculum development,
preparation for opening and closing of the instructional term,
in-service and professional training of teachers,
teacher-pupil-parent conferences, professional meetings and other
related activities. In addition, each board shall designate and
schedule for teachers and service personnel six days to be used
by the employee outside the school environment. However, no more
than eight noninstructional days, except holidays, may be
scheduled prior to the first day of January in a school term.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law to the
contrary, if the board has canceled instructional days equal to
the difference between the total instructional days scheduled and
one hundred seventy-eight, each succeeding instructional day
canceled shall be rescheduled, utilizing only the remaining noninstructional days, except holidays, following such
cancellation, which are available prior to the second day before
the end of the employment term established by such county board.
Where the employment term overlaps a teacher's or service
personnel's participation in a summer institute or institution of
higher education for the purpose of advancement or professional
growth, the teacher or service personnel may substitute, with the
approval of the county superintendent, such participation for not
more than five of the noninstructional days of the employment
term.
The board may extend the instructional term beyond one
hundred eighty-five instructional days provided the employment
term is extended an equal number of days. If the state revenues
and regular levies, as provided by law, are insufficient to
enable the board of education to provide for the school term, the
board may at any general or special election, if petitioned by at
least five percent of the qualified voters in the district,
submit the question of additional levies to the voters. If at the election a majority of the qualified voters cast their
ballots in favor of the additional levy, the board shall fix the
term and lay a levy necessary to pay the cost of the additional
term. The additional levy fixed by the election shall not
continue longer than five years without submission to the voters.
The additional rate shall not exceed by more than one hundred
percent the maximum school rate prescribed by article eight,
chapter eleven of the code, as amended.
(b) The public schools shall be open for the full
instructional term to all persons who have attained the entrance
age as stated in section five, article two and section eighteen,
article five, chapter eighteen of this code: Provided, That any
student suspended or expelled from public or private school,
whether such school is located in this state or outside this
state, shall only be permitted to enroll in public school upon
the approval of the superintendent of the county where the
student seeks enrollment: Provided, however, That in making such
decision, the principal of the school in which the student may enroll shall be consulted by the superintendent and the principal
may make a recommendation to the superintendent concerning the
student's enrollment in his or her new school: Provided further,
That if enrollment to public school is denied by the
superintendent, the student may petition the board of education
where the student seeks enrollment.
Persons over the age of twenty-one may enter only those
programs or classes authorized by the state board of education
and deemed appropriate by the county board of education
conducting any such program or class: Provided, That
authorization for such programs or classes shall in no way serve
to affect or eliminate programs or classes offered by county
boards of education at the adult level for which fees are charged
to support such programs or classes.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide that a student
expelled from school cannot re-enroll in another school in this
state without the approval of the superintendent of the county
wherein such student is attempting to re-enroll, regardless of
whether the expulsion occurred in state or out of state.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken
from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language
that would be added.