ENGROSSED
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
SENATE BILL NO. 139
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(Originating in the Committee on Finance;
reported on February 28, 1995.)
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A BILL to amend article three, chapter eighteen-a of the code of
West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section
two-c; to amend and reenact section one, article three-a of
said chapter; and to further amend said article by adding
thereto a new section, designated section two-b, all
relating to the creation of a training program by the center
for professional development known as the "principals
academy" for certified school principals; and the creation
of the "principals of the future project" advisory council
within the center for professional development to develop such training.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article three, chapter eighteen-a of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be
amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section two-
c; that section one, article three-a of said chapter be amended
and reenacted; and that said article be further amended by adding
thereto a new section, designated section two-b, all to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 3. TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, LICENSING, PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT.
§18A-3-2c. Training through the principals academy.
(a) Every person defined in subsection (b) of this section to
whom a professional administrative certificate, endorsed for
serving in the public schools, with specific endorsement as a
principal, in accordance with section two-a of this article, is
issued, shall successfully complete a training program through the
"principals academy", as described in section two-b, article three-
a of said chapter.
(b) The following persons shall be trained through the
principals academy and shall not be hired as a principal in any
public school system in West Virginia until the training is
successfully completed:
(1) Persons receiving certification to be school principals,
in accordance with section two-a of this article, after the first
day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven; except that if
any such person is offered a position in West Virginia as a school
principal within one year of completing his or her certification
requirements, that person may be hired as a school principal, so
long as that person successfully completes the training required by
this section through the principals academy within one year from
the date of employment as a school principal; and
(2) Persons who have received certification to be school
principals, in accordance with section two-a of this article, who
are placed on an improvement plan on or after the first day of
July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven. These persons shall
complete the training program through the principals academy as
soon as the academy may make their admission possible.
(c) Persons who have received certification to be school
principals, in accordance with section two-a of this article,
before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-
seven, who are not on an improvement plan are not required to
successfully complete training through the principals academy in
accordance with this section. However, it is recommended by the Legislature that all school principals complete the training in
order to build continuously improving and high performing schools
and to be active leaders in their schools' communities.
(d) On or before the first day of January, one thousand nine
hundred ninety-six, the state board of education shall approve and
promulgate rules regarding the minimum qualities, proficiencies and
skills that will be required of principals after the first day of
July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven. These minimum
qualities, proficiencies and skills shall be recommended by the
"principals of the future" advisory council, as created in section
one, article three-a of this chapter. These minimum qualities,
proficiencies and skills shall be expanded upon through the
"principals academy" so that certified principals are able to build
continuously improving and high performing schools and to be active
leaders in their schools' communities.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the
state board of education shall promulgate rules, providing for the
employment of principals who transfer from other states and their
training through the principals academy: Provided, That these
principals are subject to the provisions of this section within a
reasonable period of time.
(f) This section shall not be effective unless funding is
received and continued for the principals academy, as described in
section two-b, article three-a of this chapter.
ARTICLE 3A. TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, LICENSING, PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT.
§18A-3A-1.
Center for professional development created; intent;
advisory council.
(a) Teaching is a profession that directly correlates to the
social and economic well-being of a society and its citizens.
Superior teaching is essential to a well educated and productive
populace. The intent of this article is to recognize the value of
professional involvement by experienced educators in building and
maintaining a superior teaching force and to establish avenues for
applying such involvement.
In furtherance of this intent, the center for professional
development is established. The general mission of the center is
to study matters relating to the quality of teaching and management
in the schools of West Virginia and to promote the implementation
of programs and practices to assure the highest quality in teaching
and management. The center shall also perform such duties as are
assigned to it by law.
The center shall consist of nine persons as members: The
secretary of education and the arts, ex officio; the state
superintendent of schools, ex officio; one member of the state
board of education, elected by the state board; two experienced
educators, of whom one shall be a working classroom teacher,
appointed by the governor by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate; and four citizens of the state who are knowledgeable in
matters relevant to the issues addressed by the center appointed by
the governor by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. No
two appointees shall be residents within the same region. The
state superintendent of schools shall convene the first meeting of
the center to elect a chair, vice chair and secretary.
The election and appointment of members shall be made as soon
as possible after the effective date of this section. Of the
initial appointed members, three shall be appointed for two-year
terms and four shall be appointed for four-year terms. All
successive appointments shall be for four-year terms.
The center for professional development shall meet at least
quarterly and the appointed members shall be reimbursed for
reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred in the
performance of their official duties from funds appropriated or otherwise made available for such purposes upon submission of an
itemized statement for the expenses.
The center may employ and fix the compensation of an executive
director and such other persons as may be necessary to carry out
the mission and duties of the center. When practical, personnel
employed by state higher education agencies and state, regional and
county public education agencies shall be made available to the
center to assist in the operation of projects of limited duration.
The center shall contract with existing agencies or agencies
created after the effective date of this section or others to
provide training programs in the most efficient manner. Existing
programs currently based in agencies of the state shall be
continued in the agency of their origin unless the center
establishes a compelling need to transfer or cancel the existing
program. The center shall recommend to the governor the transfer
of funds to the providing agency, if needed, to provide programs
approved by the center.
(b) To assist the center for professional development in the
performance of its duties related to teacher education and
professional development, there is created an advisory council on
professional development which shall consist of eleven persons as follows: An employee of the center who shall chair the advisory
council; two professors, or associate or assistant professors, of
teacher education, one from a public institution and one from a
private institution of higher education in this state offering
programs leading to certification to teach in the public schools of
this state; two county school superintendents, one of whom shall be
from a district with a student enrollment above the statewide
average and one of whom shall be from a district with a student
enrollment below the statewide average; two school principals, one
of whom shall be from a school including elementary grade levels
and one of whom shall be from a school including secondary grade
levels; and four professional instructional personnel, two of whom
shall be from a school including elementary grade levels and two of
whom shall be from a school including secondary grade levels. To
the extent possible, the principals and instructional personnel
shall be appointed from the members of county staff development
councils. Except for the employee of the center, the members shall
be appointed jointly by the secretary of education and the arts and
the state superintendent for two-year terms which overlap so that
one member from each of the classes shall be appointed in each
successive year, except that two members from the professional instructional personnel class shall be appointed in each successive
year. No two members of the council shall be from the same college
or university or school district. Members of the council shall be
granted release time from their employment for attending meetings
of the council.
(c) To assist the center for professional development in the
performance of its duties related to education and professional
development for school principals, there is created a "principals
of the future" advisory council which shall consist of nine persons
as follows: An employee of the center who shall serve as the
chair; three principals, one from an elementary school, one from a
middle school and one from a high school, appointed by the
governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate; one
county school superintendent, appointed by the governor, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate; and four citizen
representatives who are knowledgeable in matters relevant to issues
addressed in this section, appointed by the governor, by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate. Of the initial appointments,
three of the members appointed shall serve for a term of three
years, three members shall serve for a term of two years, and three
members shall serve for a term of one year. All successive appointments shall be for a term of three years. Members of the
council who are public employees shall be granted release time from
their employment for attending meetings of the council. Members
shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses actually
incurred in the performance of their official duties from funds
appropriated or otherwise made available for such purposes upon
submission of an itemized statement for the expenses.
(d) On or before the first day in December, one thousand nine
hundred ninety-five, the center for professional development shall
develop and recommend to the state board of education the minimum
qualities, proficiencies and skills that will be expanded upon in
the training through the principals academy, as described in
section two-b of this article, and that shall be required of
certified school principals so that principals are able to build
continuously improving and high performing schools and able to be
active leaders in their schools' communities. When recommending the
minimum qualities, proficiencies and skills, the following
attributes shall be addressed:
(1) School community leadership qualities: Including, but not
limited to, the ability to organize and leverage community
initiative, coach and motivate employees, communicate effectively, manage change, resolve conflict and reflect the highest personal
values;
(2) Educational proficiencies: Including, but not limited to,
knowledge of curriculum, instruction techniques, student learning
styles, student assessment criteria, school personnel performance,
evaluation skills and familial issues; and
(3) Administrative skills: Including, but not limited to,
organizational, fiscal, public policy, and total quality management
skills and techniques.
(e) Implementation of subsections (c) and (d) of this section
is contingent upon receipt and continuation of funding.
§18A-3A-2b. The principals academy.
Training through the principals academy shall include at least
the following:
(A) Intensive summer training institutes;
(B) Specialized training and professional development programs
for prospective elementary and secondary school principals,
prospective rural and urban school principals and prospective
principals of schools with student populations above and below the
state average; and
(C) A well-developed mentor/apprenticeship program that places prospective and less experienced school principals with exceptional
and accomplished school principals.
Implementation of this section is contingent upon receipt and
continuation of funding.