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Introduced Version Senate Bill 329 History

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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
Senate Bill No. 329

(By Senators Oliverio, Minard, Prezioso, Hunter and Kessler)

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[Introduced January 24, 2008; referred to the Committee on Education; and then to the Committee on Finance.]

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A BILL to amend and reenact §18A-4-2b of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to including school psychologists and school nurses with other professional school personnel for a salary supplement and reimbursement for achieving national board certification.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §18A-4-2b of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 4. SALARIES, WAGES AND OTHER BENEFITS.
§18A-4-2b. State minimum salary supplement for professional personnel with recognized national certification in speech-language pathology, audiology or counseling.

(a) (1) The Legislature finds that achieving a nationally recognized professional certification in speech-language pathology or audiology involves a rigorous process of demonstrating both knowledge and skills and results in highly trained and capable employees. Individuals who attain the national professional certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) provide needed and essential services to the school students of this state and, consequently, should be encouraged to achieve and maintain the national board certification through reimbursement of expenses and a salary bonus which reflects their additional certification, to be paid in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.
(2) The Legislature further finds and declares that the rigorous standards and processes for advanced certification by either the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) or the West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling (WVBEC) helps to promote the quality of counseling in schools. Counselors in the public schools of West Virginia should be encouraged to achieve and maintain the advanced certification through reimbursement of expenses and a salary bonus that reflects their additional certification, to be paid in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.
(3) The Legislature further finds that achieving a national recognized professional certification in school psychology involves a rigorous process of demonstrating competencies in scientific research based knowledge and skills. School psychologists provide assessment, counseling and consultation to students, teachers, school administrators and parents. Individuals who attain the national professional certification by the National Association of School Psychologists provide services to students, families and school systems in this state and should be encouraged to achieve and maintain the national board certification through reimbursement of expenses and a salary bonus which reflects their additional certification, to be paid in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.
(4) The Legislature further finds that achieving a nationally recognized professional certification in school nursing involves a rigorous process of demonstrating competencies in health care and nursing applications, knowledge and skills. School nurses provide assessment, counseling and consultation to students, teachers, school administrators and parents. School nurses who attain the national professional certification provide services to students, families and school systems in this state and should be encouraged to achieve and maintain the national board certification through reimbursement of expenses and a salary bonus which reflects their additional certification, to be paid in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.
(3) (5) Therefore, the purpose of this section is to provide a statewide salary supplement for certain professional personnel employed in the public schools who hold a nationally recognized professional certification in speech-language pathology, audiology or counseling, to treat the professional certification equally, to encourage others to attain such a certification and to help school systems with recruitment of these highly qualified professionals.
(b) In addition to any amounts prescribed in the applicable state minimum salary schedule, effective the first day of July, two thousand six, any professional personnel who hold national certification or other credential as provided in this section must be paid an annual salary supplement of two thousand five hundred dollars. The payment is:
(1) To be made in equal monthly installments;
(2) To be considered a part of the state minimum salaries for teachers; and
(3) To continue for the life of the certification, or for ten years for any one certification, whichever first expires.
(c) Effective the first day of July, two thousand six, professional personnel employed as speech-language pathologists, audiologists, school psychologists, school nurses or counselors are eligible upon enrollment for reimbursement for one half of the fee for certification in accordance with this section. In addition, these personnel are eligible upon attainment of the certification for reimbursement of the remainder of the application fee plus other expenses actually incurred toward attainment of the certification, not exceeding six hundred dollars, upon approval by the Department of Education. No more than one hundred speech-language pathologists, audiologists and counselors, combined total, are eligible for reimbursement in any one fiscal year.
(d) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, no more than one hundred speech-language pathologists, audiologists, school psychologists, school nurses and counselors, combined total, shall be paid the annual salary supplement provided for in said subsection (b) during the first year of implementation. The number of speech-language pathologists, audiologists, school psychologists, school nurses and counselors paid the annual salary supplement provided for in said subsection (b) may not exceed an additional one hundred qualified recipients in each of the subsequent fiscal years. The state board shall promulgate a legislative rule establishing criteria for selection of the individuals eligible for reimbursement and a salary supplement in accordance with this section. The selection criteria shall prioritize the length of time the certification has been held and the years of experience of the holder in determining eligibility.
(e) The board shall report the rule to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability by the January, two thousand seven, legislative interim meeting period and shall report on its progress in developing the rule to the commission during each prior interim meeting period.
(f) Payment of the supplement and reimbursement provided in this section is subject to legislative appropriation; therefore nothing in this section requires any appropriation, or any specific level of appropriation, by the Legislature.
(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or the provisions of section two-a of this article, professional personnel may not be paid a salary supplement pursuant to the provisions of both said sections.



NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to include school psychologists and school nurses with other professional school personnel for a salary supplement and reimbursement for achieving national board certification.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
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