WEST virginia Legislature
2017 regular session
Introduced
Senate Bill 640
By Senators Prezioso, Sypolt and Unger
[Introduced March 17, 2017;
Referred
to the Committee on Education]
A BILL to amend and reenact §18-8-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to school attendance directors; and adjusting requirements for hiring an attendance director.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §18-8-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 8. COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
§18-8-3. Employment of county director of school attendance and assistants; qualifications; salary and traveling expenses; removal.
(a) The county board of education of every county, not later than August 1, of each year, shall employ the equivalent of a full-time county director of school attendance if such county has a net enrollment of more than four thousand pupils, at least a half-time director of school attendance if such county has a net enrollment equal to or less than four thousand pupils and such assistant attendance directors as deemed necessary. All persons to be employed as attendance directors shall have the written recommendation of the county superintendent.
(b) The county board of education may establish special
and professional qualifications for attendance directors and assistants as are
deemed expedient and proper and are consistent with regulations of the State
Board of Education relating thereto: Provided, That if the position of
attendance director has been posted, the county may employ a person who
holds full attendance certification or a person who holds a professional
administrative certificate with five or more years of experience. and no
fully certified applicant applies, the county may employ a person who holds a
professional administrative certificate and meets the special and professional
qualifications established by the county board as attendance director and that
person shall not be required to obtain attendance director certification
(c) The attendance director or assistant director shall be paid a monthly salary as fixed by the county board. The attendance director or assistant director shall prepare attendance reports, and such other reports as the county superintendent may request.
(d) The county board of education shall reimburse the attendance directors or assistant directors for their necessary traveling expenses upon presentation of a monthly, itemized, sworn statement approved by the county superintendent.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to allow counties to hire persons with professional administrative certificates and five years of experience as attendance directors.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.