WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2023 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 3045

By Delegate Dillon

[Introduced January 25, 2023; Referred to the Committee on Education]

A BILL to amend and reenact §18-2E-8g of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to establishing a temporary emergency certification for currently certified professional teachers wishing to obtain certification or endorsement in agriculture education.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 2E. HIGH QUALITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.

§18-2E-8g. Creating successful careers through agricultural education; temporary emergency certification in agriculture; legislative findings.

(a) Findings and intent.— The Legislature finds that through agricultural education students are provided opportunities for leadership development, personal growth, and career success in the science, business, and technology of agriculture. Quality agricultural education instruction is delivered through three major components of classroom and laboratory instruction, supervised agricultural experience programs, and student leadership organizations such as the National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Organization. The Legislature further finds that opportunities to prepare for career success in the science, business, and technology of agriculture should be available to every West Virginia high school student.

(b) To provide opportunities for all state high school students to prepare for successful careers in agriculture and related fields, beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, school districts and multicounty vocational centers are encouraged to make available agricultural programs to high school students, including, but not limited to, such programs that would allow for and support the establishment of a local FFA chapter. Upon the request of any district or multicounty vocational center that does not have an agricultural program, the State Department of Education shall assist the district or multicounty vocational center in establishing agricultural programs available to high school students in the district. To the extent that funding is the primary reason that an agricultural program is not established, the State Department of Education shall report the same to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability.

(c) (1) The Legislature finds that teachers certified in agriculture are in short supply in West Virginia and that agricultural programs authorized to be established by this section requires certified teachers.  In order to meet this teacher shortage of teachers in agriculture, the State Department of Education shall establish a temporary emergency certification for currently certified professional teachers wishing to obtain certification or endorsement in agriculture education by passing the Praxis II 5701 Agriculture exam with a score of at least 147.  Candidates for temporary emergency certification in agriculture shall be currently certified as professional teachers.

(2) Temporary emergency certification for agriculture education shall expire June 30 of the third year of temporary certification. Teachers seeking renewal shall do so through the Department of Education. After the expiration of initial temporary certification, a certificate may be renewed for two additional years in one year increments. No fee may be assessed for initial certification or renewal other than fees associated with testing through Educational Test Services for teachers certified in agriculture.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to establish a temporary emergency certification for currently certified professional teachers wishing to obtain certification or endorsement in agriculture education.

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