ENGROSSED
Senate Bill No. 784
(By Senators Plymale, Edgell, Dempsey, Oliverio, Boley, Guills
and Sprouse)
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[Originating in the Committee on Education;
reported February 24, 2006.]
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A BILL to amend and reenact §18A-3-3 of the Code of West Virginia,
1931, as amended, relating to allowing professional
development in lieu of semester hours for certificate renewal;
and providing for permanent certification upon achieving
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
certification.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §18A-3-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, LICENSING, PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT.
§18A-3-3. Renewal of certificates; permanent certification.
Until the person qualifies for a permanent certificate, any
professional or first class certificate based upon a bachelor's
degree shall be renewable provided the holder: (1) Files application on a prescribed form with the State Department of
Education; (2) presents an official transcript of six semester
hours of approved credit
or documentation of equivalent
professional development approved by the State Department of
Education, as may be prescribed by the state board:
Provided, That
such the renewal is completed after the beginning of the period of
validity of the certificate to be renewed and within the five-year
period immediately preceding the date of application for renewal;
(3) successfully completes a beginning teacher internship program,
if applicable; and (4) submits a recommendation based on successful
teaching experience from the county superintendent of schools of
the county in which the holder last taught or resides.
The holder of a professional certificate, valid for five
years, shall have the certificate made permanent upon meeting
either of the following requirements: (1) Completion of the second
renewal, in accordance with the provisions set forth in (2) above;
(2) after five years of service in the public schools, presentation
of a transcript showing the completion of requirements for a
master's degree from an institution of higher education accredited
to offer the master's degree and in a program relevant to the
public school program or completes the fifth year of training
leading to a bachelor's degree in library science from a school
fully approved by the American library association;
or (3) receives
certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. In either event the person must file application on a
prescribed form with the State Department of Education and must
submit a recommendation from the county superintendent of schools
of the county in which the person last taught or resides.
All certificates and permits, other than the professional
certificate, shall be renewed in accordance with state board
regulations.
If the applicant seeking renewal has cause to believe that the
county superintendent refuses to give a recommendation without just
cause, the applicant shall have the right, in such case, to appeal
to the state superintendent of schools whose responsibility it
shall be to investigate the matter and issue a certificate if, in
the opinion of the state superintendent, the county
superintendent's recommendation was withheld arbitrarily.
A person who has reached the age of sixty and holds a
renewable certificate, as provided in this section, need not
present renewal credit but shall meet all other renewal
requirements.