SB199 HFAT Ellington 3-26

Kidd 4753

The Committee on Education moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:

A BILL to amend and reenact §18A-5-1 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to addressing student behavior issues; modifying provisions pertaining to student disorderly conduct, interference with an orderly educational process, obstruction of the teaching or learning process of others, threat, abuse, intimidation, attempted intimidation, willful disobedience of a school employee, or abusive or profane language directed at a school employee; adding partnering with a licensed behavioral health agency as any option for county boards to use to correct student behaviors; requiring students in alternative learning centers, in alternative placements, or with a licensed behavioral health agency to meet regularly with a school social worker, behavior specialist, board certified behavior analyst, school psychologist, or other qualified employee with expertise in the behavioral area to address certain behavioral and mental health concerns and to assist in developing a transition plan back to the classroom and with that transition; clarifying that nothing herein may be construed to conflict with certain federal laws; requiring that county board discipline action policies provide that school social workers provide the training of school personnel in alternatives to discipline practices; defining terms; specifying protocol for when a grade kindergarten through six teacher, or a teacher of a publicly funded pre-K school, in an elementary setting determines that the behavior of the student is violent, threatening, or intimidating toward staff or peers, or creates an unsafe learning environment or impedes on the other students’ ability to learn in a safe environment; specifying protocol for when a county board does not have access to a behavioral intervention program; requiring State Board of Education rule which adopts a statewide disciplinary policy; and allowing school counselors, school social workers, or school psychologists to provide behavioral support.

Adopted

Rejected