Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION
                  Enrolled Senate Bill 806
                By Senator Grady [Passed March 7, 2024; in effect 90 days from passage]
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  AN ACT to amend and reenact §18-2-12 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; to
         amend and reenact §18-5B-7 of said code; to repeal §18-5F-6 of said code; to repeal §18-
         9A-7a of said code; to amend and reenact §18-9F-8 of said code; and to amend and
         reenact §18A-3C-3 of said code, all relating to the Legislative Oversight Commission on
         Education Accountability; removing required submission of plan to implement and update
         computer science instruction and learning standards in the public schools; removing
         required submission of annual report on innovation zones and the progress of innovation
         zone plans; removing required report on all aspects of the program at the end of the first
         year a virtual instruction program is implemented; removing required report on proposed
        revisions to the calculation of the allowance for service personnel to provide additional
        funded service personnel positions for lower-population density districts covering a large
        geographic areas; revising School Building Authority reporting on the school access safety
        and crisis response article to require the authority to report annually on its duties under the
        article; and removing requirement for review of the progress of the implementation of the
        comprehensive systems of support for teacher and leader induction and professional
        growth.
     Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
     ARTICLE              2.            STATE             BOARD             OF            EDUCATION.
     §18-2-12. Computer science courses of instruction; learning standards; state board plan development.
         (a) Legislative findings:
         (1) Computer technology increasingly is pervasive in nearly every function of society from
  consumer products to transportation, communications, electrical infrastructure, logistics,
  agriculture, medical treatments, research, security, and financial transactions;
         (2) The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2024, there will be more than
  800,000 new jobs in the STEM fields and more than two thirds of these directly will be in computing
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  occupations;
         (3) Studying computer science prepares students to enter many career areas, both within
  and outside of computing, teaching them logical reasoning, algorithmic thinking, design, and
 structured problem-solving skills applicable in many contexts from science and engineering to the
 humanities and business;
        (4) Computer science is an established discipline at the collegiate and post-graduate
 levels but, unfortunately, computer science concepts and courses have not kept pace in the K-12
 curriculum, to the point that the nation faces a serious shortage of computer scientists at all levels
 that is likely to continue for the foreseeable future; and
        (5) Organizations such as the Computer Science Teachers Association, the International
 Society for Technology in Education, and technology industry leaders have developed
 recommendations for standards, curriculum, and instructional resources for computer technology
 learning in K-12 schools.
        (6) Foundational age-appropriate instruction in the computer science field for all students
 beginning in elementary school with required and optional advanced computer science instruction
 for middle school and high school students has become an important component of a well-
 developed education. Computer science standards should align to relevant aspects of the field
 such as computational thinking, block-based programming, text-based programming, network
 communication, computer architecture, coding, application development, and cyber security.
 Computer science education standards should be established to ensure students have the
 fundamentals to be successful in a digital-driven world and the advanced knowledge to prepare
 them for careers in or linked to computer science.
        (b) Nothing in this section requires adoption or implementation of any specific
 recommendation or any level of appropriation by the Legislature.
        (c) Recognizing the importance of computer science instruction and how computer science
 instruction will assist students in their transition to post-secondary opportunities, the state board
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 shall adopt a policy detailing the appropriate level of computer science instruction that shall be
 available to students at each programmatic level.
        (d) The West Virginia Department of Education shall develop and offer professional
 development opportunities to ensure educators are equipped with the requisite knowledge and
 skill to deliver computer science instruction as outlined in this section. The department may
 partner with high-quality computer science professional learning providers in developing and
 offering the professional development opportunities.
     ARTICLE             5B.          SCHOOL               INNOVATION              ZONES            ACT.
     §18-5B-7. Progress reviews and annual reports.
         At least annually, the state board or its designated committee shall review the progress of
  the development or implementation of an innovation zone plan. If, following such a review, the
  state board determines that a designated school, group of schools, subdivision or department of a
  group of schools, subdivision or department of a school or a school created by a state institution of
  higher education in accordance with section nine of this article has not made adequate progress
  toward developing or implementing its plan, the board shall submit a report to the designated
  school, group of schools, subdivision or department of a group of schools, subdivision or
  department of a school or a school created by a state institution of higher education in accordance
  with section nine of this article identifying its areas of concern. The state board or its designated
 committee may conduct an additional review within six months of submitting a report in
 accordance with this section. If, following such additional review, the state board or its designated
 committee determines that the designated school, group of schools, subdivision or department of
 a group of schools, subdivision or department of a school or a school created by a state institution
 of higher education in accordance with section nine of this article has not made adequate progress
 toward developing or implementing its innovation zone plan, the state board may revoke the
 designation as an innovation zone or, if the innovation zone plan has been approved in
 accordance with section five of this article, rescind its approval of the plan.
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    ARTICLE        5F.     ACCESSIBILITY         AND        EQUITY       IN   PUBLIC        EDUCATION
           ENHANCEMENT ACT.
    §18-5F-6.    Report to Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability.
        [Repealed.]
    ARTICLE                    9A.            PUBLIC                    SCHOOL               SUPPORT.
    §18-9A-7a. Report on alternate method for funding student transportation costs required.
        [Repealed.]
    ARTICLE 9F. SCHOOL ACCESS SAFETY ACT.
    §18-9F-8. Report.
        The authority shall report to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education
 Accountability regarding its duties under this article, including but not limited to:
        (1) County school access safety plans or annual plan updates;
        (2) Allocations, transfers, and disbursements of School Access Safety Fund moneys; and
        (3) Collaboration with the state board and the Division of Homeland Security and
 Emergency Management in   complying with the provisions of   this article.
    ARTICLE              3C.         IMPROVING             TEACHING            AND          LEARNING.
    §18A-3C-3. Comprehensive system for teacher and leader induction and professional growth.
        (a) The intent of the Legislature is to allow for local-level implementation of comprehensive
 systems of support for building professional practice consistent with sound educational practices
 and resources available. In this regard, it is the intent of the Legislature that the comprehensive
 systems of support shall incorporate support for improved professional performance that begins
 with meaningful assistance for beginning teachers and leaders and also is targeted on
 deficiencies identified through the educator personnel evaluation process and other professional
 development needs identified in the strategic plans for continuous improvement of schools and
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  school systems. Further, because of significant variability among the counties, not only in the size
  of their teaching force, distribution of facilities and available resources, but also because of their
 varying needs, the Legislature intends for the implementation of this section to be accomplished in
 a manner that provides adequate flexibility to the counties to design and implement a
 comprehensive system of support for improving professional performance that best achieves the
 goals of this section within the county. Finally, because of the critical importance of ensuring that all
 teachers perform at the accomplished level or higher in the delivery of instruction that at least
 meets the West Virginia Professional Teaching Standards, and because achieving this objective at
 a minimum entails providing assistance to address the needs as indicated by the data informed
 results of annual performance evaluations, including the self-assessed needs of the teachers
 themselves, the Legislature expects the highest priority for county and state professional
 development will be on meeting these needs and that the comprehensive systems of support for
 improving professional practice will reflect substantial redirection of existing professional
 development resources toward this highest priority.
         (b) On or before July 1, 2018, the state board shall publish guidelines on the design and
 implementation of a county-level comprehensive system of support for improving professional
 practice. The purpose of the guidelines is to assist the county board with the design and
 implementation of a system that best achieves the goals of this section within the county. The
 guidelines may include examples of best practices and resources available to county boards to
 assist them with the design and implementation of a comprehensive system of support and may
 include guidelines for the design and implementation of a teacher leader framework committed to
 improving the quality of instruction.
         (c) Effective for the school year beginning July 1, 2018, and thereafter, a county board is
 not eligible to receive state funding appropriated for the purposes of this section or any other
 provision of law related to beginning teacher and principal internships and mentor teachers and
 principals unless it has adopted a plan for implementation of a comprehensive system of support
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 for improving professional practice, the plan has been verified by the state board as meeting the
 requirements of this section and the county is implementing the plan. The plan shall address the
 following:
          (1) The manner in which the county will provide the strong school-based support and
 supervision that will assist beginning teachers in developing instructional and management
 strategies, procedural and policy expertise, and other professional practices they need to be
 successful in the classroom and perform at the accomplished level. Nothing in this subdivision
 prohibits a school, or school system that was granted an exception or waiver, from §18A-3-2c of
 this code prior to the effective date of this section from continuing implementation of the program in
 accordance with the exception or waiver;
          (2) The manner in which the county will provide the strong support and supervision that will
 assist beginning principals in developing instructional leadership, supervisory, and management
 strategies, procedural and policy expertise, and other professional practices they need to be
 successful in leading continuous school improvement and performing at the accomplished level or
 above;
          (3) The manner in which the county, in cooperation with the teacher preparation programs
 in this state, will provide strong school-based support and assistance necessary to make student
 teaching a productive learning experience;
          (4) The manner in which the county will use the data from the educator performance
 evaluation system to serve as the basis for providing professional development specifically
 targeted on the area or areas identified through the evaluation process as needing improvement. If
 possible, this targeted professional development should be delivered at the school site using
 collaborative processes, mentoring or coaching or other approaches that maximize use of the
 instructional setting;
          (5) The manner in which the county will use the data from the educator performance
 evaluation system to serve as the basis for establishing priorities for the provision of county-level
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 professional development when aggregate evaluation data from the county’s schools indicates an
 area or areas of needed improvement;
        (6) If a county uses master teachers, mentors, academic coaches, or any other
 approaches using individual employees to provide support, supervision, or other professional
 development or training to other employees for the purpose of improving their professional
 practice, the manner in which the county will select each of these individual employees based
 upon demonstrated superior performance and competence as well as the manner in which the
 county will coordinate support for these employees. If the duties of the position are to provide
 mentoring to an individual teacher at only one school, then priority shall be given to applicants
 employed at the school at which those duties will be performed;
        (7) The manner in which the county will use local resources available, including, but not
 limited to, funds for professional development and academic coaches, to focus on the priority
 professional development goals of this section;
        (8) The manner in which the county will adjust its scheduling, use of substitutes,
 collaborative planning time, calendar, or other measures as may be necessary to provide sufficient
 time for professional personnel to accomplish the goals of this section as set forth in the county's
 plan; and
        (9) The manner in which the county will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of
 implementation and outcomes of the county system of support for improving professional practice.
        (d) Effective the school year beginning July 1, 2020, and thereafter, appropriations for
 supporting county level implementation of the comprehensive systems of support for teacher and
 leader induction and professional growth pursuant to §18-9A-10 of this code and any new
 appropriation which may be made for the purposes of this section shall be expended by county
 boards only to accomplish the activities as set forth in their county plan pursuant to this section.
 Effective the school year beginning July 1, 2020, and thereafter, any employee service or
 employment as a mentor is not subject to the provisions of this code governing extra duty
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  contracts. A county board may adopt a teacher leader framework designed to accomplish the
  purposes of this section related to teacher induction and professional growth and, if the county
  board adopts a county salary supplement pursuant to §18A-4-5a of this code to provide additional
  compensation to teachers who, in addition to teaching duties, are assigned other duties for new
  teacher induction, improving professional practice and furthering professional growth among
  teachers as set forth in the county's comprehensive system of support, then appropriations made
  for supporting the purposes of this section may be applied to that salary supplement and other
  associated costs which may include a reduction in the teaching load of the teacher leader.
         (e) The Department of Education shall assist county boards with the design and
  implementation of a teacher leader framework to accomplish the teacher induction and
  professional growth aspects of their comprehensive systems of support pursuant to this section.
  The goals of a teacher leader framework are to achieve:
         (1) Increased student achievement and growth through the development of a shared
  leadership structure at the school level;
        (2) Broader dissemination and use of effective teacher strategies through an increase in
 teacher collaboration; and
        (3) Stronger and more positive school and district culture through the development and
 retention of highly effective teachers.
        (f) The Department of Education may form networks among schools or school systems, or
 both, of comparable size and interests for the design and implementation of teacher leader
 frameworks that are:
        (A) Driven by varying district and school needs;
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