Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/wvcode/code.cfm?chap=18&art=2E
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 10:18:30+00:00

Document:
§18-2E-1a. Standards, assessment and accountability programs; duties of the state board.
§18-2E-2. National assessment of educational progress program testing.
§18-2E-3a. Honors and advanced placement programs.
§18-2E-3b. Placement advisory committee established.
§18-2E-3f. Building the basics early childhood curriculum; legislative findings; state board rule.
§18-2E-4. Better schools accountability; school, school district and statewide school report cards.
§18-2E-4a. Exception to requirement of mailing school report cards.
§18-2E-5. Process for improving education; education standards; statewide assessment program; accountability measures; Office of Education Performance Audits; school accreditation and school system approval; intervention to correct low performance.
§18-2E-5a. County superintendent employment contract.
§18-2E-5d. Standards for the duration of school bus transportation times for students to and from school.
§18-2E-7. Providing for instruction and learning in all public schools.
§18-2E-8. Creating jobs through education.
§18-2E-8c. The "Robert C. Beach" vocational agriculture credit.
§18-2E-8d. Further expressions of legislative intent with respect to this article; parental consent for substitute classes.
§18-2E-8e. Veteran's honors funeral assistant community service program.
§18-2E-8f. Creating the "West Virginia Remembers Program;" rules.
§18-2E-9. West Virginia virtual school.
§18-2E-10. Transformative system of support for early literacy.
The purpose of this article is to provide for the establishment of high quality educational standards, to provide for the evaluation of student progress in attaining the knowledge and skills essential for them to become productive members of society, and to provide assurances to the public that a thorough and efficient system of education is being provided for all public school children in West Virginia.
(a) Prior to adoption or revision of academic standards in mathematics, English language arts, science and social studies, the state board shall constructively engage with the legislative oversight commission on education accountability as outlined in subsection (b). Prior to adoption of a new statewide summative assessment, the state board shall constructively engage with the legislative oversight commission on education accountability on the assessment program it intends to adopt to measure the progress of public school students in attaining a high quality education. Prior to the full implementation of a new accountability system, state board shall develop and recommend to the legislative oversight commission on education accountability an accountability program to help ensure a thorough and efficient system of schools. In developing the standards, assessment program and the accountability program, the state board shall take into consideration recommendations arising from any legislative interim study undertaken at the direction of the joint committee on government and finance and also shall take into consideration any recommendations made by the legislative oversight commission on education accountability.
Beginning in the school year one thousand nine hundred ninety--ninety-one, and continuing thereafter, national assessment of educational progress program tests shall be administered in academic areas at the various grades designated by the national assessment of educational progress officials to provide comparisons of West Virginia students to a national sample.
Acts, 1996 Reg. Sess., Ch. 114.
(a) The purpose of this section is to provide honors and advanced placement programs to meet the needs of students who have the potential and desire to complete curriculum more demanding than that offered in the regular classroom for their current grade level. Honors programs are those programs offering courses to expand the academic content in a given program of study and may include but shall not be limited to research and in-depth studies, mentorships, content-focused seminars, and extended learning outcomes instruction in the content area. Advanced placement programs are those programs offering classes which are advanced in terms of content and performance expectations of those normally available for the age/grade level of the student and providing credit toward graduation and possible college credit. Advanced placement classes also include those recognized or offered by the college board, postsecondary institutions and other recognized foundations, corporations or institutions.
Curriculum approved under this section shall be designed to advance the achievement of students in the subject area or areas in which the student has achieved at least two of the following three criteria: (a) Demonstrated exceptional ability and interest through past performance, (b) obtained the prerequisite knowledge and skills to perform honors or advanced placement work, and (c) recommended by the student's former or present teachers. Honors and advanced placement curriculum may include advanced placement courses offered through the college board or other public or private foundations, corporations, institutions, or businesses whose courses are generally accepted as leading to advanced placement or standing in a postsecondary institution, accelerated instructional courses offered via satellite and other courses and arrangements, approved by the state board, which provide students an opportunity to advance their learning above that offered through the regular curriculum. To the maximum extent possible, honors and advanced placement courses shall be taught by a regular classroom teacher. Such classroom teacher shall have adequate knowledge in the subject area for the instruction of such course. If a teacher, licensed by the state board, with adequate knowledge in the advanced subject area is not available, an adjunct teacher or other qualified person may be employed, contracted for, or shared between schools to instruct such course: Provided, That the position shall be posted annually prior to the beginning of the school year immediately following the school year in which the adjunct teacher or other qualified person is employed. The state board may grant waivers to existing certification requirements for an adjunct teacher or other qualified person who has an earned bachelors degree and has demonstrated competence in the subject to be taught.
(1) Prior to June 1, 1989, the state board shall establish a program coordinated through the colleges and universities or some other entity, to provide training to teachers in the instruction of honors and advanced placement courses: Provided, That the state board shall not establish an additional certification area for the teaching of honors or advanced placement courses.
(4) Beginning in the school year 1990-91, each county board shall provide in grades nine through twelve honors and advanced placement courses as provided under subsection (a) of this section.
(c) The state board shall designate one employee who is an expert in the area of higher education financial aid, including, but not limited to, loans, grants and work studies, to work on a full-time continuous basis with high school counselors to ensure that all high school students are informed of the availability of financial assistance to attend college.
Gifted students in grades nine through twelve may be served in honors and advanced placement programs as described in section three of this article, pursuant to the student's individualized education program and set forth in the student's four year education plan. Prior to the end of grade eight, a placement advisory committee shall convene for the purpose of determining whether a student should be placed in an honors or advanced placement program pursuant to the placement criteria set forth in section three-a of this article. Upon a determination that placement in one of the programs would be appropriate, the placement advisory committee shall write a four year education plan which will designate honors or advanced placement courses and/or offerings appropriate and agreed to by the school, parent and student.
The four year education plan must be reviewed annually and approved by the parent, student and school. Schools shall be required to deliver the individualized education program as stated in the four year education plan.
Acts, 2005 Reg. Sess., Ch. 91.
(4) Intensive instruction, early detection and intervention to correct student deficiencies in the basic skills of reading, mathematics and English language arts during early childhood education are more effective strategies for improving student performance than the alternatives such as grade level retention, social promotion and referral for special services and can lessen the prevalence of low basic skills as a contributing factor in student truancy, delinquency and dropout rates.
(b) Intent and purpose. -- The intent and purpose of this section is to establish the priority for early childhood education to provide intensive instruction in the basic skills of reading, mathematics and English language arts, along with early detection and intervention strategies to correct student deficiencies, to address the findings of this section.
(5) Any other provisions considered necessary by the state board to achieve the intent and purpose of this section.
(a) For the purpose of providing information to the parents of public school children and the general public on the quality of education in the public schools which is uniform and comparable between schools within and among the various school districts, the state board shall provide a uniform format for school, school district and statewide school report cards and shall promulgate rules concerning the collection and reporting of data and the preparation of report cards under this section. The format shall provide for brief, concise reporting in nontechnical language of required information. Any technical or explanatory material a county board wishes to include shall be contained in a separate appendix available upon request.
(4) The name or names of the business partner or partners of the school.
(c) The school district report card shall include the data for each school for each separately listed applicable indicator and the aggregate of the data for all schools, as applicable, in the county for each indicator. The statewide school report card shall include the data for each county for each separately listed indicator and the aggregate for all counties for each indicator.
(d) The report cards shall be prepared using actual local school, county, state, regional and national data indicating the present performance of the school and also shall include the state norms and the upcoming year’s targets for the school and the county board.
The state board shall provide technical assistance to each county board in preparing the school and school district report cards.
Each county board shall prepare report cards in accordance with the guidelines set forth in this section. The school district report cards shall be presented at a regular school board meeting subject to applicable notice requirements and shall be made available to a newspaper of general circulation serving the district. The school and school district report cards shall be made easily accessible on, or through a report card icon or link on, the county board website and provided in paper form upon request to the parent or parents, guardian or custodian of a child enrolled in that school. In addition, each county board shall submit the completed report cards to the state board which shall make copies available to any person requesting them. The report cards shall be completed and disseminated prior to January 1, 1989, and in each year thereafter, and shall be based upon information for the current school year, or for the most recent school year for which the information is available, in which case the year shall be clearly footnoted.
(2) The names of the county school superintendent and every assistant and associate superintendent and their area of school administration.
(f) The state board shall develop and implement a separate report card for nontraditional public schools pursuant to the appropriate provisions of this section to the extent practicable.
Notwithstanding the provisions of section four of this article requiring school report cards to be mailed directly to the parent or parents of each child enrolled in the school, such report cards may, at the option of the county board of education, be mailed as provided in said section four or be given to each child for delivery to his or her parent, parents, custodian or legal guardian: Provided, That if the school report card is delivered by the child, written verification must be received by the school indicating the parent, parents, custodian or legal guardian has received the school report card.
(5) The intent of the Legislature in enacting this section is to establish a process through which the Legislature, the Governor and the state board will constructively consult on any measures affecting standards, assessments and accountability prior to their adoption, examine the performance and progress of students, schools and school systems and, when necessary, consider alternative measures to ensure that all students continue to receive the thorough and efficient education to which they are entitled. However, nothing in this section requires any specific level of funding by the Legislature.
(b) Electronic county and school strategic improvement plans. — The state board shall promulgate a rule consistent with this section and in accordance with article three-b, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code establishing an electronic county strategic improvement plan for each county board and an electronic school strategic improvement plan for each public school in this state. Each respective plan shall be for a period of no more than five years and shall include the mission and goals of the school or school system to improve student, school or school system performance and progress, as applicable. The strategic plan shall be revised annually in each area in which the school or system is below the standard on the annual performance measures. The plan shall be revised when required pursuant to this section to include each annual performance measure upon which the school or school system fails to meet the standard for performance and progress, the action to be taken to meet each measure, a separate time line and a date certain for meeting each measure, a cost estimate and, when applicable, the assistance to be provided by the department and other education agencies to improve student, school or school system performance and progress to meet the annual performance measure.
The department shall make available to all public schools through its website or the West Virginia Education Information System an electronic school strategic improvement plan boilerplate designed for use by all schools to develop an electronic school strategic improvement plan which incorporates all required aspects and satisfies all improvement plan requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act or subsequent federal law.
(17) Any other areas determined by the state board.
(10) Collection of personal data as part of the assessment process except for what is necessary for the student’s instruction, academic and college and career search needs is prohibited.
(6) Students scoring at or above average attainment on SAT or ACT tests.
(6) Any other indicators as determined by the state board.
Each county board of education shall use the statewide electronic information system established by the state board for data collection and reporting to the state Department of Education.
(3) The review of school and school system electronic strategic improvement plans.
(3) Targeting additional resources when necessary to improve performance and progress.
The state board shall make the performance measures information available to the Legislature, the Governor, the general public and to any individual who requests the information, subject to the provisions of any act or rule restricting the release of information.
(i) Early detection and intervention programs. — Based on the assessment of student, school and school system performance and progress, the state board shall establish early detection and intervention programs using the available resources of the Department of Education, or other resources as appropriate, to assist underachieving schools and school systems to improve performance before conditions become so grave as to warrant more substantive state intervention. Assistance shall include, but is not limited to, providing additional technical assistance and programmatic, professional staff development, and providing monetary, staffing and other resources where appropriate.
(j) The state board may employ experienced education professionals, who serve at the will and pleasure of the state board, to coordinate on site and school system improvement efforts with staff at the State Department of Education to support schools and school systems in improving education performance measures.
(B) Will ensure compliance with federal law and applicable state laws, policies and standards at a minimum.
(3) Exercise other powers and actions the state board determines necessary to fulfill its duties of general supervision of the schools and school systems of West Virginia.
(l) School system approval. — The state board annually shall review the information submitted for each school system from the system of education performance measures and issue to each county board an approval status in compliance with federal law and established by state board rule.
(m) Nonapproval for extraordinary circumstances.
(1) The state board shall establish and adopt additional standards to identify school systems in which the program may be nonapproved and the state board may issue nonapproval status whenever extraordinary circumstances exist as defined by the state board.
(E) Take any direct action necessary to correct the extraordinary circumstance.
(3) That the conditions precedent to intervention exist as provided in this section and that the state board had previously intervened in the operation of the same school system and had concluded that intervention within the preceding five years.
(11) Ensuring that the needed capacity is available from the state and local level to assist the school or school system in achieving the standards and alleviating the deficiencies.
(3) Active involvement by the county board in the improvement process, working in tandem with the county superintendent to gather, analyze and interpret data, write time-specific goals to correct deficiencies, prepare and implement action plans and allocate or request from the Department of Education the resources, including board development training and coaching, necessary to achieve approved goals and action plans and sustain system and school improvement.
At least once each year during the period of intervention, the state board shall appoint a designee to assess the readiness of the county board to accept the return of control of the system or school from the state board and sustain the improvements, and shall make a report and recommendations to the state board supported by documented evidence of the progress made on the goals and action plans. The state board may return any portion of control of the operations of the school system or end the intervention in its entirety by a majority vote. If the state board determines at the fifth annual assessment that the county board is still not ready to accept return of control by the state board and sustain the improvements, the state board shall hold a public hearing in the affected county at which the attendance by all members of the county board is requested so that the reasons for continued intervention and the concerns of the citizens of the county may be heard. The state board may continue the intervention only after it holds the public hearing and may require revision of the goals and action plans. The state board must thereafter hold a public hearing after each annual assessment beyond the fifth year. If a school system is in intervention status on the effective date of this provision, the total years of intervention shall be calculated from the date of initial intervention.
Following the termination of an intervention in the operation of a school system and return of full control by the state board, the support for governance education and development shall continue as needed for up to three years. If at any time within this three years, the state board determines that intervention in the operation of the school system is again necessary, the state board shall again hold a public hearing in the affected county so that the reasons for the intervention and the concerns of the citizens of the county may be heard prior to intervening.
(a) The Legislature previously granted authority to the state board to intervene in the operation of a county school system in section five, article two-e of this chapter. Part of the authority given is the authority of the state board to declare that the office of the county superintendent is vacant. County boards enter into contracts to employ persons as superintendents for a term of years which creates substantial rights and obligations. Although the statute provides that the state board may declare the office of the county superintendent vacant, the statute did not specifically give the state board authority to void the contract of the county superintendent. The intent of this section is to clarify what contractual obligations continue after removal.
(b) Whenever the state board intervenes in the operation of a school system and the office of the county superintendent is declared vacant pursuant to section five, article two-e of this chapter, the state board may, for any intervention which is instituted after the effective date of this section, void any existing employment contract between the county board and the county superintendent.
(c) Whenever a county board elects a county superintendent and enters into a written contract of employment with the superintendent, the county board shall include within the contract a conspicuous clause that informs the superintendent that if the state board intervenes in the operation of the county school system pursuant to section five, article two-e of this chapter, the state board may vacate the office and void the employment contract.
(3) For high school students, sixty minutes.
(2) Receives the written permission of the state board to create the route.
(c) A county board may not create, nor may the state board permit, the creation of a new bus route for the transportation of students in any of the grade levels prekindergarten through grade five to and from any school included in a school closure, consolidation or new construction project approved after July 1, 2008, which exceeds by more than thirty minutes the recommended duration of the one-way school bus transportation time for elementary students adopted by the state board in accordance with subsection (a) of this section.
(d) The state board shall provide technical assistance to county boards with the objective of achieving school bus transportation routes for students which are within the recommended time durations established by the state board.
It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly and intentionally to falsely report any information required under this article.
Any person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in the county jail for not more than one year, or fined not more than $1,000, or both.
(8) Teachers must understand how to use technology to create classroom assessments for accurate, timely measurements of student proficiency in attainment of academic content.
(2) For student use for homework, remedial work, personalized learning, independent learning, career planning and adult basic education.
(10) Providing resources to support basic skills acquisition and improvement at the above mastery and distinguished levels.
(21) Other provisions as considered appropriate, necessary or both to align with applicable guidelines, policies, rules, regulations and requirements of the West Virginia Legislature, the Board of Education and the Department of Education.
(e) Any state code and budget references to the Basic Skills/Computer Education Program and the SUCCESS Initiative will be understood to refer to the statewide technology initiative referenced in this section, commonly referred to as the 21st Century Tools for 21st Century Schools Technology Initiative.
(a) Findings and intent. -- The Legislature finds that the Governor, the Legislature, the state board and the people of West Virginia established goals for education through an education summit and series of town meetings in the summer of the year 1990, and that these goals were codified in section four, article one of this chapter during the third extraordinary session of the Legislature of that year. Among these goals is the goal that high school graduates will be prepared fully for college, other post-secondary education or gainful employment and that the number of high school graduates entering post-secondary education will increase by fifty percent. The Legislature finds that this goal reflects a fundamental belief that the result of a thorough and efficient system of free schools is that the youth of the state exit the system equipped with the skills, competencies and attributes necessary to succeed, to continue learning throughout their lifetimes and to attain economic self-sufficiency.
The Legislature further finds that the full preparation of youth as indicated in these findings cannot be accomplished by the school system alone, but requires the full and active partnership with parents and people from business, labor, higher education, economic development and other organizations and entities in the community that have an interest in providing quality education. Therefore, the intent of this section is to establish a policy framework and strategy for the state board in fulfilling its responsibility for the general supervision of free schools in order to encourage and utilize actively involved partnerships in the formulation of rules and practices to achieve the goal that high school graduates will be prepared fully for college, other post-secondary education or gainful employment, particularly in the delivery of programs that provide work-based learning opportunities for students within the school or at the workplace. The Legislature recognizes that many skilled jobs require education beyond the high school level, that the goals of West Virginia include increased post-secondary attendance and that the goals for post-secondary education as set forth in section one-a, article one, chapter eighteen-b of this code include an increased focus within higher education on relevancy, responsiveness to business, industry, labor and community needs, and on the current and future work force needs of the state. Therefore, it is further the intent of this section to enhance the linkages between secondary and post-secondary education.
(6) The implementation of continuous program assessment, program improvement and staff development.
(8) Completion of individualized student transition plan and assessment. -- The completion of the individualized student transition plan in the first year following graduation from high school by attending college, other post-secondary education or securing gainful employment. The state board shall provide an assessment form to be completed by the student and returned to the high school upon the completion of the individualized student transition plan. The form shall provide for the student to report his or her success in completing the plan and the strengths and weaknesses of his or her education preparation.
(d) Report of recommendations on comprehensive career development. -- To assist in the establishment of a comprehensive career development system, the state school-to-work steering committee shall report to the state board and the Legislative Oversight commission on education accountability by November 1, 1996, the recommendations of the career guidance committee established pursuant to the state school-to-work implementation plan.
(6) Encouraging teachers to plan and work together and exercise their professional judgment in the classroom.
(f) Establishing partnerships. -- As soon as practicable following the effective date of this section, the Governor shall appoint or designate a "Jobs Through Education Employer Panel", to assure the high quality preparation of our youth for college, other post-secondary education or gainful employment. The jobs through education employer panel shall advise and assist the state board, the higher education governing boards and institutions, other post-secondary education training programs and agencies and employers in assuring that graduates are prepared fully for further education and training or gainful employment and shall perform other functions as set forth in this section. In providing such advice and assistance and in the performance of such other functions, the jobs through employer panel shall solicit input from the county steering committees.
As soon as practicable, following the effective date of this section, county boards shall appoint a county steering committee that includes parents and people from business, labor, higher education, economic development, local school improvement councils, faculty Senates and other organizations and entities in the community as valuable partners in developing and implementing a system within the county that meets the intent of this section and adheres to the rules of the state board. The membership of the county steering committee and participation in the community and technical college district consortia committee, as created by section three-a, article three, chapter eighteen-b of this code, shall be coordinated to the extent that it is practical.
(2) Providing students in the later grades, including college and other post-secondary education, with activities such as structured community service, apprenticeships, internships, clinical experiences, cooperative education and other work-site placements, school-based enterprises, workplace simulations and entrepreneurial development, that provide students with more specific work experience in an occupational area associated with their education major.
To the extent possible, student work-based learning, and particularly workplace learning, should be jointly assessed by a school-based educator or advisor and a work-based mentor who possesses the skills set forth in the work-based learning objectives of the student, and who has been trained in mentoring and assessing student performance.
(12)Programs at vocational-technical education centers.
The state board shall make recommendations to the Legislature by November 1, 1996, on any further actions that may be appropriate to assist counties with few employers in providing work-based learning opportunities for all students.
(4) Certification of the skills, competence and readiness for college, other post-secondary education or employment, as indicated by: (i) College entrance tests; (ii) specialized assessments that measure the attainment of necessary skills and competencies required in the workplace; (iii) the attainment of industry recognized credentials, licensure or certification; (iv) the completion of nationally accredited technical education programs; (v) performance in specialized learning experiences such as paid and unpaid structured work-based learning in the private or public sectors, including, but not limited to, registered youth apprenticeships, internships, cooperative education, community service, entrepreneurship development and school-based enterprises in partnership with the private sector; and (vi) other indicators relevant to the student's skills, competence and readiness for college, other post-secondary education or gainful employment.
(j) Guidelines for certification on the electronic portfolio of student skills, competencies and readiness for employment. -- The certification of student skills, competencies and readiness for a particular industry or occupation to be included on the electronic portfolio, including certification offered by an institution of higher education or other job training programs, shall require the approval of an appropriate entity designated by the jobs through education employer panel. Local education agencies, institutions of higher education and other job training programs desiring to issue such certification to meet local labor market or community needs and circumstances may apply to the panel for such approval. To the extent possible, such certification shall provide the student with a proficiency credential that is widely recognized and accepted within an industry or occupational area as a reliable indicator of the ability of the student. The jobs through education employer panel shall consult other established skill standards for use in certifying proficiency in skills, competencies and readiness within specific industries and occupations. The intent of these provisions is to provide a formal mechanism for the ongoing alignment of the certification of student skills, competencies and readiness with current minimum requirements for success in the industry or occupational area for which the student is preparing, including requirements which will be met through additional education in college or other post-secondary education.
(5) Staff development activities which include joint participation by public school, college and other post-secondary faculty where appropriate.
(l) Study committee for staff development credits. -- There is hereby created a study committee to make recommendations on the feasibility of, and the possible process for, crediting staff development activities toward fulfilling the requirement for renewal of certificates, pursuant to section three, article three, chapter eighteen-a of this code, and the progression through the state minimum salary schedule, pursuant to section two, article four of said chapter. The committee shall consist of the chancellor of the university of West Virginia board of trustees, or a designee; the state superintendent, or a designee, who shall serve as chair of the committee; a member of the state board, to be selected by the state board; a representative of West Virginia University to be selected by the president of the university; a representative of Marshall university, to be selected by the president of the university; a representative of the West Virginia graduate college, to be selected by the president of the college; four classroom teachers to be appointed by the Governor within thirty days of the effective date of this section; and the director of the center for professional development or a designee. Such committee shall report its recommendations to the Legislative Oversight commission on education accountability by January 1, 1997.
(m) State board rule. -- On or before November 1, 1996, the state board, with advice from the jobs through education employer panel, and in consultation with the higher education governing boards, shall adopt a rule in accordance with the provisions of article three-b, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code for the implementation of this section. The rule shall allow flexibility for local variation to meet local circumstances and shall establish a five-year plan for phased implementation. The proposed rule developed pursuant to this section shall contain a financial impact statement as well as a job impact statement.
(n)Any study groups or committees created by the state board to assist in development of policies or rules for the implementation of this section shall contain significant representation by classroom teachers as defined by section one, article one, chapter eighteen-a of this code. Further, the state board shall include in its annual budget request sufficient funds to implement programs, policies or rules adapted to meet the goals set out in this section: Provided, That nothing in this section shall be construed to require any specific level of funding by the Legislature.
Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (i) and (j), section eight of this article, information on student attainment of special skills, honors, advanced education, exceptional performance and other outstanding accomplishments shall be included on the certificate of proficiency granted to eligible high school graduates along with the diploma pursuant to section six, article two of this chapter. All provisions for development of an electronic portfolio by the state board are hereby null and void and without future effect.
(a) The Legislature finds that vocational agriculture curriculum plays a vital role in the development of science education for those students enrolled in the program. The Legislature further finds that as a former member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, Robert C. Beach was a strong supporter of the vocational agriculture program.
(b) Students completing two successful semesters in vocational agriculture classes, as defined by state board policy on October 1, 1999, shall receive no more than one of the three required units towards high school graduation for science.
(a) The Legislature finds that many school systems are improving the quality of education for their students through implementation of the goals and policies set forth in this article. The Legislature finds that local school systems have had and should continue to have substantial flexibility for implementing these improvements. The Legislature further finds that certain of the goals address legally recognized elements within the definition of a thorough and efficient education among which is the development in every child his or her capacity and knowledge to intelligently pursue his or her options. The purpose of this section is to further this progress through a greater expression of the legislative intent with respect to eliminating the general track curriculum and to insure that all students perform at high levels of academic achievement.
(4) Improves student learning by increasing the rigor of the curriculum, making it more relevant to students, and reinforcing academic instruction through applications to real life problem solving so that whatever options a student pursues following graduation from high school, the student has acquired a foundation of knowledge, skills and abilities that prepares him or her fully for success.
(c) Notwithstanding the courses specified as required major courses within a high school program of study, a student in consultation with his or her parents and school advisor, and with the written consent of his or her parents, may take a higher level course, advanced placement course, college course or other more rigorous substitute. The parental consent form shall include a certification signed by the school advisor that the parents were advised of the impact of the substitute course on the student's preparation for college, other post-secondary education or employment in the student's major field of study and that the student's certificate of proficiency will not indicate that the student completed a program of study major unless such substitute courses are related to the major field of study selected by the student.
(d) Notwithstanding the courses specified as recommended electives within a high school program of study, a student in consultation with his or her parents and school advisor, and with the written consent of his or her parents, may substitute other elective courses in place of those recommended to prepare the student fully for continuing his or her education in college, other post-secondary education or employment. The parental consent form shall include a certification signed by the school advisor that the parents were advised of the impact of the substitute course on the student's preparation for college, other post-secondary education or employment in the student's major field of study and that the student's certificate of proficiency will not indicate that the student completed a program of study major unless such substitute courses are related to the major field of study selected by the student.
(3) A statement to be signed and dated by the school advisor certifying that the school advisor advised the parents of the impact of the substitute course on the student's preparation for college, other post-secondary education or employment in the student's major field of study and the student's certificate of proficiency.
(f) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a county board from establishing high school graduation requirements which exceed the minimum high school graduation requirements established by the state board.
(4) Organizations within the state and nationally, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Bugles Across America and many others, have recognized the difficulty of finding buglers to sound Taps at military honors funerals and may be able to assist.
(b) Purpose. -- The purpose of this section is to facilitate collaboration that will encourage capable young people to assist with the sounding of Taps at military funerals honoring our veterans and, thereby, help them to develop a better understanding of the sacrifices, a respect for the commitment and an appreciation of the privileges that the men and women of the armed services have protected through their service.
(c) State board guidelines. -- The state board shall, in collaboration with organizations and supporters of veterans, establish general guidelines for the establishment of school level programs that encourage capable students in grades six through twelve, inclusive, to sound Taps on a standard or valved bugle, trumpet, cornet or flugelhorn during military honors funerals held in this state. The general guidelines shall address the issues to be set forth in the county board policies required under this section and shall include contact information for technical assistance from the Department of Education and organizations and supporters of veterans assisting in these programs. The state board shall distribute the guidelines to every county board. The state board shall also distribute an appropriate program summary and contact information to the colleges and universities in the state so that they may establish similar programs for their students.
(3) The limits on the amount of regular classroom instruction that a student may miss for the sounding of Taps during military honors funerals to fulfill a community service or work based learning requirement or, if none, on the excused absences that the student may accrue for this activity.
County boards are not responsible for any costs associated with the program, may not be required to provide or pay for student transportation to funerals and are not liable for student supervision while absent to participate in funerals. However, county boards are encouraged to collaborate with organizations of veterans and supporters of veterans to assist with the veteran's honors funeral assistant community service program.
(3) A process is established for soliciting speakers from veterans groups and identifying available speakers.
(7) The state and county school systems can benefit from the purchasing power the state can offer.
(b) The Legislature hereby creates the West Virginia virtual school. The West Virginia virtual school shall be located within the office of technology and information systems within the West Virginia Department of Education.
(c) The State Superintendent of Schools shall appoint the director of the West Virginia virtual school with the approval of the state board.
(4) Any other powers and duties necessary to address the findings of the Legislature in subsection (a) of this section.
(e) Subject to the process outlined in this section, the West Virginia virtual school's approved virtual and distance learning courses are exempt from the mandatory use of primary source instructional materials listed on the state multiple list.
(f) The West Virginia Department of Education shall report the progress of the West Virginia virtual school to the Legislative Oversight commission on education accountability on or before September 1, 2000.
(4) To ensure that all students read proficiently by the end of third grade, a statewide comprehensive approach to early literacy is required. This approach shall focus on supports during the early learning years which include schools and engaged communities mobilized to remove barriers, expand opportunities, and assist parents in fulfilling their roles and responsibilities to serve as full partners in the success of their children.
(10) Receiving from county boards any applications and annual reports required by rule of the state board.
(2) The county board has established an early literacy instructional support program during the extended year for the student's grade level.
(d) County boards shall provide high-quality educational facilities, equipment and services to support early literacy instructional support programs established pursuant to this section. Extended year programs may be provided at a central location for kindergarten through third graders who qualify for the program.
(e) This section may not be construed to prohibit a classroom teacher from recommending the grade level retention of a student based upon the student's lack of mastery of the subject matter and preparation for the subject matter at the next grade level.
(f) This section may not be construed to affect the individualized education plans of exceptional students.
(g) This section may not be construed to limit the authority of the county board to establish an extended year program in accordance with section thirty-nine, article five of this chapter. County boards may not charge tuition for enrollment in early literacy instructional support programs established pursuant to this section.
(h) Each county board shall prepare to implement the provisions of this section and the provisions of the state board rule required by subsection (b) of this section. The preparations shall at least include planning, ensuring a process for ensuring the developmental and academic progress of all students through the auspices of student assistance teams as currently required by state board policy and performing a needs assessment to determine the potential capacity requirements for the system of support for early learners.
(i) The state board shall provide a report describing the proposed implementation of the transformative system of support for early literacy to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability on or before July 1, 2014.
(j) The state board shall provide a comprehensive report regarding the status of the transformative system of support for early literacy to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability, the Joint Committee on Government and Finance, and the Governor on November 1, 2014, and annually on November 1 on each year thereafter. The report shall address, at a minimum, the progress of the program throughout the state, its effect on student achievement and the sources of the funding both available to and used by the program.
(k) The provisions of this section are subject to the availability of funds from legislative appropriation or other sources specifically designated for the purposes of this section. If a county board determines that adequate funds are not available for full implementation of a transformative system of support for early literacy in the county, the county board may implement its program in phases by first establishing early literacy instructional support programs in the early readiness grades (Kindergarten), then the primary grades (Grades 1-2), and then establishing an early literacy instructional support program for the third grade once the county board determines that adequate funds are available.

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