Bill Text: WV SB1034 | 2019 | 1st Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to studies of certain issues affecting public education
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-05-20 - To Education [SB1034 Detail]
Download: West_Virginia-2019-SB1034-Introduced.html
WEST virginia legislature
2019 FIRST EXTRAORDINARY session
Introduced
Senate Bill 1034
By Senators Prezioso, Baldwin, Beach, Facemire, Hardesty, Ihlenfeld, Jeffries, Lindsay, Palumbo, Plymale, Romano, Stollings, Unger, and Woelfel
[Introduced May 20, 2019;
Referred
to the Committee on Education]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated 18-5-18d; and to amend and reenact §18-5-18e of said code, all relating to studies of issues effecting public school education; authorizing a study of student loan payments tax credits and a loan forgiveness program for teachers; and authorizing a study of class sizes.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
ARTICLE 5. COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.
§18-5-18d. Study of student loan tax credits and forgiveness on teacher recruitment and retention.
(a) The Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability shall conduct a study of the impact of a student loan tax credit for payments of principal and interest on eligible higher education loans; and a loan forgiveness to individuals teaching in particular areas of the state or licensure fields experiencing a teacher shortage on the recruitment and retention of high quality teachers. The commission may conduct the study as a whole or may appoint a subcommittee to conduct the study under its direction.
(b) The Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability shall issue a report of its findings and recommendations, together with any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations, on or before January 2, 2020.
§18-5-18e. Study of limits on the number of pupils per teacher in a classroom in elementary and middle schools.
(a) The Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability shall conduct a study of the effect of limits on the number of pupils per teacher in a classroom. The commission may conduct the study as a whole or may appoint a subcommittee to conduct the study under its direction. The study includes, but is not limited to, an examination of the following issues:
(1) The effect on student learning of limits on the number of pupils per teacher in a classroom in elementary classes and in a middle and high school format in which students have different teachers for different subject matter instruction;
(2) The effect on the equity among teachers in a middle school in which the number of pupils per teacher in a classroom is limited for some teachers and not for others, including the additional pay for certain teachers in whose classrooms the limits are exceeded; and
(3) The effect limits on the number of pupils per teacher in a classroom have on the ability of school systems to offer elective courses in secondary schools.
(b) The Legislative
Oversight commission on education accountability shall issue a report of its
findings and recommendations, together with any legislation necessary to
effectuate its recommendations, on or before January 2, 2003 2020.
In making its findings and recommendations the commission:
(1) Shall include, at a
minimum, a recommendation on whether the limits on the number of pupils per
teacher in a classroom in a middle school format should be removed or capped on
a county-wide or individual school basis; and
(2) May not include as a
recommendation consideration of imposing limits on the number of pupils per
teacher at grade levels above the sixth grade
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize studies of issues effecting public school education including a study of student loan payments tax credits, a loan forgiveness program for teachers and a study of class sizes.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
