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1998 SESSION


CHAPTER 826
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 22.1-253.13:5 and 22.1-298 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the training and professional development of instructional and administrative personnel.
[H 432]
Approved April 22, 1998

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 22.1-253.13:5 and 22.1-298 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 22.1-253.13:5. Standard 5. Training and professional development.

A. The General Assembly and the Board of Education find that effective educational leadership and personnel and appropriate programs of professional development and training are essential for the advancement of public education in the Commonwealth.

B. Each member of the Board of Education shall participate in in-service programs on personnel, curriculum and current issues in education as part of his service on the Board.

C. Consistent with the finding that leadership is essential for the advancement of public education in the Commonwealth, the Board of Education shall develop leadership standards for superintendents and principals.

C. D. The Board of Education shall sponsor, conduct or provide advice on (i) training and professional development of teachers, principals, supervisors, division superintendents and other school staff and (ii) in-service programs for school board members on personnel, curriculum and current issues in education. The Board shall provide technical assistance on professional development to local school boards designed to seek to ensure that all instructional personnel are proficient in the use of educational technology consistent with its Six-Year Educational Technology Plan for Virginia.

D. E. Each local school board shall require (i) its members to participate annually in in-service programs on personnel, curriculum and current issues in education as part of their service on the local board and (ii) require the division superintendent to participate annually in professional development activities at the local, state or national levels.

E. F. Each local school board shall provide (i) a program of professional development, as part of the license renewal process, to assist teachers and principals in acquiring the skills needed to work with gifted students and handicapped students and to increase student achievement, (ii) a program of professional development in educational technology for all instructional personnel, and (iii) a program of professional development for administrative personnel designed to increase proficiency in instructional leadership and management.

§ 22.1-298. Regulations governing licensure.

A. The Board of Education shall, by regulation, prescribe the requirements for licensure of teachers. Regardless of the authority of any other agency of the Commonwealth to approve educational programs, only the Board of Education shall have the authority to license teachers to be regularly employed by school boards, including those teachers employed to provide nursing education. Such regulations shall include a requirement that every teacher seeking initial licensure take a professional teacher's examination prescribed by the Board. The regulations shall require persons seeking licensure on and after July 1, 2000, to have completed study in attention deficit disorder, and persons seeking initial licensure on and after July 1, 2002, to have completed study in, among other things, (i) methods of improving communication between schools and families; (ii) ways of increasing family involvement in student learning at home and in school; and (iii) the Standards of Learning.

B. The Board's licensure regulations shall also require that licensure for superintendents and principals, on and after July 1, 2000, be contingent upon acquiring the skills established in the Board's leadership standards.

C. Persons seeking initial licensure who graduate from Virginia institutions of higher education shall, on and after July 1, 2002, only be licensed as instructional personnel by the Board of Education if the endorsement areas offered at such institutions have been assessed by a national accrediting agency or by a state approval process, with final accreditation by the Board of Education.

D. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Board may provide for the issuance of a provisional license, valid for a period not to exceed three years, to any person who does not meet this requirement or any other requirement for licensure imposed by law.

2. That, pursuant to the 1998-2000 Appropriation Act, the Board of Education shall establish a two-year program for educational leadership and professional development for public school personnel as follows. The program shall include: (1) Leadership training for division superintendents and principals which is designed to be consistent with the Standards of Quality and to assist in the implementation of the Standards of Learning and the Standards of Accreditation; and (2) Instructional training for teachers to support and facilitate the implementation of the Standards of Learning and, thereby, achievement of the requirements of the Standards of Accreditation. Such training shall include, but need not be limited to, training in instruction in English, mathematics, science, and social studies as well as technological studies designed to assist teachers in public elementary and secondary schools. The program shall be structured to provide accountability, efficient and effective use of funds, and flexibility in implementation by the local school boards, according to the school division's needs and existing programs, which may include, but need not be limited to, any teacher leader trainers and lead-teacher programs. The Board shall issue guidelines for the program implementation. Such guidelines shall not be construed to be regulations as defined in § 9-6.14:4; however, the Board may issue revisions of such guidelines as necessary. This program shall expire on July 1, 2000.