West Virginia Code 18-9A-10 – Foundation allowance to improve instructional programs, instructional technology, and teacher and leader induction and professional growth
(a) The total allowance to improve instructional programs and instructional technology is the sum of the following:
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 18-9A-10
- Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
- board: means a county board of education. See West Virginia Code 18-1-1
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
- School: means the students and teachers assembled in one or more buildings, organized as a unit. See West Virginia Code 18-1-1
- State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
- State board: means the West Virginia Board of Education. See West Virginia Code 18-1-1
- State superintendent: means the state superintendent of free Schools. See West Virginia Code 18-1-1
- superintendent: means a county superintendent of schools. See West Virginia Code 18-1-1
- Teacher: means a teacher, supervisor, principal, superintendent, public school librarian or any other person regularly employed for instructional purposes in a public school in this state. See West Virginia Code 18-1-1
(1) For instructional improvement, in accordance with county and school electronic strategic improvement plans required by § 18-2E-5 of this code, an amount equal to 10 percent of the increase in the local share amount for the next school year shall be added to the amount of the appropriation for this purpose for the immediately preceding school year. The sum of these amounts shall be allocated to the counties as follows:
(A) One hundred fifty thousand dollars shall be allocated to each county; and
(B) Allocation to the counties of the remainder of these funds shall be made proportional to the average of each county’s average daily attendance for the preceding year and the county’s second month net enrollment.
Moneys allocated by this subdivision shall be used to improve instructional programs according to the county and school strategic improvement plans required by § 18-2E-5 of this code and approved by the state board.
Up to 50 percent of this allocation for the improvement of instructional programs may be used to employ professional educators and service personnel in the county. Prior to the use of any funds from this subdivision for personnel costs, the county board must receive authorization from the State Superintendent. The State Superintendent shall require the county board to demonstrate: (1) The need for the allocation; (2) efficiency and fiscal responsibility in staffing; (3) sharing of services with adjoining counties in the use of the total local district board budget; and (4) employment of technology integration specialists to meet the needs for implementation of the West Virginia Strategic Technology Learning Plan. County boards shall make application for the use of funds for personnel for the next fiscal year by May 1 of each year. On or before June 1, the State Superintendent shall review all applications and notify applying county boards of the approval or disapproval of the use of funds for personnel during the fiscal year appropriate. The State Superintendent shall require the county board to demonstrate the need for an allocation for personnel based upon the county’s inability to meet the requirements of state law or state board policy.
The funds available for personnel under this subdivision may not be used to increase the total number of professional noninstructional personnel in the central office beyond four.
The plan shall be made available for distribution to the public at the office of each affected county board; plus
(2) For the purposes of improving instructional technology, an amount equal to 20 percent of the increase in the local share amount for the next school year shall be added to the amount of the appropriation for this purpose for the immediately preceding school year. The sum of these amounts shall be allocated to the counties as follows:
(A) Thirty thousand dollars shall be allocated to each county; and
(B) Allocation to the counties of the remainder of these funds shall be made proportional to the average of each county’s average daily attendance for the preceding year and the county’s second month net enrollment.
Moneys allocated by this subdivision shall be used to improve instructional technology programs according to the county board’s strategic technology learning plan.
This allocation for the improvement of instructional technology programs may also be used for the employment of technology system specialists essential for the technology systems of the schools of the county to be fully functional and readily available when needed by classroom teachers. The amount of this allocation used for the employment of technology system specialists shall be included and justified in the county board’s strategic technology learning plan; plus
(3) One percent of the state average per pupil state aid multiplied by the number of students enrolled in dual credit, advanced placement, and international baccalaureate courses, as defined by the state board, distributed to the counties proportionate to enrollment in these courses in each county; plus
(4) For the purpose of supporting county-level implementation of the comprehensive systems for teacher and leader induction and professional growth pursuant to § 18A-3C-3 of this code, an amount equal to 20 percent of the increase in the local share amount for the next school year shall be added to the amount of the appropriation for this purpose for the immediately preceding school year. The sum of these amounts shall be allocated to the counties in a manner established by the state board which considers the following factors:
(A) The number of full-time-equivalent teachers employed by the county with zero years of experience;
(B) The total number of full-time-equivalent teachers employed by the county with one year of experience, with two years of experience, and with three years of experience;
(C) The number of full-time-equivalent principals, assistant principals, and vocational administrators employed by the county who are in their first or second year of employment as a principal, assistant principal, or vocational administrator;
(D) The number of full-time-equivalent principals, assistant principals, and vocational administrators employed by the county who are in their first year in an assignment at a school with a programmatic level in which they have not previously served as a principal, assistant principal, or vocational administrator; and
(E) Needs identified in the strategic plans for continuous improvement of schools and school systems including those identified through the performance evaluations of professional personnel.
Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection to the contrary, no county may receive an allocation for the purposes of this subdivision which is less than the county’s total 2016-2017 allocation from the Teacher Mentor and Principals Mentorship appropriations to the Department of Education. Moneys allocated by this subdivision shall be used for implementation of the comprehensive systems for teacher and leader induction and professional growth pursuant to § 18A-3C-3 of this code. Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection to the contrary, for each of the five school years beginning with the school year 2020 – 2021 and ending after the school year 2024 – 2025, from funds to be allocated under this subdivision, $100,000 shall be retained by the Department of Education to 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 for teacher and leader induction and professional growth pursuant to § 18A-3C-3 of this code.
(b) Notwithstanding the restrictions on the use of funds pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2), subsection (a) of this section, a county board may:
(1) Utilize up to 25 percent of the allocation for the improvement of instructional programs in any school year for school facility and equipment repair, maintenance, and improvement or replacement and other current expense priorities and for emergency purposes. The amount of this allocation used for any of these purposes shall be included and justified in the county and school strategic improvement plans or amendments thereto; and
(2) Utilize up to 50 percent of the allocation for improving instructional technology in any school year for school facility and equipment repair, maintenance, and improvement or replacement and other current expense priorities and for emergency purposes. The amount of this allocation used for any of these purposes shall be included and justified in the county board’s strategic technology learning plan or amendments thereto.