Bill > SB899

This bill amends West Virginia law to allow experienced teachers to become school principals without necessarily holding a traditional administrative certificate. Specifically, it permits teachers with at least 15 years of experience at the elementary, middle, or high school level to be certified as principals for the school level where they have that experience, provided they successfully complete a year-long program developed by the West Virginia Department of Education. This program is designed to ensure candidates demonstrate competence in essential school administration areas, such as instructional leadership (guiding teaching and learning), school finance (managing budgets), personnel management (handling staff), student discipline, and school law. This change offers an alternative pathway to school leadership for seasoned educators who have a deep understanding of the school environment they wish to lead.