February 11, 1991

Mr. Dwight D. Dials
Superintendent
Raleigh County Schools
105 Adair Street
Beckley, West Virginia 25801-3791

Dear Mr. Dials:

You have asked whether a person who may be hired as a school counselor is entitled to pay increment credit pursuant to W.Va. Code 18A-4-1(1) for:

1. Experience as a child behavioral management specialist/ developmental trainer (January, 1985 - August, 1989) in which she evaluated, developed and implemented developmental treatment plans in an educational setting, made in-home visits, and worked with Raleigh County's Head Start program by screening children, consulting with teachers, observing classrooms, and reevaluating students; plus

2. Experience as an educational awareness counselor (September, 1989 - present), working directly with high school counselors from Raleigh County to counsel students on career options.

She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology in May, 1983, and now has completed 37 graduate credits in school counseling.

In order to qualify for a permit as a school counselor, one must have a bachelor's degree plus 12 graduate credits in counseling.1 School counselors are equated with classroom teachers by W.Va. Code 18A-1-1(c)(1).

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1 Rule number 5202-7(A) of the West Virginia's Board of Education reads in part:

"2. A permit is issued on the basis of a minimum of: (1) a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education as defined in Section 4-A, . . .

Areas_of_Specialization

* * * *

m. School Counselor - Twelve (12) semester hours of graduate credit applicable to an approved school counselor program." Pages 15-17 of the Minimum_Requirements_for_the_Licensure_of_Educational_Personnel.

Mr. Dwight D. Dials
February 11, 1991
Page 2

According to Code 18A-4-1(1), teacher's experience ". . . means the number of years the teacher has been employed in the teaching profession, including active work in educational positions other than the public schools . . ." Although teacher's experience (and its equivalent) gotten outside the public school system need not have been certificated, it does need to have been earned at an established educational institution (or its appropriate equivalent) and the individual does have to have had an AB degree, if not a teaching license.2

This woman had a bachelor's degree in counseling; she worked at established institutions which offered counseling; and her work was, in fact, counseling from January 21, 1985. Therefore, I agree with you that she is entitled to incremental pay credit for this counseling experience.

Hoping that I have been of service, I am,

Sincerely,

/s/

Henry Marockie
State Superintendent of Schools

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Enclosure

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