Committee approves adjunct permit framework and adds county flexibility on terms and pay

A Senate committee agreed to a committee substitute for Senate Bill 911 that would allow county boards to hire individuals under an adjunct teaching permit in specified circumstances and adopted amendments to give counties clearer flexibility over contract terms and compensation.

The committee substitute permits issuance of an adjunct teaching permit to an individual who either has at least four years of experience in the content area through employment or holds a college degree in that content area, provided the individual clears a background check and has no disqualifying felony or offenses involving misconduct with a minor. The substitute allows adjunct permit holders to fill vacant teaching positions, offer a new program or class, or supplement an existing program only when no certified teacher in the subject area is available and willing to accept the position. The permit holder must be assigned a teacher mentor and must complete required trainings — including harassment, intimidation and bullying prevention, child abuse prevention training required by State Board policy, and suicide prevention education — within the first 90 days of employment. County boards must post adjunct vacancies and may notify parents; boards are also required to announce such vacancies at meetings.

Why it matters: Sponsors and witnesses said the measure is intended to address teacher shortages — particularly in math and science and in certain regions — by allowing qualified individuals from the workforce to teach while providing safety and mentoring guardrails.

Committee debate and amendments: Members discussed geographic and subject shortages. Senators asked whether adjunct hires would be paid under the state salary schedule or receive benefits; sponsors and counsel said the intent is for counties to have flexibility. The committee adopted a conceptual amendment offered by the senior senator from the thirteenth that clarifies counties may enter contracts or agreements to employ adjunct permit holders on a part‑time or full‑time basis and determine compensation and duration; the amendment also clarified such hires need not be placed on the state professional educator salary schedule or automatically receive state benefits. The committee also adopted a technical amendment offered by the senator from Greenbrier to change reporting language so the department receives information about "compensation paid to adjunct teachers" rather than a phrase reading "total salary and any other compensation."

Testimony from David Gladkoski, executive director of West Virginia Professional Educators, supported the bill as a way to help fill classroom vacancies while keeping background checks and mentor support in place. Gladkoski testified: "Any way that we can fill the void that we have all across the state with the lack of someone in the classroom ... I think it's a good bill." (Testimony sworn.)

Action: The committee agreed to the committee substitute and adopted the two amendments on the record (committee voice votes). The transcript records that the committee substitute was "agreed to" and the amendments were adopted; the record does not include a subsequent roll call or explicit final referral motion in the excerpt provided.