A. As used in this section, unless the context requires a different meaning: “Clinical faculty member” means a licensed public or private school teacher who meets the standards of the board of visitors or other governing body for acceptance in an institution’s clinical faculty program. “Student teacher” means an individual enrolled in a program for training teachers in an accredited institution of higher education located in this Commonwealth. “Training institution” means an accredited public or private institution of higher education which has implemented a training program for public school teachers designed to improve skills in supervising and evaluating student teachers.
B. The governing board of any public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth or accredited private institution of higher education in the Commonwealth may establish a clinical faculty program utilizing specially trained public school teachers as supervisors of student teachers. Any such program shall include the following components:
1. Any teacher accepted as a clinical faculty member shall be designated adjunct faculty;
2. Prior to being assigned student teachers, all clinical faculty members shall be required to attend training programs offered by accredited public or private institutions of higher education which are designed to improve their skills in supervising and evaluating student teachers;
3. Clinical faculty members shall be given the responsibility for the grading and evaluation of the student teachers assigned to them in cooperation with appropriate full-time faculty members at the institution; and
4. Such data on the clinical faculty program as may be required by the Board of Education shall be provided by the institution in a timely manner.
C. Any governing board that chooses to implement a clinical faculty program pursuant to subsection B shall develop standards for acceptance of public or private school teachers as clinical faculty members. Public or private school teachers may apply to the institution of higher education for acceptance as clinical faculty members for the purpose of supervising and evaluating student teachers.
D. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of this section such sums as the General Assembly may from time to time determine to be necessary. The Board of Education shall serve as fiscal agent for the training institutions and the clinical faculty programs. The Board shall allocate from such funds as are appropriated, moneys to participating training institutions for the purpose of compensating clinical faculty members. The Board, in consultation with the training institutions, shall set such compensation. The Board shall, in cooperation with the State Council of Higher Education, set criteria for the programs implemented by the training institutions. The Board may also issue such guidelines as may be necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this section. The training program criteria set by the Board and the Council and the guidelines issued by the Board shall not be subject to the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.). However, prior to establishing such criteria or issuing such guidelines, the Board and the Council shall consult with the Office of the Attorney General and provide opportunity for public comment.