STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA

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Application form; official transcripts; recommendation from college or copy of out-of-state certificate; and verification of experience; and specialty area test scores.

STAGES AND TITLES OF TEACHING CERTIFICATES

A. Provisional Professional Certificate
• Valid for three years.
• Issued on the basis of completion of required degree; state-approved program including performance assessment; passing score on pre-professional skills test; and content specialty test. Renewable with six semester hours, or salary classification of master's plus 30.

B. Professional Certificate

• Valid for five years.
• Issued on the basis of six semester hours of college credit and three years' experience. Renewable with six semester hours or salary classification of master's plus 30.

C. Permanent Certificate

Issued on the basis of completion of master's degree and five years' experience or second renewal of the professional certificate.

REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHING CERTIFICATES

The following teaching certificates are available: Early Education (PreK-K); Multi-subjects K-8; Middle (5-8); Middle/Adolescent (5-12); or Adolescent (9-12) in specific and vocational subjects; and Early, Middle and Adolescent (K- 12) in Art, Health, Music, Physical Education; Special Education (Behavioral Disorders, Hearing Impaired, Visually Impaired, Mentally Impaired, Physically Disabled, Specific Learning Disabilities) Preschool Disabled, Severely and Profoundly Disabled; and Gifted Education (K-8 or 5-12).

A. Provisional Professional Certificate
• Valid for three years.
• Requirements: bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited institution; completion of state-approved teacher education program; and required test(s). For West Virginia trained applicants, approved programs include general studies; pre-professional skills including competency testing; content including competency testing; and professional education including performance assessment. For out-of-state trained applicants, successful completion of the required content specialization test in the other state may be accepted in lieu of the West Virginia content test, if comparable.

B. Professional Certificate

• Valid for five years.
• Requirements: satisfy requirements for provisional certificate; master's plus 30 salary classification based upon the awarding of a master' s degree or six semester hours of credit completed subsequent to the certificate being renewed and within the five year period immediately preceding the date of application; and three years of teaching experience within the programmatic levels on the provisional professional certificate.

C. Permanent Professional Certificate

• Valid for life.
• Requirements: five-year professional certificate; master's degree relevant to public school instruction; and five years of educational experience, or renewal of the five-year professional certificate two times.

RENEWAL OF CERTIFICATES

For renewal, all certificates require six semester hours of credit completed subsequent to the certificate being renewed and within the five-year period immediately preceding the date of application unless the applicant holds a master's plus 30 salary classification based upon the awarding of a master's degree.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE/SUPERVISORY CERTIFICATES

The following administrative/supervisory certificates are available: Principal (K-8 or 5-12), General Supervisor of Instruction (K-12), Superintendent, Vocational Administrator (5-Adult).

A. Provisional Professional Certificate
• Valid for five years.
• Requirements: master's degree; three years of management level experience; completion of an approved program leading to administrative certification (effective 7- I -94, education and training in evaluation skills).

B. Permanent Professional Administrative Certificate

• Valid for life.
• Requirements: three years of experience in any of the endorsements shown on the provisional professional administrative certificate.

RENEWAL OF CERTIFICATES

For renewal, all certificates require six semester hours of credit completed subsequent to the certificate being renewed, and within the five-year period immediately preceding the date of application unless the applicant holds a master' s plus 30 salary classification based upon the awarding of a master's degree.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUPPORT SERVICES CERTIFICATES

The following special school services certificates are available: Athletic Trainer; Educational Audiologist; School Psychologist; Speech Language Pathologist; School Counselor; School Nurse; Social Service and Attendance Worker.

A. Provisional Professional Service Certificate
• Valid for three years.
• Requirements: degree from an accredited institution. (Athletic Trainer, School Nurse, and Social Service and Attendance Worker require a bachelor's degree. All others require a master' s degree); approved teacher education program in the area of endorsement; required test(s).

B. Professional Service Certificate

• Valid for five years.
• Requirements: master's plus 30 salary classification or six semester hours of renewal credit; and three years of experience within any of the endorsements on the service certificate.

C. Permanent Professional Service Certificate

• Valid for life.
• Requirements: five-year professional service certificate; master' s degree and five years' experience within any of the endorsements, or renewal of the five-year service certificate two times.

RENEWAL OF CERTIFICATES

All certificates require six semester hours of credit completed subsequent to the certificate being renewed and within the five-year period immediately preceding the date of application, unless the applicant holds a master's plus 30 salary classification based upon the awarding of a master' s degree.

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