West Virginia Special Education Certification & Requirements

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West Virginia Special Education

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 15.9 percent of West Virginia’s students possess Individualized Education Programs, significantly higher than the national average of 13 percent. Nonetheless, Education Week reports that the state earns the U.S. Department of Education’s highest rating, “Meets Requirements,” for its ability to meet special education academic targets. West Virginia employs 3,625 special educators who work at 771 public schools that are organized into 55 school districts. The state has 143 private schools. The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) is the state pubic education authority; its Office of Special Programs oversees issues related to students with disabilities.

Licensure Requirements

For Undergraduates

The WVDE’s Teach West Virginia web pages explain the paths to teaching licensure in the state. The traditional path to educator licensure in the state is to complete an accredited teacher preparation program after earning a bachelor’s degree. However, the WVDE also has nontraditional paths to licensure for individuals with qualifying academic and professional experience that can allow them to begin teaching while only holding a bachelor’s degree. In addition, some WVDE-approved undergraduate programs incorporate teacher preparation coursework within bachelor’s degree coursework so that candidates can earn a teaching credential and degree concurrently.

For Graduates

Potential educators with bachelor’s degrees can pursue a state-approved master’s degree in the art of teaching program that provides the coursework necessary for licensure. Graduates can also pursue a certification-only course of study.

Types of Licenses

The WVDE’s Office of Professional Preparation provides the criteria for applying for West Virginia teaching licenses. The Initial Professional Teaching Certificate is for new educators who have met all teacher preparation coursework and testing requirements. The one-year Temporary Teacher Certificate applies to individuals who meet WVDE general requirements but who trained outside of West Virginia. The WVDE issues an Alternative Teacher certificate to candidates who have an offer of employment in a designated teacher shortage area and who can demonstrate competency in the content area they wish to teach. Candidates with bachelor’s degrees who have completed 25 percent of the required coursework for certification and are enrolled in a WVDE-approved teacher preparation program may qualify for the First Class Full-Time Permit. Veteran educators with the minimum amount of coursework and years of experience can apply for a Permanent Teaching Certificate.

Reciprocity

Educators can receive reciprocity from the WVDE for teaching licenses earned outside of West Virginia, whether in another state or at a foreign institution, but with a couple stipulations. Candidates must hold valid, comparable teaching certificates and must have completed coursework equivalent to what is required in West Virginia to apply for the Temporary Teaching Certificate, valid for only one year. During the life of this certificate, students must complete state exams and any other remaining requirements to receive an Initial Professional Teacher license.

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Special Education Degrees in West Virginia

The WVDE has approved several programs for individuals seeking multi-categorical special education certification, including courses of study offered at Concord University, Fairmont State University and Marshall University. The WVDE also approves several additional master’s degree and certification programs offered by West Virginia University’s Department of Special Education, in areas including autism spectrum disorders, gifted education, early childhood special education, severe/multiple disabilities and low vision/blindness. In addition, the department offers a doctorate degree in education with an emphasis in special education.

For profiles of all the schools in West Virginia that offer master’s in special education programs, click here.

Alternatives to Certification

Individuals seeking an alternative route to teaching special education in West Virginia must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and demonstrate subject mastery in the core subject area in which they wish to teach. The Teach West Virginia website contains a list of department-approved special education alternative certification programs in the state. Some candidates may participate in an alternative route special education internship program, which could take the place of some of the coursework requirements.

Special Education Teaching Jobs in West Virginia

Public schools

Access job openings in every school district at the Teach in West Virginia webpage; this page links to the West Virginia Critical Needs Listing of teacher shortage areas and the WV K-12 Education Job-Bank. Those interested in working with students with hearing and visual impairments can search for open positions at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.

Private schools

The Augusta Levy Learning Center, located in Wheeling, offers the region’s first intensive autism treatment program.

Other programs

The West Virginia branch of Troops to Teachers advises eligible military personnel on how to transition to teaching positions in the state’s high-need schools.

Professional Development

The WVDE’s West Virginia Professional Teaching Standards booklet contains an overview of departmental expectations for West Virginia educators. The Professional Responsibilities for Self-Renewal section focuses on methods for refining teaching practices.
The Office of Special Programs organizes several Summer Academies to support special educators. Topics cover individualized instruction and meeting the needs of diverse learners, including those with autism spectrum disorders.
The Department of Special Education at West Virginia University maintains a diverse roster of department- and state agency-sponsored courses for special educators.
The WVDE’s e-Learning for Educators portal provides virtual teacher training.
The WVDE’s Model Classrooms Project provides video clips showing best practices in action.
The WV Classroom Assessment Networks (CAN) project trains educators in developing formative classroom assessment practices.

West Virginia Special Educator Groups

The West Virginia Education Association (the National Education Association-affiliated state teacher’s union) and the American Federation of Teachers (affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations), advocate on behalf of West Virginia public educators.
The West Virginia Advisory Council for the Education of Exceptional Children (WVACEEC), organized by the WVDE, is a state-mandated board that interprets special education policy.

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Special Education Blogs in West Virginia

Office of Special Programs Monthly Calls: The WVDE has an interesting method for communicating its latest policies and practices in special education: The office organizes a public forum every month in the format of a conference call. Access the archives and participate in ongoing forums at the WVDE site.