Virginia Administrative Code › Title 8 - EDUCATION › Agency 20 - STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION › Chapter 23 - LICENSURE REGULATIONS FOR SCHOOL PERSONNEL › Part III - Licensure › Section 8VAC20-23-50 - Types of licenses; dating licenses

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. The following
				  types of licenses are available:
1.
				  Provisional License. The Provisional License is a nonrenewable license valid
				  for a period not to exceed three years issued to an individual who has
				  allowable deficiencies for full licensure as set forth in this chapter. The
				  Provisional License will be issued for a three-year validity period, with the
				  exception of the Provisional (Career Switcher) License that will initially be
				  issued for a one-year validity period and the Provisional Teach For America
				  License issued for a two-year validity period. Individuals shall complete all
				  requirements for licensure, including passing all licensure assessments, for a
				  renewable license within the validity period of the Provisional License. The
				  individual shall have a minimum of an earned baccalaureate degree from a
				  regionally accredited college or university, with the exception of those
				  individuals seeking the Technical Professional License.
The Virginia Board of Education shall extend for at least
					 one additional year, but for no more than two additional years, the three-year
					 provisional license of a teacher upon receiving from the division
					 superintendent (i) a recommendation for such extension and (ii) satisfactory
					 performance evaluations for such teacher for each year during the original
					 three-year provisional license that such teacher was actually employed and
					 received a filed performance evaluation.
The Virginia Board of Education shall extend for at least
					 one additional year, but for no more than two additional years, the three-year
					 provisional license of a teacher employed at an accredited private elementary,
					 middle, or high school; or a school for students with disabilities that is
					 licensed pursuant to Chapter 16 (§
												22.1-319 et seq.) of Title 22.1
					 of the Code of Virginia upon receiving from the school administrator of such a
					 school (i) a recommendation for such extension and (ii) satisfactory
					 performance evaluations for such teacher for each year of the original
					 three-year provisional license. If a teacher employed in the Commonwealth under
					 a provisional license is activated or deployed for military service within a
					 school year (July 1 through June 30), an additional year shall be added to the
					 teacher's provisional license for each school year or portion thereof during
					 which the teacher is activated or deployed. The additional year shall be
					 granted the year following the return of the teacher from deployment or
					 activation.
The Virginia Board of Education shall issue a license to an
					 individual seeking initial licensure who has not completed professional
					 assessments as prescribed by the board if such individual (i) holds a
					 provisional license that will expire within three months; (ii) is employed by a
					 school board; (iii) is recommended for licensure by the division
					 superintendent; (iv) has attempted, unsuccessfully, to obtain a qualifying
					 score on the professional assessments as prescribed by the Virginia Board of
					 Education; (v) has received an evaluation rating of proficient or above on the
					 performance standards for each year of the provisional license, and such
					 evaluation was conducted in a manner consistent with the Guidelines for Uniform
					 Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Teachers, Principals, and
					 Superintendents; and (vi) meets all other requirements for initial
					 licensure.
2. Collegiate
				  Professional License. The Collegiate Professional License is a 10-year,
				  renewable license available to an individual who has satisfied all requirements
				  for licensure, including an earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally
				  accredited college or university and the professional teacher's assessments
				  prescribed by the Virginia Board of Education.
3. Postgraduate Professional License. The
				  Postgraduate Professional License is a 10-year, renewable license available to
				  an individual who has qualified for the Collegiate Professional License and who
				  holds an appropriate earned graduate degree from a regionally accredited
				  college or university.
4. Technical
				  Professional License. The Technical Professional License is a 10-year,
				  renewable license available to a person who has graduated from a public or an
				  accredited nonpublic high school or possesses a Virginia Board of
				  Education-approved high school equivalency credential; has exhibited academic
				  proficiency, skills in literacy and communication, technical competency, and
				  successful occupational experience; has completed nine semester hours of
				  specialized professional studies credit from a regionally accredited college or
				  university; and has completed one year of successful, full-time teaching
				  experience in a public school or accredited nonpublic school in the area of
				  endorsement. The nine semester hours of professional studies coursework shall
				  include three semester hours of human development and learning, three semester
				  hours of curriculum and instruction, and three semester hours of applications
				  of instructional technology or classroom and behavior management. Individuals
				  who seek a Technical Professional License may substitute the successful
				  completion of an intensive, job-embedded, three-year program of professional
				  development submitted by a Virginia employing educational agency and
				  preapproved by the Department of Education for the nine semester hours of
				  professional studies required. The Technical Professional License is issued at
				  the recommendation of a Virginia employing educational agency in the areas of
				  career and technical education, educational technology, and military science.
				  Individuals seeking an endorsement to teach military science shall have the
				  appropriate credentials issued by the United States military. Individuals
				  holding a Technical Professional License may teach a military science
				  leadership class with either the appropriate credentials issued by the United
				  States military or (for non-Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps) a
				  recommendation from a Virginia employing educational agency. The employing
				  Virginia educational agency shall ensure the credentials issued by the United
				  States military are active during the period the individual is teaching. In
				  addition to demonstrating competency in the endorsement area sought, the
				  individual shall:
a. Hold a valid license
				  issued by the appropriate Virginia board for those program areas requiring a
				  license and a minimum of two years of successful experience at the journeyman
				  level or an equivalent. The employing Virginia educational agency shall ensure
				  that the valid license issued by the appropriate Virginia board for the
				  occupational program area is active during the period the individual is
				  teaching;
b. Have completed a
				  registered apprenticeship program and two years of successful experience at the
				  journeyman level or an equivalent level in the trade; or
c. Have four years of successful work
				  experience at the management or supervisory level or equivalent or have a
				  combination of four years of training and successful work experience at the
				  management or supervisory level or equivalent.
Individuals holding the Technical Professional License who
					 seek the Collegiate Professional or Postgraduate Professional License shall
					 meet the requirements of the respective licenses.
5. School Manager License. The School Manager
				  License is a 10-year, renewable license intended to provide for the
				  differentiation of administrative responsibilities in a school setting. A
				  school manager is licensed to administer noninstructional responsibilities in
				  an educational setting. A school manager is restricted from evaluating
				  teachers, supervising instruction, developing and evaluating curriculum, and
				  serving as a school's student disciplinarian. The license is available to a
				  candidate who holds a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college
				  or university, has three years of successful managerial experience, and is
				  recommended for the license by a Virginia school division
				  superintendent.
6. Pupil Personnel
				  Services License. The Pupil Personnel Services License is a 10-year, renewable
				  license available to an individual who has earned an appropriate graduate
				  degree from a regionally accredited college or university with an endorsement
				  for school counselor, school psychologist, school social worker, or vocational
				  evaluator. This license does not require teaching experience, unless otherwise
				  outlined under the specific endorsement's requirements.
7. Division Superintendent License. The
				  Division Superintendent License is a 10-year, renewable license available to an
				  individual who has completed an earned master's degree from a regionally
				  accredited college or university and meets the requirements specified in
				  8VAC20-23-630. The individual's
				  name shall be listed on the Virginia Board of Education's list of eligible
				  division superintendents.
8.
				  International Educator License. The International Educator License provides a
				  five-year cultural exchange opportunity for Virginia students and international
				  teachers. The International Educator License is a professional teaching license
				  issued for no more than five years to an exchange teacher with citizenship in a
				  nation other than the United States of America who is employed as a teacher in
				  a Virginia public or accredited nonpublic school. To be issued the five-year,
				  nonrenewable International Educator License, an individual serving as a
				  cultural exchange teacher in Virginia shall:
a. Be employed by a Virginia public or an
				  accredited nonpublic school;
b.
				  Hold non-United States citizenship and be a nonpermanent resident;
				  and
c. Meet the following
				  requirements as verified by a state-approved, federally-designated Exchange
				  Visitor Program ( 22 CFR Part 62 ):
(1) Be
				  proficient in written and spoken English;
(2) Demonstrate competence in the appropriate
				  academic subject area by meeting the credential requirements for a qualified
				  teacher in the exchange country;
(3) Hold the United States equivalent of a
				  baccalaureate degree or higher as determined by an approved credential
				  evaluation agency; and
(4) Complete
				  at least two years of successful full-time teaching experience that enables the
				  educator to fulfill a similar assignment in the educator's home country or is
				  comparable to those requirements for Virginia teachers.
If an individual meets requirements of subdivisions 8 a, 8
					 b, 8 c (1), 8 c (2), and 8 c (3) of this subsection and has completed at least
					 one year, but less than two years, of successful full-time teaching experience
					 that would enable the educator to fulfill a similar assignment in the
					 educator's home country or is comparable to those requirements for Virginia
					 teachers, the International Educator License will be issued for three years
					 with an option to extend the nonrenewable International Educator License for
					 the additional two years upon passing all teacher assessments prescribed by the
					 Virginia Board of Education and a recommendation of the Virginia employing
					 school division or accredited nonpublic school.
Individuals who have been issued an International Educator
					 License who seek a 10-year, renewable license shall meet all licensure and
					 endorsement requirements, including passing applicable assessments prescribed
					 by the Virginia Board of Education.
9. Online Teacher License. The Online Teacher
				  License is a 10-year, renewable license valid only for teaching online courses.
				  Teachers who hold a five-year or 10-year renewable license issued by the
				  Virginia Board of Education may teach online courses for which they are
				  properly endorsed and do not need to seek this license.
a. In order to be issued an Online Teacher
				  License, the individual shall meet the requirements for an endorsement in a
				  content (teaching) area and professional studies and achieve qualifying scores
				  on professional teacher's assessments as prescribed by the Virginia Board of
				  Education. In addition, the individual shall complete a three-semester-hour
				  course in online instructional procedures.
Online instructional procedures: Three semester hours.
					 Skills in this area shall contribute to an understanding of the principles of
					 online learning and online instructional strategies and the application of
					 skills and the ability to use the Internet for teaching, learning, and
					 management; design, deliver, and support instruction in an online environment;
					 adapt strategies for a variety of course models, such as synchronous and
					 asynchronous; select, adapt, and create rich multimedia for instruction; adapt
					 individualized education program requirements to online course practices, as
					 appropriate; use data to meet individual student's needs; and employ innovative
					 teaching strategies in an online environment. Demonstrated proficiency of
					 advanced skills in the following areas shall be addressed: use of communication
					 technologies to interact with and engage students, parents, and mentors; use of
					 education technologies; management of instructional activities in a
					 technology-mediated environment; and nontraditional content delivery
					 methods.
b. Online teaching
				  experience is not acceptable to meet the full-time teaching experience for
				  other license types, such as a Division Superintendent License, or for
				  endorsements, such as for the reading specialist, school counselor, or
				  administration and supervision endorsements. The Online Teacher License may be
				  issued if requirements have been met as one of the following licenses to
				  individuals teaching only online courses:
(1)
				  Online Teacher (Postgraduate Professional) License - a 10-year, renewable
				  license available to an individual who has qualified for the Online Teacher
				  (Collegiate Professional) License and who holds an appropriate earned graduate
				  degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
(2) Online Teacher (Collegiate Professional)
				  License - a 10-year, renewable teaching license available to an individual who
				  has satisfied all requirements for licensure, including an earned baccalaureate
				  degree from a regionally accredited college or university, endorsement and
				  professional studies requirements, and passed the professional teacher's
				  assessments prescribed by the Virginia Board of Education, or
(3) Online Teacher (Technical Professional)
				  License - a 10-year, renewable teaching license available to an individual who
				  has graduated from a public or an accredited nonpublic high school or possesses
				  a Virginia Board of Education-approved high school equivalency credential; has
				  exhibited academic proficiency, technical competency, and occupational
				  experience; and meets the requirements specified in subdivision 4 of this
				  subsection. An individual seeking an Online Teacher (Technical Professional)
				  License shall be recommended for the license by a Virginia public school, a
				  Virginia accredited nonpublic school, or an accredited virtual school
				  program.
c. A
				  nonrenewable Online Teacher (Provisional) License may be issued for a period
				  not to exceed three years to an individual who has allowable deficiencies for
				  full licensure as set forth in
				  8VAC20-23-90 B. The Online
				  (Provisional) License will be issued for three years. The individual shall have
				  a minimum of an earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited
				  college or university, with the exception of those individuals seeking the
				  Technical Professional License. Individuals shall complete all requirements for
				  a renewable Online Teacher License within the validity period of the
				  license.
10. Teach For
				  America License. The Teach For America License is a two-year provisional
				  license.
a. This provisional license is
				  available to any participant in Teach For America, a nationwide nonprofit
				  organization focused on closing the achievement gaps between students in
				  high-income and low-income areas, who submits an application and meets the
				  following requirements:
(1) Holds, at minimum,
				  a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher
				  education;
(2) Has met the
				  requirements prescribed by the Virginia Board of Education for all endorsements
				  sought or has met the qualifying scores on the content area assessment
				  prescribed by the board for the endorsements sought;
(3) Possesses good moral character according
				  to criteria developed by the Virginia Board of Education;
(4) Has been offered and has accepted
				  placement in Teach For America;
(5)
				  Has successfully completed preservice training and is participating in the
				  professional development requirements of Teach For America, including teaching
				  frameworks, curricula, lesson planning, instructional delivery, classroom
				  management, assessment and evaluation of student progress, classroom diversity,
				  and literacy development;
(6) Has
				  an offer of employment from a local school board to teach in a public
				  elementary or secondary school in the Commonwealth or a preschool program that
				  receives state funds pursuant to subsection C of §
													22.1-199.1 of the Code of
				  Virginia; and
(7) Receives a
				  recommendation from the employing school division for a Teach For America
				  License in the endorsement area in which the individual seeks to be
				  licensed.
b. In addition
				  to the criteria set forth in subdivision 10 a of this subsection, any
				  individual who seeks an endorsement in early childhood, early/primary, or
				  elementary education shall either (i) agree to complete such coursework in the
				  teaching of language and literacy as may be prescribed by the Virginia Board of
				  Education pursuant to
				  8VAC20-23-130 during the first year
				  of employment or (ii) achieve a passing score on a reading instructional
				  assessment prescribed by the Virginia Board of Education.
c. Teachers issued a Teach For America
				  provisional license shall not be eligible for continuing contract status while
				  employed under the authority of a Teach For America license and shall be
				  subject to the probationary terms of employment specified in §
												22.1-303 of the Code of
				  Virginia.
d. The Virginia Board of
				  Education may extend any Teach For America License for one additional year upon
				  request of the employing school division, provided that no Teach For America
				  License shall exceed a total of three years in length.
e. Notwithstanding any provision of law to
				  the contrary, upon completion of at least two years of full-time teaching
				  experience in a public elementary or secondary school in the Commonwealth or a
				  preschool program that receives state funds pursuant to subsection C of §
												22.1-199.1 of the Code of
				  Virginia, an individual holding a Teach For America License shall be eligible
				  to receive a renewable license if the individual has (i) achieved satisfactory
				  scores on all professional teacher assessments required by the Virginia Board
				  of Education and (ii) received satisfactory evaluations at the conclusion of
				  each year of employment.
f.
				  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Virginia Board of
				  Education shall issue a Teach For America License to any individual who (i) has
				  completed two years of successful teaching in the Teach For America program in
				  another state, (ii) is not eligible to receive a renewable license, and (iii)
				  meets the criteria set forth in subdivision 10 a of this subsection.
11. Career and Technical Education
				  License. The Career and Technical Education License is a three-year license.
a. This license is available to qualified
				  individuals to teach
,
either full time or part
				  time
,
high school career and technical education courses in
				  specific subject areas.
b. The
				  three-year license is issued to teach high school career and technical
				  education courses in a specific subject area to an individual who:
(1) Submits an application to the Virginia
				  Board of Education, in the form prescribed by the Virginia Board of Education,
				  that includes a recommendation for such a license from the local school
				  board;
(2) Meets certain basic
				  conditions for licensure as prescribed by the Virginia Board of
				  Education;
(3) Meets one of the
				  following requirements:
(a) Holds, at a
				  minimum, a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of
				  higher education and has completed coursework in the career and technical
				  education subject area in which the individual seeks to teach,
(b) Holds the required professional license
				  in the specific career and technical education subject area in which the
				  individual seeks to teach, where applicable, or
(c) Holds an industry certification
				  credential, as that term is defined in §
														22.1-298.1 of the Code of
				  Virginia, in the specific career and technical education subject area in which
				  the individual seeks to teach;
(4) Has at least four years of full-time work
				  experience or its equivalent in the specific career and technical education
				  subject area in which the individual seeks to teach; and
(5) If appropriate, has obtained qualifying
				  scores on the communication and literacy professional teacher's assessment
				  prescribed by the Virginia Board of Education.
c. The employing school board shall assign a
				  mentor to supervise an individual issued a three-year license pursuant to this
				  section during the individual's first two years of teaching.
d. Except as otherwise provided in
				  subdivision A 11 e of this section, any individual issued a three-year license
				  pursuant to this section may be granted subsequent three-year extensions of
				  such license by the Virginia Board of Education upon recommendation of the
				  local school board.
e. Any
				  individual issued a three-year license pursuant to this section who completes
				  (i) nine semester hours of specialized professional studies credit from a
				  regionally accredited institution of higher education or (ii) an alternative
				  course of professional studies proposed by the local school board and approved
				  by the Virginia Department of Education shall be granted a three-year extension
				  of such license by the board and may be granted subsequent three-year
				  extensions of such license by the board upon recommendation of the local school
				  board. Any such specialized professional studies credit or alternative course
				  of professional studies may be completed through distance learning programs and
				  shall include human growth and development; curriculum, instructional, and
				  technology procedures; and classroom and behavior management.
f. No three-year license issued by the board
				  pursuant to this section shall be deemed a provisional license or a renewable
				  license, as those terms are defined in §
												22.1-298.1 of the Code of
				  Virginia.
g. Individuals issued a
				  three-year license pursuant to this section shall not be eligible for
				  continuing contract status while teaching under such license and shall be
				  subject to the probationary terms of employment specified in §
												22.1-303 of the Code of
				  Virginia.
h. The provisions of this
				  section and of Virginia Board of Education regulations governing the denial,
				  suspension, cancellation, revocation, and reinstatement of licensure shall
				  apply to three-year licenses.
12. One-Year High School License. The
				  One-Year High School License is for individuals seeking licensure through an
				  alternate route. The license is a renewable, one-year license issued to teach
				  in public high schools for individuals who:
a.
				  Received a graduate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher
				  education;
b. Completed at least 30
				  credit hours of teaching experience as an instructor at a regionally accredited
				  institution of higher education;
c.
				  Received qualifying scores on the professional teacher's assessments prescribed
				  by the Virginia Board of Education, including the communication and literacy
				  assessment and the content-area assessment for the endorsement sought;
				  and
d. Met the following
				  requirements:
(1) Complete study in child
				  abuse recognition and intervention in accordance with curriculum guidelines
				  developed by the Virginia Board of Education in consultation with the
				  Department of Social Services that are relevant to the specific teacher
				  licensure route; and
(2) Provide
				  evidence of completion of certification or training in emergency first aid,
				  cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the use of automated external
				  defibrillators. The certification or training program shall be (i) based on the
				  current national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines for
				  cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external
				  defibrillator, such as a program developed by the American Heart Association or
				  the American Red Cross and (ii) include hands-on practice of the skills
				  necessary to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The Virginia Board of
				  Education shall provide a waiver for this requirement for any person with a
				  disability whose disability prohibits such person from completing the
				  certification or training.
The license may be renewed for one year by the submission
					 of an application for renewal and verification from the division superintendent
					 that the individual received a satisfactory performance evaluation.
13. Career
				  and Technical Education or Dual Enrollment License. The Career and Technical
				  Education or Dual Enrollment License is a three-year license to solely teach
				  career and technical education courses or dual enrollment courses at public
				  high schools in the Commonwealth issued to any individual who (i) is employed
				  as an instructor by an institution of higher education that is accredited by a
				  nationally recognized regional accreditation body, (ii) is teaching in the
				  specific career and technical education or dual enrollment subject area at such
				  institution in which the individual seeks to teach at a public school, and
				  (iii) complies with the requirements set forth in subdivisions D 1 and D 3 of
				  §
											22.1-298.1 of the Code of
				  Virginia. The Virginia Board of Education shall require any such instructor to
				  maintain continuous employment in such position at the institution of higher
				  education as a condition of continued licensure. Subsections E and F of
				  8VAC20-23-40 shall expire on July
				  1, 2021, however, any license issued pursuant to this chapter prior to July 1,
				  2021, shall remain in effect for three years from the date the license was
				  issued unless such license is revoked by the Virginia Board of
				  Education.