West Virginia Code of State Rules › Agency 126 - Education › Title 126 - LEGISLATIVE RULE BOARD OF EDUCATION › Series 126-136 - Minimum Requirements for the Licensure of Professional/Paraprofessional Personnel and Advanced Salary Classifications (5202) › Section 126-136-9 - General Requirements and Dates Certain for Licensure

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 28, July 12, 2024
9.1. General Requirements. A certificate to
				work in the public schools of West Virginia may be granted to a candidate who
				is: a United States citizen or who holds a valid Permanent Resident Card,
				Employment Authorization Document (EAD), or work permit issued by the United
				States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); of good moral character;
				physically, mentally, and emotionally qualified to perform the duties to which
				assigned; and has attained the age of 18 years on or before October 1 of the
				year in which the certificate is issued unless otherwise noted. (W. Va. Code
				§
									18A-3-2a.)
9.2. Criminal History Record Check. Federal
				Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Fingerprint Background Check for Initial
				Licensure. All candidates for initial licensure whose applications are received
				by the WVDE shall be fingerprinted by the West Virginia State Police or its
				designee. The fingerprints shall be analyzed by the State Police for a state
				criminal history record check through the central abuse registry record and
				then forwarded to the FBI for a national criminal history record check.
				Information contained in either the central abuse registry record or the FBI
				record may form the basis for the denial of a certificate for cause in
				accordance with W. Va. Code §
									18A-3-2a and §
									18A-3-10.
9.3. State Analysis for Employment within 90
				Days. Upon written consent to the WVDE by the candidate and within 90 days of
				the state fingerprint analysis, the results of a state analysis may be provided
				to a county board of education with which the candidate is applying for
				employment without further cost to the candidate.
9.4. Disclosure Provisions. Information
				maintained by the WVDE or a county board of education which was obtained for
				the purposes of W. Va. Code §
									18A-3-10 is exempt from
				disclosure as provided by W. Va. Code §
									29B-1-4. Disclosure or
				publication of information in a statistical or other form that does not
				identify the individuals involved or provide personal information is not
				prohibited.
9.5. Beginning Educator
				Internship/Induction. An educator who receives a Professional Teaching
				Certificate after January 1, 1992, must successfully complete a Beginning
				Educator Internship/Induction. An educator who has successfully completed five
				years of out-of-state teaching full-time experience is exempt from completing
				the Beginning Educator Internship/Induction. (W. Va. Code §
									18A-3C-3.)
9.6. Licensure and Related Fees. A
				non-refundable processing fee, established by the WVBE, shall be charged for
				all applications and requests for copies of records. In addition to the
				processing fee, candidates who apply for an initial certificate shall be
				responsible for the current fee charged by the FBI for a fingerprint background
				check and for a West Virginia Criminal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint
				background check as required by W. Va. Code §
									18A-3-10.
9.7. Dating of Certificates. All certificates
				shall be issued and dated in accordance with W. Va. Code and as mandated by
				other applicable WVBE policies. A county board of education may employ a
				candidate for a professional educator's certificate in good faith that the
				candidate is eligible for a certificate for up to three school months, unless
				otherwise noted or date of notification of the candidate's ineligibility,
				whichever shall occur first. This three-month period shall begin with the date
				of hire for that position. The candidate's background check shall be completed
				and appropriate application and fees for licensure must be received by the WVDE
				within 10 calendar days of the hire date. The certificate effective date shall
				be the date it is received by the WVDE or the applicant's hire/assignment date,
				not to exceed the ten-calendar day period stated within this section, and
				provided that all licensure requirements have been met on that date. Future
				employment/assignment dates are allowable. All certificates shall expire on
				June 30 of the last year of their validity irrespective of the date of
				issuance. (W. Va. Code §
									18A-3-2.) A candidate whose
				eligible credential is effective after December 1 may be issued a credential
				which exceeds the validity period within its validity section.
9.8. Expiration Date of Certificates. All
				certificates shall be issued and set to expire in accordance with W. Va. Code
				§
									18A-3-2a and as mandated by this
				policy. Refer to individual licensure sections for designated dates.
9.9. Specializations and Grade Levels. All
				certificates shall contain specializations and grade levels in accordance with
				W. Va. Code §
									18A-3-2a and as mandated by this
				policy and Policy 5100. Refer to individual licensure sections or Appendix A
				for specific designations.
9.10.
				Recognition of Degrees and Coursework for Licensure, Renewal, and Advanced
				Salary Classifications.
9.10.a. Dating of
				Degree Recognition and Advanced Salary Classifications. Upon successful
				completion of an advanced degree or additional hours leading to a higher salary
				classification, the candidate will make application to the WVDE. Upon
				verification of coursework completed and/or the degree being granted, the new
				degree/salary classification will be effective on the date that all
				requirements for the classification were completed not to exceed three months
				prior to receipt of the appropriate application in the WVDE for any valid and
				eligible certificate.
9.10.b. BA.
				Only a BA earned from an accredited IHE approved to offer a BA may be
				recognized for licensure and salary purposes.
9.10.c. MA. Only an MA earned from an
				accredited IHE approved to offer an MA and in a curriculum related to the
				public school program may be recognized for licensure and salary
				purposes.
9.10.d. Doctorate. Only a
				doctoral degree earned from an accredited IHE approved to offer a doctorate and
				in a curriculum related to the public school program may be recognized for
				licensure and salary purposes. (W. Va. Code §
										18A-4-1.)
9.10.e. Degrees and Coursework from
				Non-accredited Colleges. Degrees and/or coursework earned from non-accredited
				IHEs are not recognized for licensure or salary purposes. A candidate who
				completed a state-approved program through a non-accredited IHE must complete
				the appropriate degree and approved program requirements from an accredited IHE
				before licensure may be granted.
9.10.f. Recognition of IHE Credit for Renewal
				and Salary Purposes. Only unduplicated coursework related to the public school
				program as defined in section 9.10.g, completed through an accredited IHE, or
				through the WVDE WVLearns and reflected on an official IHE transcript, and
				subsequent to the issuance of the certificate being renewed and within the
				five-year period immediately preceding the date of application may be used for
				renewal of a certificate.
9.10.g.
				Related to the Public School Program. For purposes of renewal and advanced
				salary classification, related to the public school program shall mean: any
				course offering included in a degree program in the field of K-12 or CTE
				education; content and/or professional education coursework related to an
				available licensure; content and/or professional education coursework required
				for an additional endorsement; professional learning/special topics coursework
				approved by the licensing agency; coursework identified in the personnel
				evaluation process; coursework related to technology for education; and/or
				coursework related to the mission and goals of the WVBE and/or the school
				organization.