West Virginia Teacher Licensure Guide for Online Master's Students

Who Licenses Teachers in West Virginia, and Which Exams Does It Use?

West Virginia licenses teachers through West Virginia Department of Education, Office of Certification, and the exams it requires are the Praxis tests from ETS.

For the programs themselves, the online master's in education programs at universities in West Virginia are ranked at the in-state price, and the national and specialty lists cover schools in other states.

How Do I Get a West Virginia Teaching License With an Online Master's?

Getting a West Virginia teaching license with an online master's runs through Form 20A, which serves graduates of a state-approved program at a regionally accredited college in another state. The Professional Teaching Certificate it produces is valid for three years. The applicant needs the certification official at the school to approve the form, proof of completed student teaching, passing exam scores, and official transcripts sent by the college itself.

Degree level enters through the grade point average: a cumulative 2.5 for a bachelor's degree or 3.0 for a master's. Our elementary education and special education rankings use federal data and cannot tell you whether the program is approved by its own state.

Which Exams Does West Virginia Require for Teacher Licensure?

West Virginia requires three kinds of exams for teacher licensure, according to its Licensure Testing Directory: a pre-professional skills test, a content test for each endorsement, and a professional education assessment. The skills test is the Praxis Core, and holding a master's degree from an accredited institution exempts you from it.

An out-of-state program completer takes the PLT, which leads to a non-transferable certificate, or an approved teacher performance assessment, which leads to a transferable one. Elementary K-6 and early childhood K-4 candidates also pass Teaching Reading Elementary Education, a requirement tied to the Third Grade Success Act. Student support and administrative candidates skip the professional education assessment.

Can I Transfer a Teaching License to West Virginia From Another State?

A teaching license can transfer to West Virginia from another state through Form 20R, which asks for a valid, transferable and renewable out-of-state professional certificate and the same grade point floors. An applicant employed by a county school system needs the county superintendent's recommendation, and others submit Form 4B.

A teacher whose out-of-state license expired within the last five years can ask for a Statement of Eligibility, which allows employment and leads to a Provisional Teaching Certificate that can later be converted. The table below is the 2020 Education Commission of the States reading, and it records no extra coursework for West Virginia.

Does NC-SARA Membership Cover Teacher Licensure for West Virginia Online Master's Students?

NC-SARA membership covers teacher licensure for West Virginia online master's students in one narrow respect, which is notice. NC-SARA says SARA does not address licensing board approval of programs leading to a license, so the Office of Certification, not the compact, decides who is certified. West Virginia has been a member through SREB since October 2014, and participating schools must tell you whether a program meets licensure requirements where you live.

What Should I Ask an Online Program Before Enrolling From West Virginia?

An online program should say before you enroll from West Virginia whether it prepares you for a West Virginia license. 34 CFR 668.43 has schools that advertise licensure preparation name the states where the program does and does not qualify, and give you notice before enrollment if it falls short or no review was made.

Then ask the West Virginia questions. Does the state where the school sits approve the program for a license, and will its certification official sign Form 20A? Does the program use an approved teacher performance assessment, so the certificate is transferable? Will your cumulative grade point average reach 3.0? Is the student teaching documented?

Which License Do West Virginia Principals and School Counselors Need?

West Virginia principals and school counselors each need a master's and an exam score, and neither endorsement can be added to a teaching certificate by content proficiency alone. The Principal endorsement requires a master's in educational leadership or a post-graduate licensure program and Praxis 5412 at 146.

School counselors hold a Student Support Certificate, and Form 20SR asks for a master's in school counseling from an accredited college whose program leads to public school licensure. The directory sets Praxis 5422 at 159. Weigh educational leadership and school counseling programs against these terms.