Virginia
Teaching Standards and Leadership Standards
Teaching Standards
Is working with and meeting the needs of students with disabilities addressed in state teaching standards?
In 2010, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) revised the Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Teachers. The revised Virginia Standards for the Professional Practice of Teachers reflect a closer alignment in structure between the two documents to assist educators in using the standards to improve the practice and performance of teachers.
The Virginia Standards for the Professional Practice of Teachers do not specifically address the readiness of teachers to address the learning needs of students with disabilities, but do include a focus on teaching “all students” and the need to collaborate with “exceptional education specialists”. Briefly, the five Standards and most relevant Key Elements include:
- Standard One: Professional Knowledge – Teachers demonstrate an understanding of the curriculum, subject content, and the developmental needs of students by providing relevant learning experiences.
- Standard Two: Instructional Planning – Teachers plan using the Virginia Standards of Learning, the school’s curriculum, effective strategies, resources, and data to meet the needs of all students.
- Key Element 5: Teachers choose appropriate strategies, resources, and materials to differentiate instruction for individuals and groups of students and develop appropriate sequencing of learning experiences.
- Standard Three: Instructional Delivery – Teachers effectively engage students in learning by using a variety of instructional strategies in order to meet individual learning needs.
- Key Element 1: Teachers differentiate instruction to accommodate the learning needs of all students.
- Key Element 4: Teachers know when and how to access and integrate resources to support student learning (e.g., field and educational experts, exceptional education specialists, language learner specialists, community organizations).
- Standard Four: Assessment of and for Student Learning – Teachers systematically gather, analyze, and use all relevant data to measure student academic progress, guide instructional content and delivery methods, and provide timely feedback to both students and parents throughout the school year.
- Standard Five: Learning Environment – Teachers use resources, routines, and procedures to provide a respectful, positive, safe, student-centered environment that is conducive to learning.
The state’s Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Teachers define the criteria expected when teachers perform their major duties. The seven Performance Standards are:
- Performance Standard 1: Professional Knowledge – The teacher demonstrates an understanding of the curriculum, subject content, and the developmental needs of students by providing relevant learning experiences.
- Performance Standard 2: Instructional Planning – The teacher plans using the Virginia Standards of Learning, the school’s curriculum, effective strategies, resources, and data to meet the needs of all students.
- Performance Standard 3: Instructional Delivery – The teacher effectively engages students in learning by using a variety of instructional strategies in order to meet individual learning needs.
- Performance Standard 4: Assessment of and for Student Learning – The teacher systematically gathers, analyzes, and uses all relevant data to measure student academic progress, guide instructional content and delivery methods, and provide timely feedback to both students and parents throughout the school year.
- Performance Standard 5: Learning Environment – The teacher uses resources, routines, and procedures to provide a respectful, positive, safe, student-centered environment that is conducive to learning.
- Sample Performance Indicator 5.6: “Respects students’ diversity, including language, culture, race, gender, and special needs.”
- Performance Standard 6: Professionalism – The teacher maintains a commitment to professional ethics, communicates effectively, and takes responsibility for and participates in professional growth that results in enhanced student learning.
- Performance Standard 7: Student Academic Progress – The work of the teacher results in acceptable, measurable, and appropriate student academic progress.
Sources:
VA Department of Education (VDOE), Virginia Standards for the Professional Practice of Teachers
VDOE, Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Teachers
School Leadership Standards
Is knowledge of working with students with disabilities included in leader standards?
The Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Principals outline seven principal standards. While they do not specifically require knowledge of working with students with disabilities, they establish the expectation that principals will “foster the success of all students.”
For all principals, there are seven performance standards:
- Instructional Leadership – The principal fosters the success of all students by facilitating the development, communication, implementation, and evaluation of a shared vision of teaching and learning that leads to student academic progress and school improvement.
- School Climate – The principal fosters the success of all students by developing, advocating, and sustaining an academically rigorous, positive, and safe school climate for all stakeholders.
- Human Resources Management – The principal fosters effective human resources management by assisting with selection and induction, and by supporting, evaluating, and retaining quality instructional and support personnel.
- Organizational Management – The principal fosters the success of all students by supporting, managing, and overseeing the school’s organization, operation, and use of resources.
- Communication and Community Relations – The principal fosters the success of all students by communicating and collaborating effectively with stakeholders.
- Professionalism – The principal fosters the success of all students by demonstrating professional standards and ethics, engaging in continuous professional development, and contributing to the profession.
- Student Academic Progress – The principal’s leadership results in acceptable, measurable student academic progress based on established standards.
Source: VDOE, Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Principals
Teacher and Principal Preparation
Teacher Preparation – Program Approval/Accreditation
Required course work in teaching students with disabilities/diverse learners
Virginia law does not require specific course work in teaching students with disabilities, but does requires that all teacher candidates complete study in attention deficit disorder and gifted education, including the use of multiple criteria to identify gifted students. The state’s Licensure Regulations for School Personnel, however, do require specific coursework in human growth and development and in curriculum and instructional procedures for teaching students with disabilities.
Professional studies requirements for early/primary education, elementary education, and middle education that address students with disabilities include:
- Human Growth and Development (3 semester hours) – Skills in this area shall contribute to an understanding of the physical, social, emotional, speech and language, and intellectual development of children and the ability to use this understanding in guiding learning experiences and relating meaningfully to students. The interaction of children with individual differences – economic, social, racial, ethnic, religious, physical, and mental – should be incorporated to include skills contributing to an understanding of developmental disabilities and developmental issues related to but not limited to attention deficit disorders, gifted education including the use of multiple criteria to identify gifted students, substance abuse, child abuse, and family disruptions.
- Curriculum and instructional procedures (3 semester hours) – Skills in this area shall contribute to an understanding of the principles of learning; the application of skills in discipline-specific methodology; communication processes; selection and use of materials, including media and computers; selection, development and use of appropriate curricula, methodologies, and materials that support and enhance student learning and reflect the research on unique, age-appropriate, and culturally relevant curriculum and pedagogy; evaluation of pupil performance; and the relationships among assessment, instruction, and monitoring student progress to include student performance measures in grading practices, the ability to construct and interpret valid assessments using a variety of formats in order to measure student attainment of essential skills in a standards-based environment, and the ability to analyze assessment data to make decisions about how to improve instruction and student performance. The teaching methods, including for limited English proficient students, gifted and talented students and those students with disabling conditions, must be appropriate for the level of endorsement (preK-3 or preK-6) and be tailored to promote student academic progress and effective preparation for the Standards of Learning assessments.
Professional studies requirements for adult education, preK-12 endorsements, and secondary grades 6-12 endorsements; and Professional studies requirements for special education include:
- Human growth and development (birth through adolescence) (3 semester hours) – Skills in this area shall contribute to an understanding of the physical, social, emotional, speech and language, and intellectual development of children and the ability to use this understanding in guiding learning experiences. The interaction of children with individual differences – economic, social, racial, ethnic, religious, physical, and mental – should be incorporated to include skills contributing to an understanding of developmental disabilities and developmental issues related to but not limited to attention deficit disorders, gifted education including the use of multiple criteria to identify gifted students, substance abuse, child abuse, and family disruptions.
- Curriculum and instructional procedures (3 semester hours) – Skills in this area shall contribute to an understanding of the principles of learning; the application of skills in discipline-specific methodology; communication processes; selection and use of materials, including media and computers; evaluation of pupil performance; and the relationships among assessment, instruction, and monitoring student progress to include student performance measures in grading practices, the ability to construct and interpret valid assessments using a variety of formats in order to measure student attainment of essential skills in a standards-based environment, and the ability to analyze assessment data to make decisions about how to improve instruction and student performance. Teaching methods appropriate for limited English proficient students; exceptional students, including gifted and talented and those with disabling conditions; and appropriate for the level of endorsement sought shall be included. Persons seeking initial licensure as teachers and persons seeking licensure renewal as teachers for the first time shall complete study in child abuse recognition and intervention in accordance with curriculum guidelines developed by the Board of Education in consultation with the Department of Social Services that are relevant to the specific teacher licensure routes.
Professional studies requirements for Middle education (6-8) include:
- Curriculum and instructional procedures (3 semester hours) – Skills in this area shall contribute to an understanding of the principles of learning; the application of skills in discipline-specific methodology; communication processes, selection and use of materials, including media and computers; evaluation of pupil performance; and the relationships among assessment, instruction, and monitoring student progress to include student performance measures in grading practices, the ability to construct and interpret valid assessments using a variety of formats in order to measure student attainment of essential skills in a standards-based environment, and the ability to analyze assessment data to make decisions about how to improve instruction and student performance. The teaching methods, including for limited English proficient students, gifted and talented students, and students with disabling conditions, must be appropriate for the middle education endorsement and be tailored to promote student academic progress and effective preparation for the Standards of Learning assessments. Persons seeking initial licensure as teachers and persons seeking licensure renewal as teachers for the first time shall complete study in child abuse recognition and intervention in accordance with curriculum guidelines developed by the Board of Education in consultation with the Department of Social Services that are relevant to the specific teacher licensure routes.
Sources:
Virginia Code Annotated§ 22.1-298.1
8 Virginia Administrative Code 20-22-130 (1)
VDOE, Licensure Regulations for School Personnel
Clinical time in diverse settings/teaching special populations
State preparation program approval regulations require each professional education program to obtain and maintain national accreditation from NCATE, TEAC, or “a process approved by the Board of Education.” State regulations require teacher candidates to participate in a student teaching experience that places the candidate in classrooms full time for a minimum of 300 clock hours (including pre- and post-clinical experiences), with at least 150 clock hours spent supervised in direct teaching activities (providing direct instruction) at the level of endorsement. State licensure regulations require such pre-student teaching experiences (field experiences) to address skills, including teaching methods for “exceptional students” and “students with disabling conditions”. One year of successful full-time teaching experience in the endorsement area in a public or accredited nonpublic school may be accepted in lieu of the supervised teaching experience. A fully licensed, experienced teacher must be available in the school building to assist a beginning, alternate-route teacher.
Sources:
8 Virginia Administrative Code 20-22-130 (6)
VDOE, Licensure Regulations for School Personnel
Teacher Preparation – Accountability
Quality of teacher preparation programs
Virginia collects some program-specific, objective data that reflect teacher preparation program performance, including employer satisfaction. But the state does not provide the public with meaningful, readily understandable indicators of how well programs are doing. State preparation program approval regulations require each professional education program to obtain and maintain national accreditation from NCATE, TEAC, or “a process approved by the Board of Education.”
Sources:
National Council on Teacher Quality, 2012 State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Improving Teacher Preparation in Virginia
8 VAC 20-542-30
Principal Preparation – Program Approval/Accreditation
Require course work in leading a school/district that serves students with disabilities/diverse learners
State preparation program approval regulations require each professional education program to obtain and maintain national accreditation from NCATE, TEAC, or “a process approved by the Board of Education.” State regulations governing the review and approval of administrator and supervisor preparation programs require demonstration that candidates have competent knowledge, understanding, and application of the conditions and dynamics that impact a diverse school community. Candidates are required to complete a minimum of 320 clock hours of deliberately structured and supervised internship that provides exposure to multiple sites with diverse student populations. The internship must be focused on learning for all students.
Sources:
VDOE, Regulations Governing the Review and Approval of Education Programs in Virginia
8 VAC 20-542-530
Principal Preparation – Accountability
Are programs reviewed based on outcomes of graduates’ success? Can school principals be linked back to institutions of higher education and preparation programs?
Our state policy analysis did not identify a state accountability system for administrator preparation programs. State preparation program approval regulations require each professional education program to obtain and maintain national accreditation from NCATE, TEAC, or “a process approved by the Board of Education.”
Source: 8 VAC 20-542-30
Teacher and Principal Certification/Licensure
Teacher Certification/Licensure – Structure
Is a specific certificate, license or endorsement related to special education required?
The state offers five special education endorsements: special education early childhood (birth-age 5), special education hearing impairments (preK-12), special education adapted curriculum (K-12), special education general curriculum (K-12), and special education visual impairments (preK-12).
Sources:
8 VAC 20-22-510 through 550
Email communication with VDOE, September 26, 2014
Teacher Certification – Examination
Does the state require teachers to pass a basic skills exam for initial certification? What are the pass rates on the exams? Does the state require Praxis II or more pedagogical assessment for licensure? Does it include anything about teaching diverse learners or special populations?
The Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Tests are accepted forentry assessment to Virginia approved programs of educator preparation. In addition, there are substitute tests for the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Tests. In June 2013, the Board of Education approved currently approved SAT and ACT substitute tests and passing scores as substitute tests for the basic skills entry assessment to be accepted until comparison studies using the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Tests: Reading (5712); Writing (5722); and Mathematics (5732) can be completed.
The Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment has been required for initial licensure since 2006 and is composed of two area subtests − a Reading Subtest (091) and a Writing Subtest (092). The National Evaluation Group of Pearson administers this assessment. An individual choosing to use the VCLA (Reading and Writing) as a substitute assessment for the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Tests: Reading (5712) and Writing (5722) will be required to meet the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Mathematics test requirement (or equivalent SAT® or ACT® test scores).
Sources:
VDOE, Assessment Requirements for Virginia Licensure
VDOE, Entry Assessments to Virginia Approved Programs
Email communication with VDOE, September 26, 2014
Teacher Certification/Licensure – Requirements
Is professional development around working with special populations required to move from initial to a professional license?
To qualify for the five-year renewable license, teacher candidates are required to complete 18 semester hours in human growth and development, curriculum and instructional procedures, classroom and behavior management, foundations of education, and reading in the content area.
Source: VDOE, Licensure Regulations for School Personnel
Principal Certification/Licensure – Requirements
Is prior teaching experience required to become a principal and/or a superintendent? Is specific coursework or other evidence required around working with special populations?
The state of Virginia requires school leaders to obtain a master’s degree, have prior teaching experience, and pass a test.
Principals: Candidates must hold a master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and complete three years of successful, full-time experience in a public school or accredited nonpublic school in an instructional personnel position that requires licensure in Virginia. Candidates must also complete an approved program in administration and supervision from a regionally accredited college or university, a minimum of 320 clock hours of supervised internship experience and satisfy requirements for the school leaders licensure assessment prescribed by the Board of Education.
Superintendents: Candidates must hold an earned doctorate degree in educational administration or educational leadership from a regionally accredited college or university and have completed five years of educational experience in a public or accredited nonpublic school, two of which must be teaching experience at the preK-12 level and two of which must be in administration/supervision at the preK-12 level.
Sources:
8 Virginia Administrative Code 20-22-590 and 20-22-600
ECS, Administrator License Requirements, Portability, Waivers and Alternative Certification
George W. Bush Institute, Operating in the Dark
Teacher and Principal Induction
Teacher Induction
Is mentoring required for all new teachers and for how many years? If so, do program guidelines/requirements specifically address teaching diverse learners?
State law requires school districts to provide mentor programs for first-year teachers. It requires the State Board of Education to establish, contingent upon state funding, “mentor teacher programs utilizing specially trained public school teachers as mentors to provide assistance and professional support to teachers entering the profession.” [Code of Virginia § 22.1-305.1]
Source: New Teacher Center, Review of State Policies on Teacher Induction
Principal Induction
Is coaching/mentoring required for all new principals/administrators/ superintendents and for how many years? If so, do program guidelines/requirements specifically serving diverse learners?
The Code of Virginia requires mentors to be provided for first-year principals.
Sources:
New Teacher Center, Review of State Policies on Teacher Induction
Code of Virginia, § 22.1-294
Teacher and Principal Professional Development Standards
Teacher Professional Development Standards
Does the state have professional development standards for teacher PD?
Virginia’s professional development criteria seek to:
a. improve and increase teachers’ knowledge of the academic subjects the teachers teach, and enable teachers to become highly qualified if they are teaching in a federal core content area;
b. be sustained, intensive, and classroom-focused in order to have a positive and lasting impact on classroom instruction and teachers’ performance in the classroom;
c. be based on, aligned with, and directly related to Virginia’s Standards of Learning;
d. be structured on scientifically-based research demonstrated to improve student academic achievement or substantially increase the knowledge and teaching skills of teachers;
e. be sponsored by school divisions, colleges, universities, organizations, associations, or other entities experienced in providing professional development activities to teachers and instructors;
f. be delivered by individuals who have demonstrated qualifications and credentials in the focus area of the professional development;
g. support the success of all learners including children with special needs and limited English proficiency;
h. provide training for teachers in the use of technology so that technology and technology applications are effectively used in the classroom to improve teaching and learning in the curricula and federal core academic subjects in which the teachers teach;
i. promote the use of data and assessments to improve instruction; and
j. be reviewed for high quality and evaluated after completion to determine if the intended results were achieved.
Source: VDOE, High-Quality Professional Development Criteria (2004)
Principal Professional Development Standards
Does the state have professional development standards for leadership PD?
Virginia’s professional development criteria apply to school administrators and principals as well as teachers. For a description of the criteria, please see Teacher Professional Development Standards above.
Source: VDOE, High-Quality Professional Development Criteria (2004)