West Virginia
Teaching Standards and Leadership Standards
Teaching Standards
Is working with and meeting the needs of students with disabilities addressed in state teaching standards?
West Virginia Professional Teaching Standards establish the expectation that teachers will create learning environments that are supportive of all students and take into account individual differences. They, however, do not specifically require knowledge or skills in working with students with disabilities.
Standard 2. The Learner and the Learning Environment
The teacher demonstrates knowledge of the underlying principles of how students develop and learn, and creates an environment that supports the learning of all students. The teacher sets high expectations based on a conceptual understanding of what is developmentally appropriate for all students. The teacher establishes a learner-centered culture that allows all students to be successful while respecting their differences in learning styles, as well as socio-economic, cultural and developmental characteristics. Respect for diversity is apparent in the design of the learning environment — the activities and tasks, the materials and student groupings — to ensure student learning.
Source: West Virginia Department of Education, West Virginia Professional Teaching Standards
School Leadership Standards
Is knowledge of working with students with disabilities included in leader standards?
The West Virginia Standards for School Leaders require educational leaders to promote the success of all students, but do not specifically require knowledge of working with students with disabilities.
Source: West Virginia Department of Education, West Virginia Educator Evaluation System for School Leaders
Teacher and Principal Preparation
Teacher Preparation – Program Approval/Accreditation
Required course work in teaching students with disabilities/diverse learners
State program approval rules require all general education preparation programs to contain at least six hours of preparation in special education, including a focus on the impact of each disability, the use of evaluation data generated from special education to assist with instruction, and the effective and efficient use of consultation. All general education preparation programs must also address differentiating instruction for diverse learners.
Source: West Virginia Code of State Rules, 126-114-6.3.e, Approval of Educational Personnel Preparation Programs
Clinical time in diverse settings/teaching special populations
Each initial general education teacher candidate must complete:
(1) a minimum of 125 clock hours of field experience in each area in which they are seeking an endorsement; and
(2) spend a minimum of 12 weeks in the clinical portion of the preparation program in each area in which they are seeking an endorsement (unless s/he is able to demonstrate proficiency to the satisfaction of the college supervisor and the cooperating public school supervisor in less time).
The clinical experience must be completed in a public school under the direction of a teacher licensed to teach in West Virginia. The candidate must be assessed during the clinical experience in at least one specialization for which s/he is requesting licensure. The institution is also required to document the candidates’ field-based and/or clinical experiences with diverse (multi-cultural), at risk, and special needs learners at each programmatic level of anticipated licensure.
The following are the current exceptions to the programmatic level coverage for required field based experiences:
- Any PreK-Adult or K-Adult program is required to contain clinical practice at both the elementary and middle or secondary levels. Field based experiences and/or clinical practice must be completed at a minimum of three different programmatic levels.
- Any 5-Adult program is required to contain field based experiences and/or clinical practice at a minimum of two different programmatic levels.
- Any 9-Adult program is required to contain field based experiences and/or clinical practice at a minimum of one programmatic level.
- For the elementary education specialization (K-6), a placement in any grade including kindergarten through grade six will satisfy the programmatic level requirement. If the candidate combines elementary education with another specialization, the required programmatic level placement for the other specialization must be satisfied.
Each initial special education teacher candidate must complete “a significant field experience” for the area(s) of special education in which they are seeking an endorsement. Candidates seeking an endorsement in multicategorical disabilities must participate in experiences that include instructional and behavioral supports for students in “emotional/behavioral disorders, mental impairments, and specific learning disabilities.”
Source: West Virginia Code of State Rules, 126-114-6.4.b, Approval of Educational Personnel Preparation Programs
Teacher Preparation – Accountability
Quality of teacher preparation programs
West Virginia collects some program-specific, objective data that reflect preparation program performance, including the average raw score of candidates admitted to the program on the pre-professional skills test, the satisfaction rating by cooperating teachers on student teachers from the institution, and the average raw score of candidates on subject matter and pedagogy exams. These data are reported via the state’s annual Educational Personnel Data Report.
Sources:
National Council on Teacher Quality, 2012 State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Improving Teacher Preparation in West Virginia
West Virginia Department of Education, Office of Professional Preparation, 2013 Educational Personnel Data Report
Principal Preparation – Program Approval/Accreditation
Require course work in leading a school/district that serves students with disabilities/diverse learners
West Virginia does not require course work for candidates in leading a school or district that serves students with disabilities, but state preparation program content requirements state that courses should be linked to the conceptual framework outlined by the West Virginia Educator Preparation Program Standards. Standards 1, 3 and 4 state that candidates must have the knowledge and skills to help all students learn.
Standard 1. Candidate Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions
Candidates know and demonstrate the content, pedagogical and professional knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to help all students learn.
Standard 3. Field Experiences and Clinical Practice
The preparation program and its school partners design, implement and evaluate field experiences and clinical practice so candidates develop and demonstrate the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to help all students learn.
Standard 4. Diversity
The preparation program designs, implements and evaluates curriculum and experiences for candidates to acquire and apply the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to help all students learn. These experiences include working with diverse higher education and school faculty, diverse candidates and diverse students in P-12 schools.
The Standards define “all students” as students with exceptionalities and the different ethnic, racial, gender, language, religious, socioeconomic and regional/geographic origins.
Further, in July 2014, the West Virginia State Board of Education formally adopted Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Standards – which will be required of all preparation programs by 2016. CAEP Standards
Sources:
West Virginia Code of State Rules, 126-114, Appendix A-5, West Virginia Standards for School Leaders
West Virginia Code of State Rules, 126-114-11, Approval of Educational Personnel Preparation Programs
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?
Apart from state-required accreditation and program review processes, our state policy analysis did not identify a state accountability system governing school leader preparation.
Sources:
West Virginia Department of Education, Accreditation Resources
West Virginia Department of Education, Program Review Board
Teacher and Principal Certification/Licensure
Teacher Certification/Licensure – Structure
Is a specific certificate, license or endorsement related to special education required?
West Virginia does not offer a K-12 certification for special education teachers. Elementary special education candidates are required to complete an early child or elementary specialization. Those opting for the early childhood certification are not required to pass a content test. Secondary special education teachers must complete specialization in a list of subject areas that includes reading specialist, which does not require a content test. An elementary subject-matter test is required for an elementary special education license. A secondary subject-matter test in at least one subject is required for secondary special education license.
Source: National Council on Teacher Quality, 2012 State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Improving Teacher Preparation in West Virginia
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?
All teacher candidates seeking initial licensure must pass the Praxis I. The Praxis II is required for each area of certification. The Principles of Learning and Teaching test is required for all professional education certificates (K-6, 5-9, 7-12).
Source: ETS, West Virginia Test Requirements
Teacher Certification/Licensure – Requirements
Is professional development around working with special populations required to move from initial to a professional license?
West Virginia requires candidates to complete an Initial Professional Teaching Certificate, valid for no longer than three years. There are no state professional development requirements to advance to a Permanent Teacher Certificate.
Sources:
West Virginia Department of Education, West Virginia State Requirements
West Virginia Code of State Rules, 126-114-10.1, Minimum Requirements for the Licensure of Professional/Paraprofessional 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 West Virginia requires school leaders to have prior teaching experience, complete a state-approved preparation program, and pass a test.
Principals and Superintendents: Candidates must have a master’s degree and complete a state-approved preparation program meeting a minimum grade point average and including an internship. Candidates must also have 3 years of management experience and complete education and training in evaluation skills offered through the Center for Professional Development or an equivalent program approved by the state board.
Sources:
West Virginia Code of State Rules, 126-114-10.1, Minimum Requirements for the Licensure of Professional/Paraprofessional Personnel
Education Commission of the States, 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?
The state requires all first-year teachers to receive mentoring support. [West Virginia Code (WVC) §18A-3-2b] Since 1992, the state of West Virginia has required all first-year teachers to successfully complete an internship program. Alternative teacher education programs must provide three phases of intensive on-the-job supervision by an assigned mentor and a professional support team. [WVC §18A-3-1a]
House Bill 4236 passed in 2012 will phase-in a new evaluation process for professional personnel and institute a comprehensive teacher mentoring system in West Virginia – the Comprehensive System for Teacher Induction and Professional Growth (§18A-3C-3).
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 state requires first-year principals to receive mentoring support. Since 1995, the state has required all beginning school administrators to successfully complete an internship program.
State law requires the beginning principal internship program to include: (1) an orientation program, (2) at least three regular meetings per semester during the school year between the mentor and beginning principal, (3) necessary release time from regular duties for the mentor, (4) a mentor stipend of at least $600 to be paid by the state department of education, and (5) documentation and evaluation of the beginning principal internship.
It requires principal mentors to be selected by the county school superintendent and requires mentors to have a minimum of five years of experience as a school administrator. [WVC 18A-3-2d]
Source: New Teacher Center, Review of State Policies on Teacher Induction
Teacher and Principal Professional Development Standards
Teacher Professional Development Standards
Does the state have professional development standards for teacher PD?
In 2003, the state of West Virginia adopted the Professional Learning Standards developed by Learning Forward. These standards outline the characteristics of professional learning that leads to effective teaching practices, supportive leadership, and improved student results.
Sources:
Learning Forward
West Virginia Board of Education, Comprehensive, System of Support for Improving Professional Practice Implementation Guidelines
Principal Professional Development Standards
Does the state have professional development standards for leadership PD?
In 2003, the state of West Virginia adopted the Professional Learning Standards developed by Learning Forward. These standards outline the characteristics of professional learning that leads to effective teaching practices, supportive leadership, and improved student results.
Sources:
Learning Forward
West Virginia Board of Education, Comprehensive, System of Support for Improving Professional Practice Implementation Guidelines