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West Virginia Teacher Certification and Career Guide

The West Virginia Department of Education’s (WVDE) Office of Certification approves all certifications for licensure for educators in the state’s public schools. The main steps for the traditional path to teacher certification in West Virginia are:

  1. Complete a bachelor’s degree with a state-approved teacher preparation component.
  2. Complete a student teaching placement.
  3. Pass the required teacher certification exams.
  4. Apply for a teaching certificate or license.
  5. Upgrade your certificate.

Continue reading to learn more about the traditional certification pathway in West Virginia.

Table of Contents


How to Become a Teacher in West Virginia

This section covers the traditional steps to teacher certification in West Virginia. West Virginia uses a tiered system of teacher licensure:

  • Initial Professional Teaching Certificate (3-year): For first-time teachers who complete all licensure requirements.
  • Professional Teaching Certificate (5-year): For teachers with three years of teaching experience who have completed a beginning educator internship/induction program.
  • Permanent Professional Teaching Certificate (10-year): For teachers who have completed five years of successful teaching and earned a master’s degree.

Those who have a bachelor’s degree but have not completed a teacher preparation program may be eligible for alternative teacher certification in West Virginia.

1. Earn a bachelor’s degree that includes an approved teacher preparation program.

The first step toward becoming a certified teacher in West Virginia is completing a bachelor’s degree and a state-approved teacher certification program in an accredited school. The bachelor’s degree major will depend on the grade level and subject to be taught. All prospective teachers will also complete a teacher preparation program as part of the bachelor’s degree. You can find a current list of approved educator preparation programs (EPPs) on the WVDE website.

You can compare key metrics for state-approved teacher preparation programs on our West Virginia schools page. You can also read about two important accreditations to consider, institutional accreditation and programmatic accreditation, on our teaching schools guide.

2. Complete a student teaching placement.

As part of your program, you will also complete a student teaching placement, sometimes called an internship. In West Virginia, this is called the clinical teacher of record (CTR) program and is taken during the senior year of the educator preparation program. Students need to have completed the content preparation courses with a minimum 3.0 GPA in their content area. This is typically a full-time, semester-long placement during which you will have opportunities to lead a classroom while paired with an experienced teacher. To meet the requirements for state certification, the student teaching placement should be at the grade level and in the subject you wish to teach. Some programs may offer longer student teaching placements or the opportunity to pursue more than one placement.

3. Pass the required West Virginia teacher exams.

West Virginia State SealIn addition to educational requirements, prospective West Virginia educators must pass three Praxis Series tests: the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators, the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) test, and the Praxis Subject Test corresponding to each endorsement area. The Praxis Core exam measures basic skills in reading, writing, and math, while the PLT assesses skills specific to teaching and classroom leadership. The Praxis tests are administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS). More information can be found on the Praxis website.

4. Apply for West Virginia teacher certification.

Once all steps toward West Virginia teacher certification have been completed, you can apply for an Initial Professional Teaching Certificate by creating an account on the WVDE Certification Portal. You must submit:

  • Criminal background check clearance
  • Official transcripts
  • Proof of EPP
  • Passing scores on the required examinations
  • Non-refundable application fee

Candidates can review the Applicant User Guide for more information.

5. Upgrade your certificate.

Teachers can upgrade to a Professional Five-Year Teaching Certificate once they have taught for three years by meeting a combination of renewal requirements and completing a beginning teacher internship/induction for classroom teachers. Teachers can upgrade to a Permanent Professional Teaching Certificate with 10 years of experience under a Professional Certificate or a master’s degree with five years of experience under a Professional Certificate. Read more about converting a license in the Applicant User Guide.

Guide to Other Teaching Pathways

West Virginia Teacher Certification Renewal

To renew a West Virginia Professional Teaching Certificate, there are three options:

  1. Qualifying Coursework: Complete six semester hours of coursework related to your certificate (three-year validity) or three semester hours of related coursework (one-year validity).
  2. Qualifying Degree and Professional Salary Classification: Complete a master’s degree plus 30 graduate hours above the master’s degree.
  3. Qualifying Age: Be 60 years of age.

Teachers must also receive an official recommendation from their employing county superintendent or supervisor. For more information, review the Renewal Guidelines and the Applicant User Guide.

Adding Subjects or Grades to a Certificate

Once you receive your teaching certificate, you will only be eligible to work as a teacher in the grade levels and certification areas listed on your certificate, though occasional, temporary exceptions are made. In West Virginia, candidates with a Professional Teaching Certificate can qualify to add an endorsement based on content proficiency by passing the related Praxis content exam. You can read more on the WVDE website and the Applicant User Guide.

West Virginia Teaching License Reciprocity

Reciprocity in West Virginia is available for teachers with out-of-state certification equivalent to the Professional Teaching Certificate. Educators must submit:

  • Official transcripts
  • Copies of out-of-state teaching certificates
  • Verification of licensure tests taken
  • Fingerprint based background check
  • Non-refundable application fee

For additional information on reciprocity refer to the WVDE website or the Applicant User Guide. You can learn more about transferring a teaching certificate or license between states on our guide to certification reciprocity.

In addition to standard classroom teaching certificates, the WVDE issues credentials in a variety of support and administrative areas. These include:

  • Professional Administrative Certificate: Supervisor of Instruction: Requires a master’s degree, completion of a WVDE-approved program for administrative certification, education and training in evaluation skills, and three years of management-level experience.
  • Professional Student Support Certificate: School Counselor: Requires a master’s degree in counseling, the completion of an accredited school counseling program, and the passage of the related Praxis exam.
  • Professional Student Support Certificate: School Psychologist: Requires an approved school psychologist master’s program and the passage of the related Praxis exam.

In general, candidates for these and other advanced certificates must complete a master’s degree and an educator preparation program in their desired certification area and pass the relevant exam. In many cases, candidates must also hold a teaching certificate with two to three years of classroom teaching experience. For more information, review the Guidance Document.

West Virginia Teacher Outlook, Salary, and Jobs

Projected Job Growth

3.6%

Growth in Teaching Jobs in WV through 20322*

During the 2017-2018 academic year, there were an estimated 272,266 students enrolled in West Virginia’s 730 K-12 public schools.3 With an estimated 19,238 teachers, this gave West Virginia a student-to-teacher ratio of 14:1.3

Job prospects through 2032 are stronger in West Virginia than the expected national averages, with job growth for West Virginia elementary teachers projected at 3.3% compared to 0.7% nationally; for West Virginia middle school teachers, 3.4% compared to 0.8% nationally; and for West Virginia secondary school teachers, 3.3% compared to 1% nationally.2

The table below provides a detailed comparison of job growth prospects and salary levels for West Virginia teachers.

TypeNumber Employed in WV4Average Annual Openings in WV2WV Proj. Job Growth 2022-20322Average Annual Salary in WV425th Percentile Wages in WV575th Percentile Wages in WV5
Preschool Teachers2,450260-4.6%$36,210$24,180$43,480
Preschool Teachers, Special Education———$39,650$24,610$48,740
Kindergarten Teachers810804.2%$54,840$48,830$60,150
Elementary School Teachers5,1903503.3%$51,700$46,960$58,130
Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Special Education2,2002002.1%$52,180$47,560$60,090
Middle School Teachers3,4702703.4%$49,650$44,970$57,660
Middle School Teachers, Special Education470——$51,970$45,860$59,700
Middle School Teachers, Career/Technical Education——————
Secondary School Teachers4,6902403.3%$55,590$47,740$61,020
Secondary School Teachers, Special Education940——$56,000$49,970$60,720
Secondary School Teachers, Career/Technical Education960601.1%$55,530$48,690$61,460

*The estimated job growth average is based on projections for mainstream kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school teachers. Projections for other categories, such as special education and career and technical education, may be higher or lower than the average.

Teacher Shortages in West Virginia

According to the US Department of Education Teacher Shortage Area report for 2022-2023, West Virginia broadly has the following shortages:

In addition to these shortages, West Virginia had about 1,500 unfilled positions during the 2022-2023 school year.7 During the 2021-2022 year, 1,210 teachers in West Virginia were considered underqualified for their assignment, which includes teachers assigned to classrooms outside their certification field on a temporary or emergency basis.7

Additional Resources

Related Articles

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: How do I become a high school teacher in West Virginia?

Answer: To become a West Virginia high school teacher, you must earn your professional teaching certificate through the state. This requires earning a bachelor’s degree and completing a teacher preparation program. You must also pass the required Praxis exams and a background check.

Question: How many private schools and private school teachers are there in West Virginia?

Answer: According to the latest statistics available, as of the 2019-20 school year, there were 130 private schools in West Virginia, with 1,373 full-time teachers and 12,530 students.8 West Virginia law does not require private school teachers to be certified, though schools may prefer to hire teachers with state credentials. Check with private schools in your area to confirm requirements.

References:
1. West Virginia State Department of Education: https://wvde.us/
2. Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm
3. National Center for Education Statistics, West Virginia Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey Data, 2017-2018: https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/stnfis.asp
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, West Virginia: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_wv.htm
5. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm
6. US Department of Education, Teacher Shortage Areas: https://tsa.ed.gov/#/reports
7. Teacher Shortages in the United West Virginias, Tuan D. Nguyen et al.: https://teachershortages.com/
8. National Center for Education Statistics, Private School Universe Survey, 2019-20: https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/tables/TABLE15fl1920.asp