Out of State Program Requirements

If you pursue teacher certification pathways using programs from another state and want to acquire a Provisional Professional Teaching Certificate in West Virginia, you will need to meet requirements which include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The college or university must be regionally accredited
  • The teacher preparation program must be approved by the state department of education for equivalent licensure in the state where the institution of higher education resides
  • The teacher preparation program must have been completed successfully
  • You must possess a minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.5 for a bachelor’s degree or 3.0 for a master’s degree

If you are transferring a Professional Teaching Certificate from another state, the license and endorsement must be valid and equivalent to what is issued by the Office of Certification at the WVDE (ex. transferrable without restrictions, etc.).

If you are applying for a Provisional Professional Teaching Certificate based upon a qualifying institution of higher education and an approved teacher preparation program’s official recommendation from another state, you must have a qualifying grade point average and pass all WVBE required Praxis exams or qualify for exemption(s) as detailed in the West Virginia licensure testing directory.

Individuals who possess an out-of-state professional teaching license that expired within the last five years, was valid and renewable or permanent, and equivalent to a Professional Teaching Certificate in West Virginia, may inquire about receiving a Statement of Eligibility from the Office of Certification. The Statement of Eligibility allows individuals to seek employment in a West Virginia public school district within approved endorsement areas. Upon securing employment, qualifying individuals may apply for and be issued a Provisional Teaching Certificate. Provisional Teaching Certificates may be converted into Professional Teaching Certificates upon meeting West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) Policy requirements.

Individuals transferring an out-of-state certificate that is equivalent to a Career and Technical Education Certificate must review WVBE Policy requirements, the West Virginia CTE Endorsements and Testing Manual and application form V7A to review eligibility criteria.

Using Documentation from Outside of the United States to Meet Qualifications

If you would like to apply for licensure in West Virginia and use official transcripts with a valid license which originates from a country outside of the United States, the documents must be evaluated by a foreign education credential service approved by the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE) or the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Equivalency and eligibility are determined by the Office of Certification after a thorough analysis of a qualifying foreign education credential service’s report and other required documentation (see WVBE Policy 5202 for complete details).

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