Title of Regulation: 8VAC20-22. Licensure Regulations for School Personnel (amending 8VAC20-22-40, 8VAC20-22-110).

Statutory Authority: § 22.1-298.1 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: January 25, 2017.

Agency Contact: Elizabeth Morris, Senior Policy Analyst, Department of Education, 101 North 14th Street, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 225-2117, or email elizabeth.morris@doe.virginia.gov.

Summary:

Pursuant to Chapter 649 of the 2016 Acts of Assembly, the amendment requires every person seeking initial licensure or renewal of a license to complete awareness training on the indicators of dyslexia and the evidence-based interventions and accommodations for dyslexia.

8VAC20-22-40. Conditions for licensure.

A. Applicants for licensure must:

1. Be at least 18 years of age;

2. Pay the appropriate fees as determined by the Board of Education and complete the application process;

3. Have earned a baccalaureate degree (with the exception of the Technical Professional License) from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and meet requirements for the license sought. Persons seeking initial licensure who graduate from Virginia institutions of higher education shall only be licensed as instructional personnel by the Board of Education if the endorsement areas offered at such institutions have been assessed by a national accrediting agency or by a state approval process with final approval by the Board of Education; and

4. Possess good moral character (free of conditions outlined in Part VII (8VAC20-22-690 et seq.) of this chapter).

B. All candidates who hold at least a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and who seek an initial Virginia teaching license must obtain passing scores on professional teacher's assessments prescribed by the Board of Education. With the exception of the career switcher program that requires assessments as prerequisites, individuals must complete the professional teacher's assessments within the three-year validity of the initial provisional license. Candidates seeking a Technical Professional License, the International License, the School Manager License, or the Pupil Personnel Services License are not required to take the professional teacher's assessments. Individuals who hold a valid out-of-state license (full credential with no deficiencies) and who have completed a minimum of three years of full-time, successful teaching experience in a public or accredited nonpublic school (kindergarten through grade 12) in a state other than Virginia are exempted from the professional teacher's assessment requirements.

C. All individuals seeking an initial endorsement in early/primary education preK-3, elementary education preK-6, special education-general curriculum, special education-hearing disorders, special education-visual impairments and individuals seeking an endorsement as a reading specialist must obtain passing scores on a reading instructional assessment prescribed by the Board of Education.

D. Licensure by reciprocity is set forth in 8VAC20-22-100. A school leader's assessment prescribed by the Board of Education must be met for all individuals who are seeking an initial endorsement authorizing them to serve as principals and assistant principals in the public schools. Individuals seeking an initial administration and supervision endorsement who are interested in serving as central office instructional personnel are not required to take and pass the school leaders assessment prescribed by the Board of Education.

E. Individuals seeking initial licensure must demonstrate proficiency in the use of educational technology for instruction, 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, and receive professional development in instructional methods tailored to promote student academic progress and effective preparation for the Standards of Learning end-of-course and end-of-grade assessments.

F. Every person seeking initial licensure of a license shall provide evidence of completion of certification or training in emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the use of automated external defibrillators. The certification or training program shall be based on the current national evidenced-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator, such as a program developed by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross. The Virginia Board of Education shall provide a waiver for this requirement for any person with a disability whose disability prohibits such person from completing the certification or training.

G. Every teacher seeking an initial license in the Commonwealth with an endorsement in the area of career and technical education shall have an industry certification credential, as defined in 8VAC20-22-10, in the area in which the teacher seeks endorsement. If a teacher seeking an initial license in the Commonwealth has not attained an industry certification credential in the area in which the teacher seeks endorsement, the board may, upon request of the employing school division or educational agency, issue the teacher a provisional license to allow time for the teacher to attain such credential.

H. Effective July 1, 2017, every person seeking initial licensure or renewal of a license shall complete awareness training, provided by the Department of Education, on the indicators of dyslexia, as that term is defined by the board pursuant to regulations, and the evidence-based interventions and accommodations for dyslexia.

8VAC20-22-110. Requirements for renewing a license.

A. The Division Superintendent, Postgraduate Professional, Collegiate Professional, Technical Professional, Pupil Personnel Services, and School Manager Licenses may be renewed upon the completion of 180 professional development points within a five-year validity period based on an individualized professional development plan that includes ongoing, sustained, and high-quality professional development. Every person seeking renewal of a license shall complete all renewal requirements, including professional development in a manner prescribed by the board, except that no person seeking renewal of a license shall be required to satisfy any such requirement by completing coursework and earning credit at an institution of higher education.

B. Virginia public school divisions and public education agencies must report annually to the Department of Education that instructional personnel have completed high quality professional development each year as set forth by the Virginia Department of Education.

C. Any individual licensed and endorsed to teach (i) middle school civics or economics or (ii) high school government or history who is seeking renewal of such license is required to demonstrate knowledge of Virginia history or state and local government by completing a module or professional development course specifically related to Virginia history or state and local government that has a value of five professional development points. This requirement applies for purposes of the individual's next or initial renewal occurring after July 1, 2014.

D. Every person seeking renewal of a license shall provide evidence of completion of certification or training in emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the use of automated external defibrillators. The certification or training program shall be based on the current national evidenced-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator, such as a program developed by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross. The Virginia Board of Education shall provide a waiver for this requirement for any person with a disability whose disability prohibits such person from completing the certification or training.

E. Effective July 1, 2017, every person seeking renewal of a license shall complete awareness training, provided by the Department of Education, on the indicators of dyslexia, as that term is defined by the board pursuant to regulations, and the evidence-based interventions and accommodations for dyslexia.

E. F. Professional development points may be accrued by the completion of professional development activities to improve and increase instructional personnel's knowledge of the academic subjects the teachers teach or the area assigned from one or more of the following eight options.

1. College credit. Acceptable coursework offers content that provides new information and is offered on-campus, off-campus, or through extension by any regionally accredited two-year or four-year college or university. College coursework must develop further experiences in subject content taught, teaching strategies, uses of technologies, leadership, and other essential elements in teaching to high standards and increasing student learning. Instructional personnel must complete coursework to improve and increase the knowledge of the academic subjects or endorsement areas in which they are assigned. No person seeking renewal of a license shall be required to complete coursework and earn credit at an institution of higher education.

2. Professional conference. A professional conference is a workshop, institute, or seminar of four or more hours that contributes to ongoing, sustained, and high-quality professional development.

3. Curriculum development. Curriculum development is a group activity in which the license holder contributes to the improvement of the curriculum of a school, a school division, or an education institution in the teaching area assigned. This includes the alignment of curriculum frameworks, instructional materials, and assessments to provide a system with clear expectations of what is to be taught and learned.

4. Publication of article. The article must contribute to the education profession or to the body of knowledge of the license holder's teaching area or instructional position. Grant reports that present the results of educational research are acceptable provided the license holder had an active role in planning, analyzing, interpreting, demonstrating, disseminating, or evaluating the study or innovation. The article must be published in a recognized professional journal.

5. Publication of book. Books must be published for purchase and must contribute to the education profession or to the body of knowledge of the license holder's teaching area or instructional position. The published book must increase the field of content knowledge, planning and assessment for evaluating and providing students with feedback that encourages student progress and measures student achievement, instruction, safety and learning environment, communication and community relations working with students, parents, and members of the community to promote broad support for student learning. Points will not be awarded for books self-published.

6. Mentorship. Mentoring is the process by which an experienced professional, who has received mentorship training, provides assistance to one or more persons for the purpose of improving their performance. Assistance may involve role modeling, direct instruction, demonstration, observation with feedback, developing of plans, and consultation to promote instructional excellence and increased student achievement. Mentoring may include the supervision of a field experience of a preservice student teacher or an intern in an approved teacher/principal preparation program, as well as mentoring as part of the induction process for a beginning teacher or a first-year administrator. Individuals serving in this role and submitting documentation for license renewal based on the mentorship option shall receive training as a mentor prior to the assignment and at least once during the five-year renewal cycle.

7. Educational project. Educational projects must be planned, focused projects based on high standards of teaching and learning. Projects must result in a written report or other tangible product. Projects must contribute to the education profession or to the body of knowledge of the license holder's teaching area or instructional position. A project could include participation in new professional responsibilities, such as leading a school improvement initiative.

8. Professional development activity. Professional development activities must focus on student learning and achievement, schoolwide educational improvement, leadership, subject content, teaching strategies, and use of technologies and other essential elements in teaching to high standards. Activities must be planned, rigorous, systematic, and promote continuous inquiry and reflection. Local employing educational agencies are encouraged to design professional development activities that are conducted in school settings and linked to student learning and achievement.

F. G. Points may be accrued by activities drawn from one or more of the eight renewal options. Renewal work is designed to provide licensed personnel with opportunities for professional development relative to the grade levels or teaching fields to which they are assigned or for which they seek an added endorsement. Such professional development encompasses (i) responsible remediation of any area of an individual's knowledge or skills that fail to meet the standards of competency and (ii) responsible efforts to increase the individual's knowledge of new developments in his field and to respond to new curricular demands within the person's area of professional competence.

G. H. The proposed work toward renewal in certain options must be approved in advance by the chief executive officer or designee of the employing educational agency. Persons who are not employed by an educational agency may renew or reinstate their license by submitting to the Office of Professional Licensure, Department of Education, their individualized renewal record and verification of points, including official student transcripts of coursework taken at an accredited two-year or four-year college or university.

H. I. Accrual of professional development points shall be determined by criteria set forth by the Virginia Department of Education.

I. J. Persons seeking license renewal as teachers must demonstrate proficiency in the use of educational technology for instruction.

J. K. Virginia school divisions and nonpublic schools will recommend renewal of licenses using the renewal point system. The renewal recommendation must include verification of demonstrated proficiency in the use of educational technology for instruction.

K. L. Training in instructional methods tailored to promote academic progress and effective preparation for the Standards of Learning tests and end-of-grade assessments is required for licensure renewal.

L. M. If they have not already met the requirement, persons seeking licensure renewal as teachers must 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.