Summary of Application Requirements
Review WVBE Policy 5202 and Certifications for complete requirements
Initial Application
- Application Fee: $35
- Payment link: https://wveis.k12.wv.us/certpayment/
- Validity Period: 1 year (Renewable twice for a total of 3 years)
- General Requirements: US Citizen or hold eligible documentation (see WVBE Policy 5202); good character; age 18 or older; physically, mentally, and emotionally qualified.
- Education Level: Minimum of a bachelor’s degree (Regionally Accredited IHE)
- Grade Point Average: Minimum overall cumulative GPA of 2.5
- Educational Work Experience: General education endorsements only: Must hold an academic major on an official transcript related to the endorsement area AND/OR occupational qualifications related to the endorsement area. This experience may be an educational or non-educational work experience.
- Non-Educational Work Experience: General education endorsements only: Must hold an academic major on an official transcript related to the endorsement area AND/OR occupational qualifications related to the endorsement area. This experience may be educational or non-educational work experience.
- Testing: Special Education and General Education: Passing scores on the WVBE-required Praxis basic skills exam(s) or qualify for an exemption per WVBE Policy 5202. General Education Only: Passing scores on the WVBE-required Praxis content exam(s) or qualify for an exemption per WVBE Policy 5202.
- Employment Required: A vacancy must have been posted at least twice (ten-day period) and no fully certified applicant applied for the position. The applicant must receive an offer of employment from a school district with a WVBE approved alternative certification program for the endorsement sought.
- Official Recommendation: Superintendent
- Official Transcripts (when applicable): To send official transcripts to our office electronically, please have those sent to cert.transcripts.wvde@k12.wv.us. If you select to send them electronically, they must be sent directly from the institution to our office to the aforementioned email address.
- Primary Contact Info: Tabetha Gillespie, Email: tabetha.gillespie@k12.wv.us
Paper Application Instructions:
Paper Application Instructions:
Paper Application Instructions (only for those not available electronically):
Step 1: Download Application Form from the Application Forms Website.
Step 2: Print the paper application(s) and complete all required applicant information fields. Correspond with necessary entities (ex. school district, institutions of higher education, etc.) to acquire all required information and signatures for completion of the application.
Step 3: Payment for paper applications should be completed online prior to submitting an application to Office of Certification. Pay for paper applications at https://wveis.k12.wv.us/certpayment/. If employment within the West Virginia educational system is required for the license/certificate you seek, please verify with your employer that the application has been completed correctly before submitting an online payment.
Step 4: Submit the paper application for processing with all required supportive documentation (ex. official transcripts, etc.) to the Office of Certification. Pease mail to the following address:
West Virginia Department of Education
Office of Certification Services
Building 6, Suite 550
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Charleston, WV 25305-0330
Note: If you are employed within a West Virginia educational system, the application must be uploaded by the employer’s human resources office.
Step 5: If you are a first-time applicant for licensure (have never held a license/certificate issued by the WVDE), you will receive an email with a service code to make your background check appointment once the application is received by our office. You will need to follow these directions for first-time applicants. (*Note: This requirement does not apply to Forms 23 and 24B.*)