This option was created by the passage of HB 3125 and SB 765 in 2025. It provides a set of conditions by which qualifying veterans may be issued a Professional Teaching Certificate. Criteria include the following:
Honorably discharged member of the armed forces (requires the submission of the veteran’s most recently received DD 214, NGB 22, or NGB 23)
Pass the basic skills and subject matter test or tests required by the state board for teachers to become certified in the area for which the licensure is sought (requires the submission of official documentation meeting requirements described in the WV Licensure Testing Directory)
Hold at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education that is related to the available position which the veteran has applied to (requires submission of qualifying official transcripts and an acceptable county recommendation on the application for certification)
Candidate Requirements
Be a qualifying veteran
General Requirements
To apply, you must:
Hold an approved 20MR application
Have passing scores on all West Virginia Board of Education-required Praxis exams for the requested certificate and endorsement (or meet a qualifying exemption as identified in Policy 5202)
Hold at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education that is related to the available position which the veteran has applied
To send official transcripts to our office, please have your college or university email them to cert.transcripts.wvde@k12.wv.us. Transcripts must be received from the college or university, not the applicant
Form MR must be submitted and approved prior to completing this form. Application Form MR (military review) is used to evaluate qualifications (military documentation and official transcripts) prior to seeking employment.
Application Form 20M is used to apply for an initial Professional Teaching Certificate and to verify all necessary criteria is met (including general requirements, military documentation, official transcripts, required testing, and employment conditions).
Fill in the applicant information. Work with your employer to get the necessary signatures.
Pay the application fee online before submitting your application.
Submit your application and all supporting documentation to the Certification Official at the county school system to be uploaded to the Office of Certification.
Following the receipt of the application by the Office of Certification, you will receive an email with instructions for completing your background check.
When your background check is complete and your application is approved, you will receive an email with instructions to download your certificate.