Adding an Autism Endorsement on the Professional Teaching Certificate
Summary of Requirements
Form 8A allows you to add an endorsement in autism to a valid West Virginia Professional Teaching Certificate with a Special Education endorsement following completion of coursework at a regionally accredited college or university.
Use Form 8A to add an Autism Endorsement to your existing West Virginia Professional Teaching Certificate. The autism coursework must fulfill the requirements in Policy 5202.
Applicant Requirements
Form 8A requires recommendation from the county Superintendent or designee if you are employed by
A county school system
A multi-county career technical education center
The West Virginia Schools of Diversion and Transition OR
The West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind
If you are not employed by one of these entities, select "no county" under "employing county" and submit Form 4B: Character Reference with your application.
General Requirement
Validity Period: Timeframes for the endorsement’s validity vary according to the certificate’s validity dates.
Grade Point Average: Minimum GPA of 3.0 in each course
Educational Work Experience: No
Non-Educational Work Experience: No
Coursework/Training: Complete the six (6) hours of autism coursework from an accredited college or university that offers the specific courses for the autism endorsement approved by the Department.
Credential: Hold a valid West Virginia Professional Teaching Certificate endorsed for Special Education. Note: This does not apply to the Career and Technical Education Certificate.
Testing: No. Testing was completed when the Special Education endorsement was completed.
Employment Required: No
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.
Log in to the portal and select add endorsement and then select Form 8A.
Fill in the applicant information and attach any required documentation. You will need to provide personal information, such as your name and address and respond to legal disclosure questions. Depending on your choices, you may need to indicate the county where you're employed and list your employer. You will need to include supporting documentation, such as your assessment score report.
Submit the form. If you are employed in a West Virginia county school system, multi-county career technical education center, West Virginia Schools of Diversion and Transition, or the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf/Blind, your application will go to your county for approval.
Following county approval, if applicable, you will receive an email for payment. Log back in to the portal to pay the application fee.
After the non-refundable processing fee is paid, the application will go to the Office of Certification for processing.
If you are not employed in a WV county school system, multi-county CTE Center, West Virginia Schools of Diversion and Transition (WVSDT), or the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf/Blind, the "pay now" button will appear on your dashboard, and you will be able to pay immediately.
The Office of Certification will review your application. When your application is approved, you will receive an email with instructions for downloading your certificate with the new endorsement.
For more detailed instructions, see our Form 8 How To video: