West Virginia will reimburse first-time candidates half of the application fees upon payment to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and the remainder of the application fees upon completion and submission of components. Teachers that achieve certification can also apply for an additional $600 for extra expenses.
Stipends
West Virginia provides an annual state salary bonus of $3,500 for classroom teachers who hold a valid certificate from the NBPTS and are employed in a West Virginia public school, and an additional $2,000 for teachers working in a persistently low performing school.
In order for a teacher to qualify for the additional $2,000 supplement for teaching in a persistently low performing school, the follow criteria must be met:
National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) must hold an active certification from NBPTS.
NBCTs must complete the WVDE Mentor Training.
NBCTs must serve in the capacity of a mentor to support other teachers in the school.
The designation of persistently low performing schools is determined by the WVDE Finance Office. A list is provided to each county.
Many county school districts provide additional support and/or salary supplements.
Candidate Support
The West Virginia Department of Education provides teachers with a yearlong cycle of support at no cost to candidates beginning with in-person professional learning for teachers to become familiar with the NBPTS process, standards, and expectations of the program. Continued support will be provided throughout the first year in the form of county cohorts or one-to-one mentoring from an active NBCT. Graduate credit for participation in the support cohorts or mentor support is optional for a nominal fee. All teachers must attend the in-person professional learning to be eligible for support (see below for more details).