Kanawha County Schools

Requirements and Dates

2023-2024 Alternative Certification Dates and Requirements -  This document describes in detail the Kanawha County Schools BEST (Beginning Educator Support and Training) Program. 

General Requirements

• A related bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university.

• Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.

• Evidence of passing score(s) on the CORE and PRAXIS specialty area content examination(s) as required by West Virginia.

• Qualifications criteria for general education endorsements that are for grades 5-9 (i.e. general science 5-9, mathematics 5-9) must include two content areas.

PRAXIS and CORE Specialty Area Content Examination

• An individual in the Alternative Certification Program can only teach in the subject area in which he/she is approved.
• An individual accepted into the Alternative Certification Program in the area of Special Education will be required to take the appropriate content exam and PLT in order to complete the program.

• All individuals accepted into the Alternative Certification Program will be required to take the appropriate PLT and Teacher Performance Assessment.

Testing Requirements:

Special Education

Prior to being hired at the district level as an alternative program participant, program candidates in the special education teaching path of an approved program WVBE for alternative certification to prepare highly qualified special education teachers must submit to the West Virginia Department Education and to the alternative program provider passing scores on WVBE-approved preprofessional skills test or tests, or evidence of a qualifying exemption as described in Policy 5202. At the conclusion of the alternative certification program, teachers in the special education teaching path completing a WVBE-approved alternative certification program to prepare highly qualified special education teachers shall be required to meet the proficiency score(s) on the appropriate state competency exam(s) in special education content and the state competency exam(s) in pedagogy.

• Preparation for endorsements that are for grades 5-9 must include two content areas, so candidate qualifications for two content areas must be reviewed when considering the 5-9 endorsement.

• Endorsements that have no WVBE - required PRAXIS assessment for content may NOT be obtained through alternative certification unless their academic major coursework is in the subject of the endorsement sought providing solid evidence of content proficiency.