Program Features

• Prior to admission to the Alternative Certification Program, candidates must have a Bachelor’s Degree in a content area in a critical shortage area, recommendation of County Superintendent, an overall GPA of 2.75 from a regionally accredited higher education institution and passing scores on the PPST and appropriate Praxis II content exam.
• The program requires candidates complete 18 semester credit hours and be supervised by the Professional Support Team as described in West Virginia Board of Education Policy 5100 - Approval of Educational Personnel Preparation Programs.
• The Alternative Certification Program contains the three phases of training as specified in W. Va. Code §18A-3-1a and WVBE Policy 5100.
• In order for program completers to become fully certified they must pass the required state assessments and undergo criminal background checks before they complete the Alternative Certification Program.
• Critical Shortage areas will be defined by the individual County Superintendents. This program is not designed for individuals seeking certifications in elementary or special education.
• The Alternative Certification Program will be reviewed using NCATE’s guidelines for Alternative Certification Programs.

Program Planning and Development

No Child Left Behind Title I Regulations require that all teachers be “Highly Qualified”. This mandate allows states to use alternative certified teachers in critical shortage content areas. Thus, West Virginia Board of Education Policy 5100 - Approval of Educational Personnel Preparation Programs was recently revised to allow teacher preparation programs to develop Alternative Certification programs to prepare Highly Qualified Alternative Certified Teachers. The policy also establishes guidelines for the design and development of these programs.

Admission Requirements

• Identify candidates with a Bachelor’s Degree in critical shortage areas who have a 2.75 overall GPA from a regionally accredited higher education institution.
• Transcript analysis by Concord University to determine content preparation.
• Pass PPST.
• Pass Praxis II Content Specialization Test for the certification area.
• Be employed in critical shortage areas in a West Virginia county public school.

Program Requirements

• Enroll and take six (6) hours per semester in Concord’s Alternative Certification in the following sequence:

• EDUC 510 Models of Teaching
• EDUC 505 Advanced Teaching and Learning
• SPED  509 Special Education
• EDUC 540 Assessment
• RDNG 520 Reading and Writing in Content Area
• EDUC 530 Technology

• Be assigned a Professional Support Team
• Complete three phases of training as defined in WVBE Policy 5100, Approval of Educational Personnel Preparation Programs
• Receive a satisfactory evaluation during the first year of employment and be re-employed and recommended by the West Virginia County for renewal of the Alternative Certificate.

Exit Requirements

• Receive a satisfactory evaluation during the first year of employment and be re-employed and recommended by the West Virginia County for renewal of the Alternative Certificate OR conversion of the Alternative Certificate to the Professional Teaching Certificate
• Pass the Principles of Learning Test (PLT).