Virginia Administrative Code
Title 8 - EDUCATION
Agency 20 - STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Chapter 23 - LICENSURE REGULATIONS FOR SCHOOL PERSONNEL
Part III - Licensure
Section 8VAC20-23-110 - Requirements for renewing a license
Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 16, March 25, 2024
A. The Division Superintendent, Postgraduate Professional, Collegiate Professional, Technical Professional, Pupil Personnel Services, Online Teacher, and School Manager Licenses may be renewed upon the completion of 270 professional development points within a 10-year validity period based on an individualized professional development plan that includes ongoing, sustained, and high-quality professional development. Individuals renewing a five-year renewable license must complete 180 professional development points. Every person seeking renewal of a license shall complete all renewal requirements, including professional development in a manner prescribed by the Virginia Board of Education, except that no person seeking renewal of a license shall be required to satisfy any such requirement by completing coursework and earning credit at an institution of higher education.
B. An individual seeking renewal shall submit a completed licensure application at the time a renewal request is submitted.
C. Any individual licensed and endorsed to teach (i) middle school civics or economics or (ii) high school government or history who is seeking renewal of such license is required to demonstrate knowledge of Virginia history or state and local government by completing a module or professional development course specifically related to Virginia history or state and local government that has a value of five professional development points.
D. Every person seeking renewal of a license shall provide evidence of completion of certification or training in emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the use of automated external defibrillators. The certification or training program shall (i) be based on the current national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator, such as a program developed by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross, and (ii) include hands-on practice of the skills necessary to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The Virginia Board of Education shall provide a waiver for this requirement for any person with a disability whose disability prohibits such person from completing the certification or training.
E. Every person seeking renewal of a license with an endorsement as a school counselor shall complete training in the recognition of mental health disorder and behavioral distress, including depression, trauma, violence, youth suicide, and substance abuse.
F. Every person seeking renewal of a license shall complete awareness training, provided by the Virginia Department of Education, on the indicators of dyslexia, as that term is defined by the Virginia Board of Education pursuant to regulations, and the evidence-based interventions and accommodations for dyslexia.
G. Every person seeking renewal or initial license shall complete a study in child abuse recognition and intervention in accordance with curriculum guidelines developed by the Virginia Board of Education in consultation with the Virginia Department of Social Services.
H. Every person seeking renewal of a license with an endorsement in history and social science shall complete instruction in African American history, which shall include (i) an understanding of African origins; (ii) the African diaspora; (iii) developments of the Black experience in North America; (iv) the institution of slavery in the United States, including historical perspectives of the enslaved; and (v) how African Americans helped shape and have been shaped by American society.
I. Every person seeking renewal of a license as a teacher shall complete training in the instruction of students with disabilities that includes (i) differentiating instruction for students depending on their needs; (ii) understanding the role of general education teachers on the individualized education program team; (iii) implementing effective models of collaborative instruction, including co-teaching; and (iv) understanding the goals and benefits of inclusive education for all students.
J. When provided by the state, individuals shall complete other professional development activities prescribed by the Virginia Board of Education.
K. Professional development points may be accrued by the completion of professional development activities to improve and increase instructional personnel's knowledge of the academic subjects the teachers teach or the area assigned from one or more of the following eight options, in accordance with Virginia Board of Education guidelines set forth in the Virginia Licensure Renewal Manual.
L. The 270 points may be accrued by activities drawn from one or more of the eight renewal options. Individuals renewing a five-year renewable license must complete 180 professional development points as prescribed by the Virginia Board of Education. Renewal work is designed to provide licensed personnel with opportunities for professional development relative to the grade levels or teaching fields to which they are assigned or for which they seek an added endorsement. Such professional development encompasses (i) responsible remediation of any area of an individual's knowledge or skills that fails to meet the standards of competency and (ii) responsible efforts to increase the individual's knowledge of new developments in his field and to respond to new curricular demands within the individual's area of professional competence.
M. The proposed work toward renewal in certain options shall be approved in advance by the chief executive officer or designee of the employing educational agency. Persons who are not employed by an educational agency may renew their license by submitting to the Office of Professional Licensure, Virginia Department of Education, a renewal application, fee, the individualized renewal record, and verification of the completion of all renewal requirements, including official student transcripts of coursework taken at a regionally accredited two-year or four-year college or university.
N. Virginia school divisions and accredited nonpublic schools shall recommend renewal of licenses using the renewal point system.
Statutory Authority: §§ 22.1-16 and 22.1-298.2 of the Code of Virginia.