Routes to Licensure in Virginia
The Virginia licensure regulations stipulate three routes for individuals to become licensed in Virginia:
- Approved Program - a Virginia state-approved teacher preparation program or an alternative state approved program. (For more information relative to this method of licensure, please contact the Virginia college or university where you wish to enroll.)*
- Reciprocity - an individual coming into Virginia from any state may qualify for a Virginia license with comparable endorsement areas if the individual has completed a state-approved teacher training program through a regionally accredited four-year college or university or if the individual holds a valid out-of-state teaching license, which must be in force at the time the application for a Virginia license is made. An emergency or temporary certificate/license is not acceptable.*
- Alternative Licensure - an alternative route to licensure is available through the recommendation of the individual's employing Virginia school division or nonpublic school.*
Alternative Licensure
An individual who is employed by a Virginia school division or nonpublic school can be issued a three-year, nonrenewable provisional license upon the request of the Virginia employing educational agency if the individual:
- holds a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, and
- satisfies one or more specific endorsement areas (teaching areas).
The following requirements must be satisfied in order to become eligible for the five-year renewable license:
- Professional Teacher's Assessment (Please refer to the web site, Professional Teacher's Assessment, for more detailed information regarding this requirement.)
- Professional Studies Requirements: Professional studies course work specified below from a regionally accredited four-year institution or an alternative program for licensure may be submitted by the employing educational agency for review and approval by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Virginia Department of Education. Refer to the professional studies requirements listed in the Licensure Regulations for School Personnel.
Early/primary education, elementary education, and middle education - 18 semester hoursSpecial education - 18 semester hours
- Human Growth and Development - 3 semester hours
- Curriculum and Instructional Procedures - 6 semester hours
- Foundation of Education - 3 semester hours
- Reading: 6 semester hours
Early/primary prek-3 and elementary prek-6:Middle Education 6-8
- Language Acquisition and Reading - 6 semester hours
- Language Acquisition - 3 semester hours
- Reading in the Content Area - 3 semester hours
Adult education, Prek-12 endorsements, and secondary grades 6-12 endorsements - 15 semester hours
- Human Growth and Development - 3 semester hours
- Curriculum and Instructional Procedures - 6 semester hours
- Foundations of Education - 3 semester hours
- Language Acquisition and Reading - 6 semester hours
- Human Growth and Development - 3 semester hours
- Curriculum and Instructional Procedures - 6 semester hours
- Foundations of Education - 3 semester hours
- Reading in the Content Area - 3 semester hours
- One year of successful, full-time teaching experience in the endorsement area in an accredited public or nonpublic school. A full-licensed experienced teacher must be available in the school building to assist the beginning teacher employed through the alternative route.