West Virginia State Personnel Standards

West Virginia State Personnel Standards

Audiologist

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Audiologist
License/Certificate Audiologist
State Department West Virginia Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology
State Department Hyperlink https://www.wvspeechandaudiology.com/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range Birth - death
Degree Level Requirement Master's
Licensure Specific Curriculum/Coursework (a) To be eligible for licensure by the board as an audiologist, the applicant shall:

(1) Make application to the board, upon a form prescribed by the board;

(2) Pay to the board an application fee as established by the board;

(3) Possess at least a master's degree or equivalent in audiology from an educational institution approved by the board which consists of coursework approved by the board and delineated in legislative rule;

(4) Complete supervised clinical practicum experiences from an educational institution or its cooperating programs, the content of which shall be approved by the board and delineated in the rules;

(5) Complete a postgraduate professional experience as approved by the board and described in legislative rule;

(6) Pass the national examination in audiology; and

(7) Pass a jurisprudence examination developed by the board.

(b) Subject to the renewal requirements set forth in section seventeen of this article, a license issued by the board under prior enactments of this article shall for all purposes be considered a license issued under this article.
Licensure Require Specific Field or Clinical Work? ASHA-certified audiologist (1) who has a minimum of 9 months of full-time clinical experience, and (2) who has completed at least 2 hours of professional development in the area of clinical instruction/supervision.
Licensure Dependent on an Exam? Audiologist applicants must pass the nationally recognized audiology examination, the PRAXIS examination, and Pass a jurisprudence examination developed by the board.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialist

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialist
License/Certificate Deaf and Hard of Hearing (PreK - Adult)
State Department West Virginia Department of Education
State Department Hyperlink https://dhhr.wv.gov/cdhh/Pages/default.aspx
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range PreK - Adult
Degree Level Requirement Graduate
Licensure Dependent on an Exam? 4117: Deaf and Hard of Hearing required Praxis II content test
5272: Deaf and Hard of Hearing 160
Alternative Route Provisional or temporary Special Education Alternative Programs Two types of alternative routes to certification exist for individuals wishing to serve as special educators in West Virginia. The first type leads to a special education certification. The second type provides a route for individuals who hold or are working to obtain a specialization in special education to complete the requirements for a restricted content endorsement(s) in biology, English, general science, mathematics, and/or social studies in order to partially fulfill the requirements of the "highly qualified teacher" definition.

Early Childhood Educator

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Early Childhood Educator
License/Certificate Preschool Education (PreK-PreK)
State Department West Virginia Department of Education
State Department Hyperlink https://wvde.us/certification/certification-info/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range 3 yrs - 3rd grade
Degree Level Requirement Bachelor's
Licensure Require Specific Curriculum/Coursework As you complete your studies, you can expect to take courses in:
  • Child development and family studies
  • Infant and early childhood development
  • Contemporary issues regarding family relations
  • Family interaction and communication
  • Leadership in early childhood
  • Early socio-emotional growth and development
  • Early childhood education and cultural diversity
  • Identification and teaching of exceptional and disabled children
  • Preschool practicum and student teaching
Licensure Dependent on an Exam? West Virginia Department of Education testing requirements consist of:
  • Core Academic Skills for Educators Exam
  • Principles of Learning and Teaching Exam
  • Early Childhood Education Exam
  • These exams are all administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS)
Alternative Route Provisional or temporary The WVDE has begun developing and implementing alternative routes to teacher certification in conjunction with institutions of higher education which currently offer WVBE-approved traditional teacher preparation programs.

Early Childhood Special Educator- Developmental Specialist

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Early Childhood Special Educator
License/Certificate Developmental Specialist
State Department West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources; Early Intervention Coordinating Council and West Virginia Birth to Three in the Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health, Bureau for Public Health
State Department Hyperlink https://www.wvdhhr.org/birth23/professionals.asp
Type of License/Certificate West Virginia Birth to Three Credential
Age Range Birth - 3 yrs
Degree Level Requirement Bachelor's
Additional Requirements 1) Baccalaureate degree or above in Early Intervention or Early Childhood Special Education, OR 2) Baccalaureate degree in Child Development
and Family Studies with an Infant/Toddler Certificate or other equivalent programs of study from another state, OR 3) an On-line Baccalaureate degree
or above that meets the standards in (#1 or #2) from an institution accredited through a Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
recognized organization, OR 4) Certification by the WV Board of Education in Early Education (Pre-K - K) or Early Childhood Special Education.

Early Childhood Special Educator

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Early Childhood Special Educator
License/Certificate Preschool Special Needs (PreK-K)
State Department West Virginia Department of Education
State Department Hyperlink https://wvde.us/certification/certification-info/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range 3 yrs - 5 yrs
Degree Level Requirement Bachelor's
Licensure Dependent on an Exam?
  1. The Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) [called Praxis I]
  2. Praxis II Content Test
  3. Principles of Learning and Teaching Praxis Test
Alternative Route Provisional or temporary Special Education Alternative Programs Two types of alternative routes to certification exist for individuals wishing to serve as special educators in West Virginia. The first type leads to a special education certification. The second type provides a route for individuals who hold or are working to obtain a specialization in special education to complete the requirements for a restricted content endorsement(s) in biology, English, general science, mathematics, and/or social studies in order to partially fulfill the requirements of the "highly qualified teacher" definition.

Family Therapist

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Family Therapist
License/Certificate Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
State Department West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling
State Department Hyperlink https://wvbec.org/becoming-a-licensed-counselor/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range Birth - death
Degree Level Requirement Master's
Licensure Require Specific Field or Clinical Work? Must include a supervised practicum, with a minimum of 300 direct client contact hours, half of which must be with couples and families. Master's level applicants must complete a minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised MFT experience in not less than two years.
Licensure Dependent on an Exam? The Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB) National MFT Examination.

Nurse

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Nurse
License/Certificate Registered Professional Nurse
State Department West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses
State Department Hyperlink https://wvrnboard.wv.gov/education/Pages/default.aspx
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range Birth - death
Degree Level Requirement Bachelor's
Licensure Specific Curriculum/Coursework The board suggests the following subjects and combined classroom and clinical instructional hours: 1. Principles and Fundamentals 200 2. Social Sciences Integrated 150 3. Body Structure 60 4. Nutrition and Diet Therapy 40 5. Pharmacology 80 6. Medical-Surgical 450 7. Geriatrics 100 8. Mental Health 100 9. Obstetrics 60 10. Pediatrics 60 Total Instructional Hours 1,300 * To include ethical and legal responsibilities such as advance directives, advocacy, professional boundaries, confidentiality, client rights, organ donation, informed consent, incident reporting, resource management, the scope of practice, delegation/assignment, leadership, legal standards, endorsement, continuing competence, and grounds for disciplinary action including procedures and penalties, prevention and early detection of health problems.
Licensure Require Specific Field or Clinical Work? The board suggests the following subjects and combined classroom and clinical instructional hours: 1. Principles and Fundamentals 200 2. Social Sciences Integrated 150 3. Body Structure 60 4. Nutrition and Diet Therapy 40 5. Pharmacology 80 6. *Medical-Surgical 450 7. Geriatrics 100 8. Mental Health 100 9. Obstetrics 60 10. Pediatrics 60 Total Instructional Hours 1,300 The above suggested hours include clinical experience.
Licensure Dependent on an Exam? The National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Additional requirements specific to Part C? Baccalaureate degree in Nursing and licensed as a Registered Nurse by the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses.
Additional requirements specific for schools? Initial Professional Student Support Certificate for School Nurse:  Age range: PreK-adult. There are 3 pathways to be eligible for the Initial Professional Student Support Certificate valid for three years is issued for School Nurse. * 1. The applicant holds Bachelor's degree in nursing from an accredited institution, AND holds a valid Registered Nurse license issued by the West Virginia Board of Examiners, AND has successfully completed an accredited School Nurse Program. 2. The applicant holds a master's degree in nursing from an accredited institution of higher education, AND holds a valid Registered Nurse license issued by the West Virginia Board of Examiners, AND holds a valid national certification in school nursing from the National Board of Certification of School Nurses, Inc. 3. The applicant holds a master's degree in nursing from an accredited institution of higher education, AND 2) holds a valid Registered Nurse license issued by the West Virginia Board of Examiners, AND 3) holds a valid national certification in an area recognized by the West Virginia Department of Education for School Nurse. Areas include but are not limited to: school nurse practitioner, pediatric nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, clinical specialist in community health nursing, clinical specialist in child and adolescent psychiatric and mental health nursing, and advanced nursing administration. *Exceptions - A School Nurse who is employed on a Full-Time/First-Class Permit is not required to have a minimum of a Bachelor's degree for issuance of the original Permit. Evidence of a valid R. N. license issued by the West Virginia Board of Examiners is required. School nurse will also need to take the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) [called Praxis I]: 0710 Reading-174; 0720 Writing-172; 0730 Math-172."

Occupational Therapist

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Occupational Therapist
License/Certificate Licensure-Occupational Therapist Registered
State Department West Virginia Board of Occupational Therapy
State Department Hyperlink https://www.wvbot.org/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range Birth - death
Degree Level Requirement Master's
Licensure Require Specific Field or Clinical Work? If you wish to practice as a Licensed Occupational Therapist in West Virginia, you must first complete at least six months of clinical occupational therapy work under the tutelage of a Licensed Occupational Therapist.
Licensure Dependent on an Exam? To become nationally certified as an Occupational Therapist, you must take the Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR) exam offered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy and score at least in the 70th percentile.

Physical Therapist

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Physical Therapist
License/Certificate Physical therapist
State Department West Virginia Board of Physical Therapy
State Department Hyperlink https://wvbopt.wv.gov/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range Birth - death
Degree Level Requirement Bachelor's
Licensure Dependent on an Exam? National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, 600.

Psychologist

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Clinical Psychologist
License/Certificate Psychologist
State Department West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists
State Department Hyperlink https://www.wvpsychbd.org/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range Birth - death
Degree Level Requirement Master's
Licensure Specific Curriculum/Coursework Masters level applicant: Fifty (50) Hours of graduate-level psychology course work must be completed for a master's degree to meet Board standards. Required Core Graduate Level Course work includes, but is not limited to, all of the following areas: clinical interviewing, diagnosis and treatment planning, psychopathology, biological bases of behavior, ethics, assessment of children and adults, individual psychotherapy, clinical practicum, clinical internship, and tests and measures. Doctoral level applicant: Core Courses Required: Required core graduate-level course work includes, but is not limited to, all of the following areas: clinical interviewing, diagnosis and treatment planning, psychopathology, biological bases of behavior, ethics, assessment of children and adults, individual psychotherapy, clinical practicum, clinical internship, and tests and measures.
Licensure Dependent on an Exam? In the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), the passing score is set at 500 or higher.

School Psychologist

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline School Psychologist
License/Certificate School Psychologist
State Department The West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists
State Department Hyperlink https://www.wvpsychbd.org/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range Birth - death
Degree Level Requirement Master's
Licensure Require Specific Field or Clinical Work When the degree held is a doctor of philosophy degree or its equivalent, at least one thousand and eight hundred hours must be a predoctoral internship in the performance of any of the psychological services described in subdivision (e), section two of this article, including those activities excluded from the definition of the term "practice of psychology" in said subdivision (e), and, when the degree held is a master's degree, have at least five years' experience subsequent to receiving said degree in the performance of any of the psychological services described in said subdivision (e), including those activities excluded from the definition of the term "practice of psychology" in said subdivision (e);
Licensure Dependent on an Exam 1. Praxis Examination: Passing scores are determined by the National Association of School Psychologists, which states that applicants must achieve a passing score of 147. Applicants who took the exam between 2008 & 2014 must have achieved a passing score of 165 or higher. 2. Oral Examination: after completing the required number of supervision hours & at least 2 or 3 years of full-time supervision, supervised-school psychologists are eligible to sit for an oral examination, which shall cover such matters as professional ethics, legal issues, competency, professionalism, knowledge, and judgment, and to assure that the applicant appropriately limits the scope of independent practice to the extent of the applicant's training and supervision experience.

Social Worker – Certified

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Social Worker
License/Certificate Certified Social Worker
State Department West Virginia Board of Social Work Examiners
State Department Hyperlink https://www.wvsocialworkboard.org/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range Birth - death
Degree Level Requirement Master's
Licensure Require Specific Field or Clinical Work? Have practiced social work for at least two-years post-master's experience in full-time employment or earned three thousand hours of post-masters social work experience.
Licensure Dependent on an Exam? Passage of the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Advanced Generalist level state social work examination. All ASWB examination scores are reported as pass/fail, with the number of questions needed to pass the examination, and because test questions change from one administration to the next, statistical adjustments must be made to account for small differences in the overall difficulty of individual examinations.

Social Worker – Graduate

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Social Worker
License/Certificate Graduate Social Worker
State Department West Virginia Board of Social Work Examiners
State Department Hyperlink http://www.wvsocialworkboard.org/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range Birth - death
Degree Level Requirement Master's
Licensure Require Specific Field or Clinical Work Has completed a supervised clinical field placement at the graduate level, or post-master's clinical training that is found by the board to be equivalent.
Licensure Dependent on an Exam Passage of the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Intermediate level state social work examination. All ASWB examination scores are reported as pass/fail, with the number of questions needed to pass the examination, and because test questions change from one administration to the next, statistical adjustments must be made to account for small differences in the overall difficulty of individual examinations.

Social Worker – Independent Clinical

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Social Worker
License/Certificate Independent Clinical Social Worker
State Department West Virginia Board of Social Work Examiners
State Department Hyperlink http://www.wvsocialworkboard.org/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range Birth - death
Degree Level Requirement Master's
Licensure Specific Curriculum/Coursework The applicant must have completed a graduate course in either psychopathology or abnormal psychology or other course found equivalent by the Board. This course requirement may be a part of or in addition to courses completed in the MSW program.
Licensure Require Specific Field or Clinical Work? 3,000 hours of supervised part-time post-master’s clinical practice are required or two years of supervised full-time post-master’s clinical practice, including 100 hours of supervision, at least 60 hours of which must be in face-to-face meetings with the clinical supervisor. The clinical supervisor must be licensed as a LICSW.
Licensure Dependent on an Exam? Passage of the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Clinical level state social work examination. All ASWB examination scores are reported as pass/fail, with the number of questions needed to pass the examination, and because test questions change from one administration to the next, statistical adjustments must be made to account for small differences in the overall difficulty of individual examinations.

Social Worker – Bachelor’s

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Social Worker
License/Certificate Social Worker
State Department West Virginia Board of Social Work Examiners
State Department Hyperlink https://www.wvsocialworkboard.org/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range Birth - death
Degree Level Requirement Bachelor's
Licensure Specific Curriculum/Coursework? Courses include Human Behavior & the social environment, Social welfare policy, Research, Social work practice, & Field Education.
Licensure Dependent on an Exam? Passage of the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Basic level state social work examination. All ASWB examination scores are reported as pass/fail, with the number of questions needed to pass the examination, and because test questions change from one administration to the next, statistical adjustments must be made to account for small differences in the overall difficulty of individual examinations.

Speech Language Pathologist

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Speech-Language Pathologist
License/Certificate Speech-Language Pathologist
State Department West Virginia Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology
State Department Hyperlink https://www.wvspeechandaudiology.com/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range Birth - death
Degree Level Requirement Master's
Licensure Specific Curriculum/Coursework 1. Outline of the Academic Courses required for the basis of the master's Degree Equivalency. 1.a. At least 30 semester hours shall be in the areas of Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, or Speech-Language and Hearing Science. 1.b. Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists shall obtain at least 21 of these 42 semester hours from a single college or university. 1.c. No academic hours shall be completed more than 10 years prior to the date of application. 1.d. No more than 6 semester hours shall be obtained for clinical practicum. 2. An evaluation of credits, one-quarter hour is the equivalent of two-thirds of a semester's hours. An applicant shall submit official transcripts to the Board for special evaluation if the transcript does not report credit in terms of semester or quarter hours. 3. An applicant shall complete a total of 60 additional semester hours of academic credit from accredited colleges or universities. These hours must demonstrate that the applicant has obtained a well- integrated program or course study dealing with the normal aspects of human communication,development, disorders, and clinical techniques for evaluation and management of such disorders. 4. Courses in Basic Communication Processes Area. 4.a. The applicant shall complete 15 of these 60 hours in courses that provide information pertaining to normal development and use in speech, language, and hearing, hereafter referred to as the basic communication processes area. These 15 hours will provide the applicant with a wide exposure to diverse kinds of information. 5. The applicant shall obtain 30 of these 60 semester hours in courses that provide: 5.a. information relative to communication disorders; 5.b. information about and training in evaluation and management of speech, language and hearing disorders; and 5.c. At least 24 of these 30 semester hours shall be in courses in the major professional area (Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology) for which licensure is requested At least 6 hours shall be in audiology for licensure in speech-language pathology and at least 6 hours shall be in speech-language pathology for licensure in audiology, hereafter referred to as the minor professional area. 6. Professional Education Hours Required for Speech-Language Pathology. 6.a. The 24 semester hours of professional education required for licensure in speech-language pathology should be in the broad, but not necessarily exclusive, categories of study. 6.b. At least 6 semester hours shall deal with speech disorders and at least 6 semester hours shall deal with language disorders. 6.c. The remaining 6 semester hours of the 30 shall be in the minor professional area of audiology. Of these 6 semester hours, 3 semester hours shall be in the habilitative/rehabilitative procedures with speech and language problems associated with hearing impairment, and 3 semester hours shall be in a study of the pathologies of the auditory system and assessment of auditory disorders. However, when more than the minimum 6 semester hours are met, the study of habilitative/rehabilitative procedures may be counted in the major professional area. 7. Related Areas of Study. 7.a. In addition to the 15 semester hours of course study in basic communication processes, the 24 semester hours in the major professional area, and the 6 semester hours in the minor professional area, credit for study of information pertaining to related fields that augment the work of the clinical practitioner of speech-Language Pathology and/or Audiology may also apply toward the total 60 semester hours, hereafter referred to as related areas. Such study should pertain to the understanding of human behavior, both normal and abnormal, as well as services available from related professions, and in general should augment the background for a professional career.
Licensure Require Specific Field or Clinical Work? 1. Applicants shall complete a minimum of 400 clock hours to complete the academic clinical practicum requirement. 25 hours must be spent in clinical observation & 375 hours must be spent in direct client/patient contact. a) 20 clock hours in the major professional area may be in related disorders. b) 20 of the 400 hours shall be in Audiology. 1. Applicant must demonstrate direct client/patient clinical experiences in both assessment and intervention with children and adults from the following range of disorders and differences: a) Articulation b) Fluency c) Voice & resonance, including respiration & phonation. d) Receptive & expressive language in speaking, listening, reading and writing.
Licensure Dependent on an Exam? National examination in speech-language pathology by ETS, Passing Score: 600; and 2. Pass a jurisprudence examination developed by the board.

Speech Language Pathologist – School

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Speech-Language Pathologist
License/Certificate School Speech-Language Pathologist
State Department West Virginia Department of Education
State Department Hyperlink https://www.wvspeechandaudiology.com/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range PreK - Adult
Degree Level Requirement Master's
Licensure Require Specific Field or Clinical Work? 1. Applicants shall complete a minimum of 400 clock hours to complete the academic clinical practicum requirement. 25 hours must be spent in clinical observation & 375 hours must be spent in direct client/patient contact. a) 20 clock hours in the major professional area may be in related disorders. b) 20 of the 400 hours shall be in Audiology. 1. Applicant must demonstrate direct client/patient clinical experiences in both assessment and intervention with children and adults from the following range of disorders and differences: a) Articulation b) Fluency c) Voice & resonance, including respiration & phonation. d) Receptive & expressive language in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
Licensure Dependent on an Exam? National examination in speech-language pathology by ETS, Passing Score: 600; and 2. Pass a jurisprudence examination developed by the board.

Vision Specialist

Mobile Devices Scroll Across
Discipline Vision Specialist
License/Certificate Visually Impaired (PreK - Adult)
State Department West Virginia Department of Education
State Department Hyperlink https://wvde.us/certification/certification-info/
Type of License/Certificate Licensure/Certificate
Age Range PreK - Adult
Degree Level Requirement Bachelor's
Licensure Specific Curriculum/Coursework? West Virginia Schools for the Deaf & Blind offer a 33 semester-hour certification program in the Education of Individuals with Visual Impairment & Blindness. Courses include the following: a) Application of Software in the classroom. b) Introduction to Visual Impairment. c)Reading and Writing Strategies/Instruction for Students with Visual Impairments. d) Structures and Functions of the Human Visual System. e) Assessment/Program Planning–Students with Visual Impairment. f) Assessment/Program Planning–Students with Multiple Impairments and Additional Disabilities. g) Braille. h) Math Methods for the Visually Impaired. i) Basic Orientation and Mobility Skills. j) Teaching Internship and Practicum I. k) Teaching Internship and Practicum II.
Licensure Dependent on an Exam? 1. The Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) [called Praxis I]: 0710 Reading-174; 0720 Writing-172; 0730 Math-172; 2. 0281Teaching Students with Visual Impairments-154; 3. Praxis Test: 0622 Principles of Learning & Teaching (K-6) 160
Alternative Route Provisional or temporary Special Education Alternative Programs Two types of alternative routes to certification exist for individuals wishing to serve as special educators in West Virginia. The first type leads to a special education certification. The second type provides a route for individuals who hold or are working to obtain a specialization in special education to complete the requirements for a restricted content endorsement(s) in biology, English, general science, mathematics, and/or social studies in order to partially fulfill the requirements of the "highly qualified teacher" definition.