W. Va. Code R. § 126-114-6

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section 126-114-6 - Professional Educator Preparation Program (EPP) Requirements: Teacher Clinical Partnerships

6.1. Partnership. All approved EPPs, public and private, shall have partnership agreements with a county board of education to collaborate and promote the development of knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions of their pre-service teachers necessary to demonstrate positive impact on all pre-k-12 students' learning. The partnership shall be premised in building a vehicle for improving educator preparation, teacher professional learning, and teacher quality across West Virginia.

6.2. Focus. The focus partnership shall be on a strengthening relations and mutually beneficial collaboration between higher education and pre-k-12 schools including community and workforce for clinical preparation that share responsibility for steady improvement of education preparation to support continuous enhancement of teacher quality.

6.3. Agreements.

6.3.a. Components. Agreements must delineate roles, responsibilities, and outcomes for each partner. Agreements shall be designed to promote clinical experience of sufficient depth, breadth, diversity, coherence, and duration to ensure that pre-service teachers demonstrate their developing effectiveness and positive impact on all students' learning and development. Clinical experiences are structured to have multiple performance-based assessments at key points within the approved program to demonstrate candidate's development of the knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions that are associated with a positive impact on the learning and development of all pre-k-12 students. EPPs work with all partners to ensure partnership agreements include:

6.3.a.1. written agreement between all partners filed with the WVDE;

6.3.a.2. defined roles and responsibilities for all partners;

6.3.a.3. duration of clinical experiences at all levels;

6.3.a.4. professional learning activities for the EPP and school(s) included in the partnership(s); and

6.3.a.5. formalized periodic evaluation of the partnership including evaluation of shared accountability, scheduled planning and ongoing feedback between the EPP, school, and county leadership.

6.3.b. Responsibilities.

6.3.b.1. EPPs shall provide a liaison to work with each partnering county board of education and school.

6.3.b.2. EPPs shall outline services and assistance they may provide to the partnering county board of education and school(s).

6.3.b.3. The county board of education or school shall provide access to appropriate placement sites; access to technology and eligible systems; opportunities related to the instruction of students including duties and memberships to committees, meetings, and responsibilities allowed by privacy laws and county relations; and any feasible effort to conduct onsite meetings and/or instruction of pre-service teachers including, but not limited to, methods courses and co-teaching collaboration that includes a college supervisor.

6.3.b.4. The county board of education or school shall include EPP faculty and/or staff in professional learning opportunities that would benefit such faculty and staff to better prepare teachers.

6.3.c. Funding Opportunities. EPPs shall have the opportunity to apply annually for a competitive grant where funding is contingent upon funds being available. The grant application shall be submitted to the WVDE following the adopted guidelines and procedures. Awards shall be made yearly for eligible direct services. Grant proposals must include measurable outcomes and plans for sustainability. Priority shall be given to sites addressing the WVBE area(s) of focus and priority. An end of the year report must be submitted to the WVDE at the conclusion of the grant year detailing outcomes and expenses. Unspent grant monies must be returned to the WVDE at the end of the designated grant year.

6.4. Program Components. All undergraduate and graduate EPPs shall consist of three components: pre-professional skills, content specialization, and professional education. The three components, including the associated educational technology knowledge and skills, are necessary to satisfy WVBE-approved program requirements.

6.4.a. All WVBE-approved programs of study shall include instruction in at least the following: WVBE policy and provisions of W. Va. Code governing public education; requirements for federal and state accountability, including the mandatory reporting of child abuse; federal and state mandated curriculum and assessment requirements, including diverse multicultural education, trauma-informed and social-emotional best practices, safe schools, and the student code of conduct; federal and state regulations for the instruction of exceptional students, as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, Public Law 108-446(IDEA); and varied approaches for effective instruction for students who are at-risk.

6.5. Pre-professional Skills Component.

6.5.a. Component Description. Pre-professional skills are those basic skills crucial to a teacher's performance and effectiveness. Competence in these skills underlies a teacher's ability to comprehend, utilize, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and communicate information. Pre-professional skills common to educational personnel are reading, writing, mathematics, speaking, listening, and educational technology and are found in College- and Career-Readiness Standards outlined in the W. Va. 126CSR44AA through 44U series (Policy 2520.1A through 2520.19).

6.5.b. Teacher's Assessment and Proficiency Levels. Prior to a candidate's admission to a WVBE-approved EPP, the provider must verify the quality of the admitted candidate. The provider must demonstrate that the standard for high academic achievement and ability is met through multiple evaluations and sources of evidence. The teacher candidate must attain the required levels of proficiency in reading, writing, mathematics, speaking, listening, and educational technology as measured by the assessments indicated in this policy, including the CASE, as well as assessments and/or levels established by individual institutions.

6.5.b.1. The cohort must attain a group average minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 in the core subjects and using a 4-point scale with A=4, B=3, C=2, and D=l.

6.5.b.2. The EPP shall establish the assessments and acceptable levels for the speaking, listening, and educational technology skills.

6.5.b.3. The EPP will include as part of its admission criteria candidates' successful completion of a disposition screening assessment chosen by the EPP.

6.6. Content Specialization Component.

6.6.a. Component Description. Content specialization pertains to the specific teaching, administrative, or student support specialization(s) listed on a professional license in accordance with W. Va. Code §18A-3-l. See the West Virginia Licensure Testing Directory on the WVDE website for specific guidelines related to each specialization with the potential for approved program status. WVBE-approved specializations and grade level patterns are found in Policy 5202, Appendix A. The content specialization program standards shall include:

6.6.a.1. WVBE-recognized national content specialization standards for the public school curriculum pertaining to the specialization;

6.6.a.2. WVBE policies or legislative initiatives that have implications for the teaching specialization;

6.6.a.3. state-approved content standards for the public school curriculum pertaining to the specialization standards;

6.6.a.4. content description(s) for the Praxis II tests identified for the specialization in West Virginia licensure requirements;

6.6.a.5. institutionally identified content standards;

6.6.a.6. preparation standards promulgated by national professional associations for specific specializations and WVBE-approved national accreditors (if applicable); and

6.6.a.7. educational technology skills and knowledge related to specializations offered by the IHE. See International Society for Technology and Education (ISTE) Teaching Standards referenced under the Resources for Policy 5100 tab found on the WVDE Office of Educator Preparation web page.

6.6.b. Standards for Subject-area Content in EPP.

6.6.b.1. Elementary Education (K-G) Programs. Elementary education programs shall include a minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework in English language arts (including speaking, listening, writing, and reading utilizing the WVDE adopted approaches), health, mathematics, physical education, science, social studies, and the arts such that the coursework is relevant to the curriculum delivered in the elementary classroom and meets all requirements for all curriculum as defined by the WVBE.

6.6.b.2. Middle Level (5-9) Programs. Individuals choosing to complete two middle level programs shall complete the minimum of a subject-area minor in each subject and meet all requirements for all curriculum as defined by the WVBE.

6.6.b.3. Secondary Level Programs.

6.6.b.3.A. Each college or university with secondary-level teacher preparation programs resulting in 5-adult or 9-adult licensure require credit hours in the content areas.

6.6.b.3.B. Each secondary-level teacher preparation program that results in 5-adult or 9-adult licensure must meet the minimum requirements referenced in W. Va. 123CSR133, Series 11, Standards and Processes for Approval of New Academic Programs, and complete content coursework of no less than 3G hours and no more than 42 hours.

6.6.b.3.C. Each college or university with secondary-level teacher preparation programs resulting in 5-adult or 9-adult licensure must include some form of culminating educational experience that implements content into practice.

6.6.b.3.D. All content coursework in the secondary-level teacher preparation program must meet competencies required for licensure and its related P-12 standards.

6.6.b.4. Special Education Programs. All special education programs, including gifted, shall align to the Council for Exceptional Children preparation standards and address the six pillars of the IDEA: development, implementation, and evaluation of an Individualized Education Program (lEP), Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) guidelines, understanding and applying the concept of Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), Appropriate Evaluation requirements and techniques, Parent and Teacher Participation, and Procedural Safeguards.

6.6.b.4.A. Programs must include methods of designing specially designed instruction and appropriate learning and performance accommodations and modifications for individuals with exceptionalities in academic subject area content of the general curriculum to meet grade-level standards or alternate academic grade level standards.

6.6.b.4.A.1. A required minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework must include nine credit hours of reading or literacy instruction appropriate to each student's age and individual learning needs. Content will focus on the essential components of reading (i.e., phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension for elementary endorsements and fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension for 5-Adult endorsements) as well as how to assess students' reading or literacy ability, use that assessment information for reteaching, remediation, and/or enrichment as appropriate for individual students, and how to identify and correct reading difficulties for all grade levels.

6.6.b.4.A.2. All programs must include six credit hours in mathematics, including a course in mathematics strategies for exceptional learners and a course in college-level mathematics. The foundation of knowledge in literacy and mathematics instruction must be sufficient for collaborating with regular education classroom teachers, teaching, or co-teaching academic subject matter content of the general curriculum to individuals with exceptional learning needs across a wide range of performance levels, and designing appropriate learning and performance accommodations and modifications for individuals with exceptionalities in academic subject matter content of the general curriculum.

6.6.b.5. Within all WVBE-approved programs, IHEs should seek to hire full-time faculty who have a minimum of one degree higher than the degree level at which they are teaching. Faculty shall have a degree(s) and/or professional licensure and/or expertise in the area(s) in which they are teaching.

6.6.c. Mathematics Content in Teacher Preparation.

6.6.c.1. Each elementary (K-6) teacher preparation program must contain:

6.6.c.1.A. three semester credit hours of college algebra or verification of college algebra equivalency and a minimum of six hours of college-level mathematics courses that meet WVBE requirements for the discipline, and

6.6.c.1.B. a three-hour course in mathematics methods.

6.6.c.2. Each middle childhood (5-9) mathematics teacher preparation program must contain:

6.6.c.2.A. a course in college algebra or verification of college algebra equivalency and a minimum of 18 hours of college-level mathematics courses that meet WVBE requirements for the discipline, and

6.6.c.2.B. a three-hour course in mathematics methods.

6.6.d. Reading Content in Teacher Preparation.

6.6.d.1. Each elementary education EPP must contain a minimum of nine credit hours of reading, which includes a focus on the five essential components of reading (i.e., phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension), methods for teaching writing to reinforce reading and language acquisition, as well as how to effectively use data to assess students' reading ability, use that assessment information for reteaching, remediation, and/or enrichment as appropriate for individual students, and how to identify and correct reading difficulties.

6.6.d.2. Each middle and secondary (Pre-k-Adult, 5-Adult, 9-Adult) preparation program must contain a minimum of three hours of reading in the content area which include a focus on vocabulary, comprehension, and writing as well as how to effectively use data to assess students' reading abilities in the content area, use that assessment information for reteaching, remediation, supplementary supports and/or enrichment as appropriate for individual students.

6.6.e. Special Education Content in Teacher Preparation.

6.6.e.1. All general programs of study must contain a minimum of six hours of preparation in special education, including a focus on the impact of disability on academic, behavior, and social/emotional development; the use of progress-monitoring data generated from established tiered systems of support and other pre-referral interventions to assist with instruction, the responsibilities of all educators under the IDEA including the implementation of lEPs, and the accommodations and modifications needed to support the learning of students with disabilities throughout the continuum of services.

6.6.e.2. All EPPs must address differentiated instruction techniques for diverse learners using best practices such as: collaborative methods, co-teaching models, formative assessment. Universal Design for Learning, and Direct Instruction techniques.

6.6.e.3. All special education instruction for teacher candidates must include and designate focused instruction and practice in co-teaching.

6.6.e.4. All special education instruction for teacher candidates must include explicit instruction in the characteristics and best practices for instruction of students with dyslexia and dyscalculia.

6.6.f. Instructional Technology Content in Teacher (ISTE) Preparation. All EPP programs for initial licensure must contain a minimum of three semester stand-alone or embedded hours of preparation in instructional technology incorporating the standards identified in the ISTE Standards referenced under the Resources for Policy 5100 tab found on the WVDE Office of Educator Preparation web page.

6.6.g. Teacher's Assessment and Proficiency Levels. Candidates for completion of a WVBE-approved program shall be required to meet WVBE Praxis II specialty area test score(s) indicated for the anticipated specialization(s). A listing of current WVBE-required tests and passing scores is found in the West Virginia Licensure Testing Directory on the WVDE website.

6.6.h. Support for WVBE-required Praxis Assessment Preparation. EPPs shall have provisions for providing support/remediation for candidates taking any of the WVBE-required Praxis assessments. A listing of current WVBE-required tests and passing scores is found in the West Virginia Licensure Testing Directory on the WVDE website.

6.6.i. All programs must include six credit hours in mathematics, including a course in mathematics strategies for exceptional learners and a course in college-level mathematics. The foundation of knowledge in literacy and mathematics instruction must be sufficient for collaborating with regular education classroom teachers, teaching, or co-teaching academic subject matter content of the general curriculum to individuals with exceptional learning needs across a wide range of performance levels, and designing appropriate learning and performance accommodations and modifications for individuals with exceptionalities in academic subject matter content of the general curriculum.

6.6.j. Effective July 1, 2017, all special education programs must include and designate focused instruction in co-teaching.

6.6.k. Exemptions for Required Content Courses are available for a MAT program if teacher candidates have:

1) a conferred bachelor's degree in the same content area that they are seeking professional licensure,

2) a minimum 3.0 in the specific content area, and

3) successfully completed the Praxis II content test for licensure.

6.7. Professional Education Component.

6.7.a. Component Description. Professional Education includes the studies and experiences that prepare the prospective teacher to integrate professional pedagogy, content knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge into successful learning experiences for students. Each IHE is required to develop a mission statement with specific goals that align with a WVBE-approved national accreditor's standards and the West Virginia Professional Teaching Standards. The mission statement shall include a description of the IHE's focus on data-driven decision-making, continuous improvement, and a snapshot of its prospective professional teachers. The statement will serve as the foundation on which the IHE will base its curriculum and implement the clinical experiences for professional teachers, school administrators, and student support personnel.

6.7.b. Teacher's Assessment and Proficiency Levels.

6.7.b.1. Educational Technology Proficiency Levels. The IHE shall, with the cooperating public school(s), collaboratively establish the assessments and acceptable performance levels for the educational technology skills (see ISTE Standards referenced under the Resources for Policy 5100 tab found on the WVDE Office of Educator Preparation web page) associated with the professional education component.

6.7.b.2. Clinical Experience Performance Assessment Instruments. Candidates completing a teacher education program recommended by the EPPRB and approved by the WVBE for any initial professional educator license shall pass an EPP-adopted performance assessment that is also approved by the WVBE. All institutions must adopt a WVBE-approved TPA, with robust reliability and validity evidence that supports the intended interpretations and uses of the assessment results, for initial licensure by September 1, 2024. Before a TPA can be approved for use, each assessment developer must submit documentation of the instrument for review of technical quality and soundness to the WVDE. The WVDE review framework for the technical review process shall be aligned with industry-wide accepted practices and national accreditor guidelines for reliability and validity evidence. The evidence categories analyzed shall include, but not be limited to, supports for the assessment system, assessment system operations, the evidential aspect of validity, process-oriented technical quality, and achievement standards reporting.

6.7.b.2.A. Effective July 1, 2017, all newly admitted candidates into an EPP shall meet the adopted cut scores for program completion as reflected in the Licensure Testing Directory.

6.7.b.3. Field-based Experiences. All teacher candidates completing a WVBE-approved EPP for initial teacher licensure must complete a minimum of 125 clock hours of field experience under the direction of a teacher licensed to teach in the state, by the state's authorized agency, or their university supervisor in which the field experience is occurring, in each area in which they are seeking an endorsement. No less than 85 clock hours of the required 125 shall be completed in a public school. Field experiences in a virtual/online environment shall not constitute more than 50 percent of the minimum required experience.

6.7.b.4. Field-based Experiences for Special Education. All teacher candidates completing a stand-alone special education program, must meet the field based requirements outlined in 6.7.b.3. and include instructional and behavioral support for students in each of the areas of emotional disorders, intellectual disabilities, developmental delay, and specific learning disabilities.

6.7.b.4.A. WVBE-approved EPP of study leading to an endorsement(s) in an area(s) of special education shall successfully complete the minimum of a significant field experience, which is no less than 30 hours of the required 125 hours in the area(s) of special education in which they are seeking an endorsement(s).

6.7.b.5. Student Teaching Clinical Experiences Completed in the Public Schools. Each candidate completing an approved program shall spend a minimum of 12 weeks in the clinical portion of the program unless the candidate is able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the college supervisor and the cooperating public school supervisor that the candidate has achieved the proficiency level in less than the specified time.

6.7.b.5.A. The clinical experience must be completed under the direction of a teacher licensed to teach in the state of the placement and in the content in which the candidate is seeking an endorsement, issued by the state's authorizing agency.

6.7.b.5.A.1. Candidates who are completing their clinical experience on the job (e.g., candidates seeking alternative certification or on a first-class permit) might not have a teacher licensed in the same content, but instead will have a professional support team as described in W. Va. Code § 18A-3C-1.

6.7.b.5.B. The candidate must be assessed during the clinical experience in all specializations for which the candidate is requesting licensure. The IHE is also required to document the candidates' field-based and/or clinical experiences with diverse multicultural, at-risk, and special needs learners at each programmatic level for which they anticipate licensure.

6.7.b.5.C. Five exceptions to the programmatic level coverage for required field-based experiences exist in the current system.

6.7.b.5.C.1. Any pre-k-Adult program of study is required to contain clinical practice at both the elementary and middle or high school levels. Experience at the middle and high school level not covered during the clinical practice shall be completed by field experience.

6.7.b.5.C.2. Any K-Adult program of study is required to contain clinical practice at both the elementary and middle or high school levels. Experience at the middle and high school level not covered during the clinical practice shall be completed by field experience.

6.7.b.5.C.3. Any 5-Adult program of study is required to contain field-based experiences and clinical practice at a minimum of two different programmatic levels.

6.7.b.5.C.4. Any 9-Adult program of study is required to contain field-based experiences and clinical practice at a minimum of one programmatic level.

6.7.b.5.C.5. The elementary education specialization (K-6) is also exempt from the programmatic level coverage for required field-based experiences at each programmatic level for which the candidate anticipates licensure. Clinical practice placement in two grades, a primary (K-2) and an intermediate (3-5) grade, from kindergarten and extending through grade six will satisfy the programmatic level requirement. This exception for elementary education cannot be used to satisfy the requirement for other specializations that require experiences in grades 5-9. If the candidate combines elementary education with another specialization, the required programmatic level placement for the other specialization must be satisfied. These required field-based and clinical-based experiences must be of sufficient duration and quality to enable the candidate to practice and develop skills and complete a performance assessment.

6.7.b.5.D. Student teachers shall not be permitted to substitute during their clinical experience unless the candidate is employed as the teacher of record for the duration of that experience.

6.7.b.5.E. As of July 1, 2020, nonpublic clinical placements must be in a WVBE-accredited school with a West Virginia certified teacher for the entire clinical experience. The nonpublic school must be accredited as prescribed in W. Va. 12GCSR13C, Policy 2330, Nonpublic School Accreditation, and shall meet the provisions of W. Va. Code that addresses experiences and instruction for candidates in nonpublic clinical placements regarding WVBE policy and provisions of W. Va. Code governing public education; requirements for federal and state accountability, including the mandatory reporting of child abuse; federal and state mandated curriculum and assessment requirements, including diverse multicultural education, trauma-informed best practices, safe schools and the student code of conduct; federal and state regulations for the instruction of exceptional students, as defined by the IDEA; and varied approaches for effective instruction for students who are at-risk. Accredited non-public schools shall meet all other criteria of public schools for program completion in this rule and licensure requirements per Policy 5202.

6.8. Yearlong Residency Minimum Requirements.

6.8.a. Effective July 1, 2021, with the freshman cohort, all EPPs with WVBE-approved programs of study leading to West Virginia educator licensure must begin the transition to a full residency model by including a minimum of one program with a yearlong residency pathway as the final clinical experience as defined in section 5 for candidates completing their program. All educator preparation content areas will transition to The West Virginia Residency Model no later than the Fall of 2024 with incoming freshman cohorts.

6.8.b. Authorization. The agreement established between an IHE and county board of education must be approved by the WVBE.

6.8.c. Each candidate shall complete a Residency 1 and Residency 2 clinical experience for two consecutive semesters in the clinical portion of the program unless the candidate is able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the college supervisor and the cooperating public school cooperating teacher that the candidate has achieved the proficiency level in less than the specified time.

6.8.c.1. During the Residency 1 clinical classroom placement, candidates completing an approved program shall spend a minimum of 14 weeks/250 hours during the first semester.

6.8.c.1.A. Residency 1 teachers shall not be pulled from their placement to cover an unsupervised classroom and shall not be permitted to substitute teach during their residency placement.

6.8.c.2. During the Residency 2 clinical classroom placement candidates completing an approved program shall spend a minimum of 14 weeks/500 hours during the second semester.

6.8.c.3. The yearlong residency clinical experience must be completed under the direction of a teacher licensed to teach in the state of the placement and in the content area in which the candidate is seeking an endorsement, issued by the state's authorizing agency. Candidates who are completing their clinical experience as the teacher of record (e.g., CTR, candidates seeking alternative certification or on a first-class permit) will have professional support team in lieu of a cooperating teacher as described in W. Va. Code § 18A-3C-1. The candidate must be assessed during the clinical experience in all specializations for which the candidate is requesting licensure during field-based and/or clinical experiences. Candidates must successfully complete all Praxis II exams prior to entering Residency 2 or meet approved criteria stated in the West Virginia Licensure and Testing Directory. The IHE is also required to document the candidates' field-based and/or clinical experiences with diverse multicultural, at-risk, and special needs learners at each programmatic level for which they anticipate licensure. Yearlong clinical experiences completed in a virtual/online environment shall not constitute more than 50 percent of the minimum required experience. Five requirements for the programmatic level coverage for required field-based experiences exist in the current system.

6.8.c.3.A. Any pre-k-Adult program of study is required to contain clinical experience at a minimum of one programmatic level. Experience at the elementary, middle, and high school level not covered during the clinical experience shall be completed by field experience.

6.8.c.3.B. Any K-Adult program of study is required to contain clinical experience at a minimum of one programmatic level. Experience at the elementary, middle, and high school level not covered during the clinical experience shall be completed by field experience.

6.8.c.3.C. Any 5-Adult program of study is required to contain clinical experience at a minimum of one programmatic level. The level not covered during the clinical experience shall be completed by field experience.

6.8.c.3.D. Any elementary program of study (K-6) is required to contain clinical experience at a minimum of one programmatic level. The level not covered during the clinical experience shall be completed by field experience.

6.8.c.3.E. Any 9-Adult program of study is required to contain field-based experiences and clinical experience at a minimum of one programmatic level.

6.8.c.4. Residents who have not completed their content exam when applying for the Yearlong Resident Permit will be issued a Short-Term Residency Permit. All content exams must be successfully completed prior to applying for the Long-Term Residency Permit or meet approved criteria stated in the West Virginia Licensure and Testing Directory.

6.8.c.4.A. Residents may be permitted to substitute during Residency 2 with county approval and if the resident meets the following criteria:

1) resident must hold a Long-Term Residency Permit,

2) substitute days may not exceed one day per week,

3) residents may only substitute in the host school of their yearlong residency placement,

4) the resident and cooperating teacher should have advanced notice of the requested day and both be in agreement for the resident to be away from the assigned classroom for the day, and

5) the Resident 2 student shall be paid a base rate no less than one who holds a bachelor's degree.

6.8.c.5. Resident Emails. Each candidate completing an approved yearlong residency clinical experience, as defined in section 5 for candidates completing their program, shall be assigned a k-12 email address by the county for the duration of the residency to allow for the full immersion of the student resident into the school environment.

W. Va. Code R. § 126-114-6