Certification Update: Reading, Autism Added in WV

Note: Visit my education blog, The Green Cup

Since my last note on certification back on May 3, my West Virginia license has been updated.

At the moment my WV license reflects the following active endorsements:

1. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Mathematics
   Assignment: 0509
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
2. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Social Studies
   Assignment: 0509
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
3. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Elementary Education
   Assignment: 0K06
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
4. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Early Education
   Assignment: PK0K
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
5. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Mentally Impaired-Mild-Moderate
   Assignment: 0KAD
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
6. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Multi-Categorical (LD, BD, MI)
   Assignment: 0K06
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
7. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Multi-Categorical (LD, BD, MI)
   Assignment: 05AD
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
8. Type: 81-First Class Permit
   Endorsement: Multi-Categorical (LD, BD, MI)
   Assignment: 0KAD
   Status: Renewal Expiration Date: 06-30-2008
   
9. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
   Endorsement: Autism
   Assignment: 0K06
   Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
   
10. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
    Endorsement: Autism
    Assignment: 05AD
    Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009
    
11. Type: 21-Professional Teaching Certificate
    Endorsement: Reading Endorsement
    Assignment: PKAD
    Status: Original Expiration Date: 06-30-2009

A note: In order to be certified as a "Reading Specialist" in West Virginia, policy 5202 says that you have to complete college course work and present a transcript. If you already have an M.S. (like me), the course work doesn't necessarily have to lead to an additional degree - but the reading endorsement does have to be gained as a result of class work in order for you to be granted the "Reading Specialist" certification. The fact that the test I passed in Georgia was the "Reading Specialist" test is irrelevant. So, instead of the code "4300," my license shows "4301." While down the road some administrative post might be posted as specifically requiring the 4300 certification, there isn't a particular teaching job that an individual certified as 4300 can do but someone with 4301 isn't qualified to do. So the distinction is semantic. In effect, I'm as qualified in reading as a reading specialist, but to use the "S" word in WV I have to take $14,000 worth of extra classes and listen to someone tell me what Georgia says I already know...

It has also been brought to my attention that talking about the certification process in Georgia makes people at work feel threatened and/or cheated because there is an easier route to particular certifications than the one they took. And so, I guess I'll stop talking about it there. The irony is that certification alone means very little in the context of WV's hiring process. Seniority becomes the issue there - and I have very little of that.