Senate 133

WEST virginia legislature

2026 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 133

By Senator Rucker

[Introduced January 14, 2026; referred
to the Committee on Education]

A BILL to amend and reenact §18A-3-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to teaching experience requirement for teacher certification renewal and attainment of permanent certification.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 3. TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, LICENSING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

§18A-3-3. Renewal of certificates; permanent certification.

(a) Until the person qualifies for a permanent certificate, any professional or first class certificate based upon a bachelor's degree shall be renewable provided the holder within five years from the date the certificate became valid:

(1) Files application on a prescribed form with the state Department of Education;

(2) Presents an official transcript of six semester hours of approved credit as may be prescribed by the state board;

(3) Successfully completes a beginning teacher internship program, if applicable; and

(4) Submits a recommendation based on successful teaching experience from the county superintendent of schools of the county in which the holder last taught or resides.

(b) The holder of a professional certificate, valid for five years, shall have the certificate made permanent upon meeting any of the following requirements:

(1) Completion of the second renewal, in accordance with the provisions set forth in subsection (a) of this section; or

(2) After five years of service in the public schools, accredited nonpublic schools, or unaccredited nonpublic schools, presentation of a transcript showing the completion of requirements for a master's degree from an institution of higher education accredited to offer the master's degree and in a program relevant to the public school program or completes the fifth year of training leading to a bachelor's degree in library science from a school fully approved by the American Library Association; or

(3) Receives certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

(c) To satisfy any of the requirements of subsection (b) of this section, the person must file application on a prescribed form with the state Department of Education and must submit a recommendation from the county superintendent of schools of the county in which the person last taught or resides.

(d) All certificates and permits, other than the professional certificate, shall be renewed in accordance with state board regulations.

(e) If the applicant seeking renewal or permanent professional certification has cause to believe that the county superintendent refuses to give a recommendation without just cause, the applicant shall have the right, in such case, to appeal to the state Superintendent of Schools whose responsibility it shall be to investigate the matter and issue a certificate if, in the opinion of the state superintendent, the county superintendent's recommendation was withheld arbitrarily.

(f) A person who has reached the age of sixty and holds a renewable certificate, as provided in this section, need not present renewal credit but shall meet all other renewal requirements.

(g) Any teaching experience requirement imposed by this code or state board rule as a condition of renewal of any certificate or as a condition of permanent certification may be met by teaching in a public school, an accredited nonpublic school, or an unaccredited nonpublic school. An accredited nonpublic school is a nonpublic school accredited by a national or regional accreditation agency approved by the West Virginia Board of Education.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to allow any teaching experience requirement imposed by code or state board rule to be met through teaching at a public school or any nonpublic school.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.