West Virginia Code 18A-3-1a – Alternative programs for the education of teachers; purpose; definitions
(a) Purpose. – Sections one-a, one-b, one-c, one-d, one-e, one-f, one-g, one-h and one-i of this article create an alternative means for a qualified person to earn a professional teaching certificate. These sections authorize a school or a school district to offer a rigorous alternative program for teacher certification in partnership with an accredited higher education institution, an entity affiliated with an accredited higher education institution, the West Virginia Department of Education or a regional education service agency, all under the supervision of the State Board.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 18A-3-1a
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
(b) Definitions. — For the purposes of this section and sections one-b, one-c, one-d, one-e, one-f, one-g, one-h and one-i of this article, the following terms have the meanings ascribed to them, unless the context in which a term is used clearly requires a different meaning:
(1) "Alternative program" means a program for teacher education that is offered as an alternative to the standard college or university programs for the education of teachers;
(2) "Alternative program teacher" means a teacher who holds an alternative program teacher certificate and who participates in an alternative program;
(3) "Area of critical need and shortage" means an opening in an established, existing or newly-created position which has been posted at least two times in accordance with section seven-a, article four of this chapter and for which no fully-qualified applicant has been employed;
(4) "Alternative program teacher certificate" means a temporary teacher certificate that authorizes a person to teach while participating in an alternative program;
(5) "Approved alternative program" means an alternative program that is approved by the State Board in accordance with section one-e of this article;
(6) "Approved education provider" means a partnership that the State Board has approved to provide an alternative program;
(7) "Partnership" means a partnership formed pursuant to section one-b of this article to provide an alternative program;
(8) "Partnership agreement" means an agreement adopted by a partnership pursuant to section one-b of this article; and
(9) "Professional support team" means the group of persons that an approved education provider has selected to train and supervise alternative program teachers.