8VAC20-23-370: Gifted education (add-on endorsement)

Endorsement requirements. The candidate shall have:

1. Earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and hold a license issued by the Virginia Board of Education with a teaching endorsement in a teaching area;

2. Earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and completed an approved teacher preparation program in gifted education; or

3. Completed the following requirements:

a. Earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and hold a license issued by the Virginia Board of Education with a teaching endorsement in a teaching area; and

b. Completed 12 semester hours of graduate-level coursework in gifted education distributed in the following areas:

(1) Introduction and identification of giftedness: three semester hours;

(2) Social and emotional development and guidance of gifted learners: three semester hours;

(3) Curriculum and instructional strategies for gifted learners: three semester hours; and

(4) Advanced course work in one of the following areas: three semester hours:

(a) Advanced curriculum, instruction, and assessment design;

(b) Advanced program development and evaluation; or

(c) Advanced study in underrepresented populations; and

c. Completed a practicum of at least 45 instructional hours. This practicum shall include a minimum of 45 instructional hours of successful teaching experiences with gifted students in a public or an accredited nonpublic school. In lieu of the practicum, one year of successful, full-time teaching experience with gifted students in a public or an accredited nonpublic school may be accepted, provided the teacher is assigned a mentor holding a valid license with an endorsement in gifted education.