{"data":{"id":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-18a-3-1a","jurisdiction":"us-wv","citation":"W. Va. Code § 18A-3-1a","heading":"Alternative programs for the education of teachers; purpose; definitions.","body":"(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.\n(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:\n(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;\n(2) \"Alternative program teacher\" means a teacher who holds an alternative program teacher certificate and who participates in an alternative program;\n(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;\n(4) \"Alternative program teacher certificate\" means a temporary teacher certificate that authorizes a person to teach while participating in an alternative program;\n(5) \"Approved alternative program\" means an alternative program that is approved by the State Board in accordance with section one-e of this article;\n(6) \"Approved education provider\" means a partnership that the State Board has approved to provide an alternative program;\n(7) \"Partnership\" means a partnership formed pursuant to section one-b of this article to provide an alternative program;\n(8) \"Partnership agreement\" means an agreement adopted by a partnership pursuant to section one-b of this article; and\n(9) \"Professional support team\" means the group of persons that an approved education provider has selected to train and supervise alternative program teachers.","path":["CHAPTER 18A. SCHOOL PERSONNEL.","ARTICLE 3. TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, LICENSING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT."],"source_url":"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/18A-3-1A/","current_through":"as of 2026-08-03; contains at least the enactments of the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-06T00:24:55Z","sha256":"440456c991104a82d4a8f1de3f64977d636f8e760f49db13402b82cb6455e653","source_id":"us-wv","stale":true,"prev":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-18a-3-1","next":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-18a-3-1b"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}