The bill amends sections 18A-3-1 and 18A-3-2a of the Code of West Virginia to create the Troops-to-Teachers Program, which aims to recruit veterans of the armed forces as public school teachers. The program will be managed by the state superintendent and will grant veterans a hiring preference in line with existing laws. It outlines various teacher preparation pathways, including traditional and alternative certification routes, while emphasizing the need for professional development and regular reviews of training requirements to ensure they are effective for teaching. The bill also specifies conditions for issuing professional teaching certificates, particularly for veterans who meet certain educational and testing criteria, allowing honorably discharged veterans with a bachelor's degree to bypass additional certification requirements, aside from a criminal history check.

Additionally, the legislation details the types of teaching and administrative certificates available within the public school system, including the initial professional certificate, which is valid for three years and can be converted to a five-year certificate after completing a beginning teacher induction program. It introduces an alternative program teacher certificate for candidates in state board-approved programs, valid for three years without renewal. The bill also provides for temporary teaching certificates for spouses of active-duty military members, valid for one year with the possibility of renewal, and includes measures for revocation of certificates in cases of fraud or criminal convictions related to teaching credentials.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18A-3-1, 18A-3-2a
Committee Substitute: 18A-3-1, 18A-3-2a
Committee Substitute for the Committee Substitute: 18A-3-1, 18A-3-2a
Enrolled Version: 18A-3-1, 18A-3-2a