Virginia Law

A. Endorsement requirements. The candidate shall have:

1. Earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and graduated from an approved teacher preparation program in business and information technology; or

2. Earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and completed a major in business education or 39 semester hours of coursework in business and information technology, including:

a. Accounting: six semester hours;

b. Economics: three semester hours;

c. Business law, business principles, management, marketing, or finance: nine semester hours;

d. Communications and media to include oral, written, and presentation skills: three semester hours;

e. Information systems and technology to include computer software applications, such as word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation, information technology fundamentals, database management, communications systems, programming, software development, security, and networking: 12 semester hours;

f. Input technologies to include touch keyboarding (required, or documented demonstrated mastery of the touch keyboarding skill), audio input devices, video input devices, pointing devices, touch screens, or other emerging input technologies: three semester hours; and

g. Supervised business experience: three semester hours, or one year of successful full-time or the equivalent (a minimum of 2,000 cumulative hours) relevant occupational experience within the last five years.

If an individual is seeking an initial license in the Commonwealth with an endorsement in the area of career and technical education, an industry certification credential as defined in 8VAC20-23-10 in the area in which the teacher seeks endorsement is required. If a teacher seeking an initial license in the Commonwealth has not attained an industry certification credential in the area in which the teacher seeks endorsement, the Virginia Board of Education may, upon request of the employing school division or educational agency, issue the teacher a provisional license to allow time for the teacher to attain such credential.

B. Technical Professional License. An endorsement in a highly specialized business and information technology area, such as networking, programming, database management, Internet application development, medical office procedures, legal office procedures, network administration, and other emerging highly specialized areas may be granted to individuals who have:

1. Been recommended by an employing Virginia educational agency;

2. Completed two years of successful, full-time or the equivalent occupational experience within the last five years in the teaching specialty area sought;

3. Completed a business certificate or associate degree program from an accredited institution in the teaching specialty area sought; and

4. Completed professional studies requirements (human development and learning: three semester hours; curriculum and instruction in career and technical education: three semester hours; and applications of instructional technology or classroom and behavior management: three semester hours).

If an individual is seeking an initial license in the Commonwealth with an endorsement in the area of career and technical education, an industry certification credential as defined in 8VAC20-23-10 in the area in which the teacher seeks endorsement is required. If a teacher seeking an initial license in the Commonwealth has not attained an industry certification credential in the area in which the teacher seeks endorsement, the Virginia Board of Education may, upon request of the employing school division or educational agency, issue the teacher a provisional license to allow time for the teacher to attain such credential.