                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

TEACH FOR AMERICA LICENSE (§ 22.1-299.4)

A. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Board shall issue a
two-year provisional license, hereafter referred to as the Teach For America
license, to any participant in Teach For America, a nationwide nonprofit
organization focused on closing the academic achievement gaps between students
in high-income and low-income areas, who submits an application and meets the
following criteria:

   1. Holds, at minimum, a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited
   institution of higher education;

   2. Has met the requirements prescribed by the Board for all endorsements
   sought or has met the qualifying scores on the content area assessment
   prescribed by the Board for the endorsements sought;

   3. Possesses good moral character according to criteria developed by the
   Board;

   4. Has been offered and has accepted placement in Teach For America;

   5. Has successfully completed pre-service training and is participating in the
   professional development requirements of Teach For America, including teaching
   frameworks, curricula, lesson planning, instructional delivery, classroom
   management, assessment and evaluation of student progress, classroom
   diversity, and literacy development;

   6. Has an offer of employment from a local school board to teach in a public
   elementary or secondary school in the Commonwealth or a preschool program that
   receives state funds pursuant to &#xA7; 22.1-289.09; and

   7. Receives a recommendation from the employing school division for a Teach
   For America license in the endorsement area in which the individual seeks to
   be licensed.

B. In addition to the criteria set forth in subsection A, any individual who
seeks an endorsement in early childhood, early/primary, or elementary education
shall either (i) agree to complete such coursework in the teaching of reading as
may be prescribed by the Board pursuant to regulation during the first year of
employment or (ii) achieve a passing score on a reading instructional assessment
prescribed by the Board pursuant to regulation.

C. Teachers issued a Teach For America provisional license shall not be eligible
for continuing contract status while employed under the authority of a Teach For
America license and shall be subject to the probationary terms of employment
specified in &#xA7; 22.1-303.

D. The Board may extend any Teach For America license for one additional year
upon request of the employing school division, provided that no Teach For
America license shall exceed a total of three years in length.

E. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, upon completion of at
least two years of full-time teaching experience in a public elementary or
secondary school in the Commonwealth or a preschool program that receives state
funds pursuant to &#xA7; 22.1-289.09, an individual holding a Teach For America
license shall be eligible to receive a renewable license if he has (i) achieved
satisfactory scores on all professional teacher assessments required by the
Board and (ii) received satisfactory evaluations at the conclusion of each year
of employment.

F. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Board shall issue a
Teach For America license to any individual who (i) has completed two years of
successful teaching in the Teach For America program in another state, (ii) is
not eligible to receive a renewable license, and (iii) meets the criteria set
forth in subsection A.

HISTORY: 2013, cc. 53, 440; 2020, cc. 860, 861.