The West Virginia Adult Education (WVAdultEd) Program is funded by the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, enacted August 7, 1998 as Title II of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.
WVAdultEd is administered through the West Virginia Department of Education Office of Adult Education and Workforce Development, Building 6, Room 230, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, West Virginia 25305-0330.
The WVAdultEd Instructor Handbook is produced by the WVAdultEd Professional Development Program, whose fiscal agent is the Regional Education Service Agency (RESA) 3, 501 22nd Street, Dunbar, West Virginia 25064-1711.
For questions or concerns related to the content of the WVAdultEd Instructor Handbook, contact Cathy Shank at the WV Adult Education Hotline, 1-800-642-2670, or via email at .
RESA 3 does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law in access to, employment in, or provision of any of RESA 3’s programs, benefits, or activities.
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Professional Development System
Professional development for the adult education practitioner 5
Certification Credentials 5
Renewal of Certification 6
Pre-service TRAINING 8
Pre-service Requirements 9
In-service Training 11
Annual Core and Elective In-service Requirements 11
Important Notes on Annual Professional Development Requirements 12
Core In-service Sessions for WVAdultEd Personnel 13
Core In-service Session Descriptions 16
TECH Core Credit 22
Approved Options for TECH Core Credit 23
Elective In-service Training 25
Elective Credit for Visiting another WVAdultEd Class/Program 25
Elective Credit for In-service Not Sponsored by WVAdultEd 25
Awards for Completing In-service Credit 25
In-service Opportunities 26
Planning for Professional Development 26
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 28
What are the WVAdultEd-PD requirements for instructors? 28
What is the difference between pre-service and in-service? 28
As a new instructor, which in-service sessions should I take during my first year? 28
If I am hired in the middle of the fiscal/program year, do I have a full calendar year to complete my required PD credit? 28
If I take more than six hours of core in-service sessions in one year, can I ‘bank’ the hours for the following program year? 28
What are core follow-up activities and why do I have to do them? 29
How do I find the assignments for the required core follow-up activities? 29
How do I know when and where face-to-face core and elective sessions are offered? 29
Can PD credit be acquired by attending sessions not listed on the Calendar? 29
How do I pre-register for face-to-face WVAdultEd-PD sessions? 30
Is pre-registration required for face-to-face WVAdultEd-PD sessions? 30
How do I know if a WVAdultEd session has been cancelled or rescheduled? 30
What if I need disability accommodations? 30
What is the purpose of the sign-in sheets? 30
What is the purpose of the transcript form used at conferences? 30
How are travel and meals reimbursed? 31
What is Schoology? 31
How is WVAdultEd-PD credit different from college credit? 31
Can I receive graduate credit for WVAdultEd-PD sessions? 32
Can I receive PD credit in addition to college credit for completing college courses? 32
What is the best way to choose which in-service sessions to attend? 32
Do I have to attend all the core sessions offered? 32
Can I get core credit for attending a core session not required by my specialty? 33
When I have completed all the available core sessions required for my specialty, what do I do about my core requirements? 33
May I repeat core sessions for in-service credit? 33
What if I don’t remember which core and elective sessions I have already completed? 33
How do I access my PD transcript record online in AEMIS? 33
Why does my online Individual PD Record in AEMIS still show that I need core credit even though I have completed all the core requirements for my specialty? 34
What if there are no elective sessions offered in my region that interest me? 34
Can I get WVAdultEd-PD credit for visiting another WVAdultEd program? 34
How do I get credit for PD sessions attended that are not sponsored by WVAdultEd? 35
What happens if I do not complete my core and elective requirements by the end of the fiscal year in June? 35
APPENDIX 36
Certification Renewal 38
Professional Development Requirements 38
WVAdultEd Individual Professional Development Plan 40
Professional development for the adult education practitioner
The purpose of professional development (PD) in the West Virginia Adult Education (WVAdultEd) program is to provide an array of opportunities that enhance and stimulate the creativity, effectiveness, and leadership of WVAdultEd practitioners. WVAdultEd-PD prepares practitioners to deliver services to a diverse student population in a multitude of settings.
Before working with students, WVAdultEd practitioners must obtain the appropriate certification credential for their position. In addition, after being hired, every practitioner must complete specialized pre-service training through a customized pre-service program.
After practitioners complete pre-service training and begin working with students, there are additional, ongoing annual in-service training requirements. In-service training provides a balance between activities supporting program-determined goals (core) and those supporting instructor-determined or local program-determined learning needs and preferences (elective).
Certification Credentials
Certification is a process that is handled by the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) Certification office (NOT by the WVAdultEd-PD Office).
The following WVDE sites provide more information regarding certification:
· For teacher certification information, see http://wvde.state.wv.us/certification/.
· For Policy 5202, establishing the minimum requirements for the licensure of education personnel, see http://wvde.state.wv.us/policies/index.html#p5202.
· To check certification status online, see http://wvde.state.wv.us/certification/status.
· For certification application forms, see http://wvde.state.wv.us/certification/forms.
For other questions, call the Certification Toll-Free Line, 1-800-982-2378, or use the Information Request form found at http://wvde.state.wv.us/certification/request.php.
Since the process for obtaining and renewing licenses is different in different counties or regions, the local program coordinator may need to help to initiate the process to obtain the Adult License for ABE if the newly hired person does not have a valid WV Teaching Certificate.
The chart below shows the required credential that each type of WVAdultEd practitioner must obtain before working with students.
Practitioner Role / Required Certification Credential· Full-time and Part-time working regular hours
· Career Development Consultants (CDCs)
· Temporary/Short Term Instructors and Long-term Substitutes (hired for a limited period of time—working more than seven days/month but less than six weeks total) / · Valid WV Teaching Certificate (certification to teach school in West Virginia)
Or
· Adult License for Adult Basic Education (bachelor’s degree or higher required with a minimum of a 2.5 grade average for all college or university course work)
· Occasional Substitutes not working regular hours (working no more than seven days in a month—not responsible for planning or reporting)
Note: Any substitute (working more than seven days in a month) must obtain the same credential as an instructor. / · Valid WV Substitute Permit (bachelor’s degree or higher required with minimum 2.0 grade average for all college or university course work)
Or
· Valid WV Teaching Certificate or Adult License for Adult Basic Education *
Renewal of Certification
WVAdultEd practitioners must maintain their certification credential through the WVDE certification office as well as meet all core and elective WVAdultEd in-service requirements. See the information below and the graphic information chart on Certification Renewal (Section 2 Appendix).
Credential / Renewal Timeframe / RequirementsAdult License
Form V-15 / Every five years / · 30 hours of WVAdultEd professional development credit AND
· 6 hours of college credit
· Contact WV Department of Education Certification Office for renewal forms.
· Contact person: Robert Mellace, 304-558-7010.
WV Teaching Certificate / Every three to five years (depending on whether it is an Initial Professional Teaching Certificate or a Professional Teaching Certificate) / · 6 hours of college credit
· 3 of the 6 hours must be related to technology
· Contact WV Department of Education Certification Office for renewal forms.
Both college credit and WVAdultEd-PD in-service credit are required in order to maintain an Adult License for ABE as well as to maintain most WV teaching certificates.
All certificates expire on June 30 of the last year of their validity (regardless of the date of issuance). Practitioners can ask about renewal of certification and approval of specific college courses at the local county board of education accreditation office.
The practitioner is responsible to:
· Be aware of the expiration date of the certification credential.
· Understand the renewal process.
· Initiate contact and get guidance on the renewal forms and procedures, and get forms signed by the local County superintendent or the RESA director.
· Complete appropriate college credit and WVAdultEd-PD credit.
· File all documents required to maintain a valid credential in a timely fashion.
Pre-service TRAINING
WVAdultEd-PD pre-service is designed for new practitioners who have not previously worked in the WVAdultEd program as well as for seasoned practitioners returning after an absence or beginning to work with a different program specialty.
WVAdultEd-PD pre-service training must be completed prior to working alone with students. Once a new instructor or instructional aide has been hired, the local program coordinator requests training from the WVAdultEd-PD program by filling out the online Request for Trainng of WVAdultEd Personnel form found at: https://wvabepd.wufoo.com/forms/q1t5li100ftqsgx/.
An individual’s role, responsibilities, and previous experience in the WVAdultEd program determine the type and amount of pre-service training required. The graphic below depicts the components of the pre-service process that are customized for personnel working in various categories (from substitutes to full-time instructors) and who serve a variety of specialized classes (ABE/HSE, ESL, SPOKES, etc.).
After pre-service training has been requested by the local coordinator, the WVAdultEd-PD coordinator contacts the new practitioner by email to explain the WVAdultEd-PD pre-service training process. The initial steps are conducted electronically. All personnel who provide instruction more than seven times a month must participate in face-to-face training with a peer trainer before working alone with students in the classroom.
Pre-service Requirements
The charts below outline the steps and requirements for each category of personnel.
Employment Status / Pre-Service RequirementsFull-time and Part-time Instructors and Instructional Aides
· Regular schedule
· Responsible for planning, instruction, reporting, and accountability
Full-time and Part-time Career Development Consultants (CDCs)
· Regular schedule
· Responsible for planning, instruction, reporting, and accountability / Part I Pre-Service Schoology Assignments (including Quick Reference Guide and Job Shadowing/Class Visit) completed before meeting with a peer trainer
Part I Face-to-Face Specialized Component: pre-service training specific to specialty area with peer trainer experienced in the specialty:
· General ABE/HSE
· College Transition
· ESL or EL/Civics
· Institutional Education
· SPOKES
· CDC
Part II Pre-Service Schoology Assignments (including Follow-up Study)
Part II Reporting and Accountability Face-to-Face Component: pre-service training with peer trainer
Visit by Peer Trainer or RAEC, local director, etc.
Employment Status / Pre-Service Requirements
Returning Instructors
· Have not worked in the WVAdultEd program for three years or more / Refresher AdultEd (selected topics for individual needs) with peer trainer experienced in the same specialized area
Follow-up Study
Employment Status / Pre-Service Requirements
Current WVAdultEd Instructors or Instructional Aides who are adding a specialty or changing specialties / Face-to-Face Specialized Component: pre-service topics specific to specialty area with peer trainer experienced in the new specialty
Job Shadowing/Class Visit at class site specific to new specialty area
Employment Status / Pre-Service Requirements
Temporary/Short-term
· Instructors hired for a class that runs for a limited period of time (less than six weeks) OR
· Long-term Substitutes (working more than seven days/month but less than six weeks on a regular schedule)
· Not responsible for AEMIS data entry/reporting/ accountability
Roving SPOKES or Hit the Ground Running (HTGR)
· Instructors hired for a limited period of time
· Not responsible for AEMIS data entry/reporting/ accountability
Assessment/Intake
· Instructors hired only to assist with testing and/or student orientation/intake
· Not responsible for AEMIS data entry/reporting/ accountability / Part I Pre-Service Schoology Assignments (including Quick Reference Guide and Job Shadowing/Class Visit) completed before meeting with a peer trainer
Part I Face-to-Face Specialized Component: pre-service training specific to specialty area with peer trainer experienced in the specialty:
· General ABE/HSE
· College Transition
· ESL or EL/Civics
· Institutional Education
· SPOKES
· HTGR
Employment Status / Pre-Service Requirements
Occasional Substitutes
· No regular schedule
· Work no more than seven days/month
· Not responsible for planning or reporting / Determined by the local program coordinator
In-service Training
After pre-service training is complete and practitioners have begun working with students, they must also complete a set number of hours of in-service training every program year to enrich their understanding and sharpen their skills. There are two types of WVAdultEd-PD in-service credit: core and elective.
Core credit sessions are set by the WVAdultEd program and are required based on the practitioner’s specialty area. These include face-to-face workshops, required independent follow-up activities, and online training. Instructional personnel hired on a regular basis must complete a minimum of six hours of core credit every program year). See the chart of Core In-service Requirements and the Core In-Service Descriptions.
Elective credit sessions are selected by the practitioner (or his/her coordinator) and are based on practitioner and/or local program needs. See Elective In-Service Training (Section 2). These may include regional fall kick-off or spring wrap-up meetings, software training, local staff meetings, conference sessions, online opportunities, or special projects. Instructional personnel who work 13 or more hours a week on a regular schedule must complete elective credit in addition to core credit.
Note: Occasional Substitutes are not required by WVAdultEd to complete in-service credit. However, those with an Adult License for ABE will need to show completion of 30 hours of WVAdultEd PD every five years for renewal of the license. Local programs may have additional training requirements. Please discuss this with your local program coordinator.