Adding an Autism Endorsement on the Professional Teaching Certificate
Summary of Requirements
Form 8A allows you to add an endorsement in autism to a valid WV Professional Teaching Certificate with a Special Education endorsement following completion of coursework at a regionally accredited college/university.
Verify that you are completing the correct endorsement form. Use Form 8A if you are applying to add an endorsement to a valid WV Professional Teaching Certificate with a Special Education endorsement following completion of autism specific coursework at a regionally accredited college/university that leads to licensure to work in a K-12 public school system.
Applicant Requirements
If you are employed in any capacity in a county school system, multi-county CTE Center, West Virginia Schools of Diversion and Transition (WVSDT), or the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf/Blind (WVSDB), Form 8A requires an official recommendation from the Superintendent or designee.
If you are not employed in any of these capacities, select NO COUNTY under EMPLOYING COUNTY and submit Form 4B: Character Reference with your application.
General Requirement
Validity Period: Timeframes for the endorsement’s validity vary according to the certificate’s validity dates.
Grade Point Average: Minimum GPA of 3.0 in each course
Educational Work Experience: No
Non-Educational Work Experience: No
Coursework/Training: Complete the six hours of autism coursework from an accredited college/university that offers the specific courses for the autism endorsement approved by the WVDE.
Credential: Hold a valid and appropriate WV Professional Teaching Certificate endorsed for Special Education. Note: Does not apply to the Career and Technical Education Certificate.
Testing: No. Testing was completed when the Special Education endorsement was completed.
Employment Required: No
To send official transcripts to our office, please have your college/university send them to cert.transcripts.wvde@k12.wv.us. Transcripts must be received from the institution, not the applicant.
Application Instructions
Form 8A must be completed online. If this is your first time using the WVDE Certification Portal, you will need to register. Follow the instructions for first-time applicants.
Log in to the portal and select add endorsement and then select Form 8A.
Fill in the applicant information and attach any required documentation. You will need to provide personal information, such as your name and address and respond to legal disclosure questions. Depending on your choices, you may need to indicate the county where you're employed and/or your employer. You may need to include supporting documentation verifying your educational experience.
Submit the form. If you are employed in a WV county school system, multi-county CTE Center, West Virginia Schools of Diversion and Transition (WVSDT), or the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf/Blind (WVSDB), your application will go to your county for approval.
Following county and college university approval, if applicable, you will receive an email for payment. Log back in to the portal to pay the application fee.
After the non-refundable processing fee is paid, the application will go to the Office of Certification for processing.
If you are not employed in a WV county school system, multi-county CTE Center, West Virginia Schools of Diversion and Transition (WVSDT), or the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf/Blind (WVSDB), and your school does not need to review your application, the "pay now" button will appear on your dashboard, and you will be able to pay immediately.
The Office of Certification will review your application. When your application is approved, you will receive an email with instructions for downloading your certificate with the new endorsement.
For more detailed instructions, see our Form 8 How To video: