FAQ

Q.  How do I get started?

A.  Read through the website thoroughly — look at the eligibility requirements, locations, cost and schedule. Compare with other programs to see if our fast-paced, interactive, distance education is the right path for you.

Contact our program staff (Click Here) if you have any questions about the program and your particular situation.

Make sure you have completed the appropriate testing before you apply to the program. The testing required does not yield immediate test results for submission with your application.  Official score reports are REQUIRED for the VCLA and PRAXIS Subject Assessment for a “complete” application packet.  These scores take up to 15 business days after the monthly testing window has closed.  As a result, applicants should complete their testing at least two months prior to the application deadline.
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Q.  Is EducateVA the right program for me?

A.  This program is for the working adult who has access to a computer and the Internet. It requires the academic ability for graduate-level study and writing.  Students report spending approximately 30 hours a week completing assignments during the Level I semester.
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Q.  What are the eligibility requirements?

A. To be eligible to participate in the EducateVA program,  you must meet the following requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a GPA of 2.5 or better
  • Content expertise in endorsement areas offered
  • At least THREE years of full-time professional work experience
  • Passing Scores on the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA)
  • Passing scores on the Praxis Subject Assessment in the endorsement area
  • Willingness to complete a criminal background check

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Q. What endorsements may I obtain in this program?

A. Our program provides training for the following content area endorsements:

  • Middle School Mathematics (6-8)
  • Middle School Science (6-8)
  • Middle School English/Language Arts (6-8)
  • Middle School Social Studies (6-8)
  • Mathematics (6-12)
  • English (6-12)
  • Biology (6-12)
  • Chemistry (6-12)
  • Earth Science (6-12)
  • Physics (6-12)
  • Social Studies (6-12)
  • Foreign Languages (PreK-12)
  • Health and Physical Education (PreK-12)
  • Business
  • Marketing
  • Family and Consumer Science
  • Technology Education

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Q. What is the cost?

A. There is a tuition fee of $3,990 for the Professional Studies Level I phase of the program with a $55.00 application fee.  Tuition rates are subject to change.  Books and other materials are estimated at $200-$400. There may be additional costs for any necessary course work in the content area, the VCLA and Praxis tests, and test preparation materials. There is an additional $100.00 application fee for licensure processing that is paid to the Virginia Department of Education.

Level 2 tuition is $375.  This will cover the remaining online coursework, Saturday session class(es), and the faculty observer assigned to first-year teachers.
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Q. How long does the program take?

A.  In Level I, the student spends one semester taking seven modules via distance education, with 7 required Saturday meetings. A Field Placement requires 40 clock hours in a classroom at an area school during the semester. In Level II, the student has a teaching contract for one academic year. The student works with an assigned faculty observer and attends periodic seminars.  Upon completing the EducateVA Level II requirements and a successful year of teaching, the student is recommended by their school division for a renewable 10-year license.
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Q. How well-prepared will I be for a teaching career?

A.  The VCCS Career Switcher Program is approved by the Virginia Department of Education/Division of Teacher Education, Licensure, and Professional Practice. We use the same matrices /approved standards as all other approved teacher education programs in Virginia, but we use a different pathway to accomplish that instruction.During your first year of teaching, you will possess a One-Year Provisional (Career Switcher) License, which distinguishes you from other teachers who may have received a provisional license from a school division while they pursued a traditional avenue for obtaining their Five-year Renewable License. Once you receive your 10-Year Renewable License after your 1st year of teaching, your license is no different from any other teacher who possesses this license to teach.

According to the program survey conducted by an outside source, The Marketing Source/ClarityOMS, in June of 2008, 97% said they were prepared for the classroom upon completion of this program. *Additionally, 77% were currently teaching and 83% said they could see themselves teaching in five years.

Since the pilot of the program in Spring 2004, EducateVA has licensed more than 1800 teachers throughout the Commonwealth.