Virginia - School Counseling Staff Qualifications: Staff Qualifications and Professional Development

Area: 
Staff Qualifications And Professional Development
Policy Type: 
Regulation
Summary: 

State laws recommends minimum certification standards that include advanced coursework and graduate degree requirements for counselors and completion of a practicum or internship.

Virginia Administrative Code 8VAC20-23-670. School Counselor Prek-12.

Endorsement requirements:

  1. Option I. The candidate must have:

    • a. An earned master's degree from an approved counselor education program that shall include at least 100 clock hours of clinical experiences in the preK-6 setting and 100 clock hours of clinical experiences in the grades 7-12 setting; and

    • b. Two years of successful, full-time teaching experience or two years of successful experience in guidance and counseling in a public or accredited nonpublic school. Two years of successful, full-time experience in guidance and counseling under a Provisional License may be accepted to meet this requirement.

  2. Option II. The candidate must have:

    • a. An earned master's degree from a regionally accredited college or university and certification from an approved counselor education program; and

    • b. Two years of successful, full-time teaching experience or two years of successful, full-time experience in guidance and counseling in a public or accredited nonpublic school. Two years of successful, full-time experience in guidance and counseling under a nonrenewable Provisional License may be accepted to meet this requirement.

Policy Links: 
Source: 
Virginia General Assembly