Secondary Educator Certificate REQUIREMENTS
Every school-based professional appointed to the Virgin Islands public school system AFTER the 1991-1992 school year must complete a course in Virgin Islands History within the first year of employment.
Also, every new secondary school teacher or elementary content area teacher (art, music, physical education, etc.) hired AFTER the 1995-1996 school year must take and pass the Praxis I examination, which consists of Reading, Writing, and Mathematics sections.
A. Holds a bachelor's degree from an approved and/or accredited institution;
B. Has a minimum of 42 semester credit hours in five of the six general academic areas: English, natural science,
mathematics, social studies, foreign language and fine arts;
C. Has completed a subject area major consisting of one of the following:
- a major awarded by an approved and/or institution in the subject are for which certification is sought, except that a major in professional education many not be accepted in fulfilment of this requirement; or
- A minimum of 30 semester credit hours in the subject for which certification is sought and a minimum of 9 semester credit hours in a subject or subjects related to the subject fro which certification is sought, except that major or course work in professional education many not be accepted in fulfilment of this requirement.
According to the V.I. Board of Education's Certification document (available here), there are also general course requirements for any person who would like to teach in the United States Virgin Islands. Secondary school teachers need 26 education credits consisting of the areas below.
1. Foundations of Education. (This group includes areas such as philosophy of Education, school
effectiveness, history of education, and comparative education);
2. Educational Psychology (This group includes such areas as growth and development of children from birth
through life span, psychology of learning, child-adolescent psychology and mental hygiene);
3. Curriculum and Methods (This group includes a minimum of 8 semester credit hours in teaching in the
applicant's specific content area, or effective teaching skills, classroom management, measurement and
evaluation);
4. Educational Technology or other comparable computer course;
5. Special Education
6. Student Teaching (supervised observation, participation and full-time responsible teaching in a middle or secondary school, totaling at least 6 but not more than 12 semester credit hours)
For more information on V.I. Board Certification please click on the link: pdf VI Board Certification (129 KB)
