Teacher certification and training

As part of the professional certification process, teachers seeking to become certified in the education of blind and visually impaired children shall demonstrate competence in reading and writing braille. Before issuing a professional certificate to teach the blind and visually impaired, the West Virginia Department of Education shall require that the applicant demonstrate, based upon standards adopted by the national library service for the blind and physically handicapped, library of congress, Washington, D.C., that he or she is proficient in reading and writing braille. This requirement becomes effective July 1, 2000. Teachers already certified in the education of blind and visually impaired children are not required to demonstrate that proficiency in order to retain their certification. Further, the West Virginia Department of Education shall, on a schedule of at least once every three years, make available to all teachers of blind and visually impaired children a continuing education class in reading or writing braille or a college credit course in reading and writing braille, or both. In order to achieve successful completion of a course, a teacher shall demonstrate proficiency in reading and writing braille at a level commensurate with the standards adopted by the national library service for the blind and physically handicapped, library of congress.