High-Impact Strategies to Grow Your Teaching Career in West Virginia
| by Alex Skov
Advancing your teaching career in West Virginia opens doors to higher pay, leadership roles, and greater classroom impact. By expanding your skills and qualifications, you can move your career forward and find long-term success. Continue reading to find proven strategies that teachers have used to build thriving careers in West Virginia’s education system — and find out how they can help you, too!
1. Earn Your West Virginia Teaching Certification
In West Virginia, many teachers start their careers with an initial license, which allows them to step into full-time teaching roles while completing a teacher preparation program. This pathway is especially useful for career changers transitioning from other fields, as it provides direct classroom experience without requiring a degree in education — just a bachelor’s degree in any subject.
However, an initial license is typically a temporary credential rather than a long-term solution for people who want to teach permanently. Teachers seeking full, stable careers in education often level-up and earn a Professional Teaching Certificate, which gives them access to more job opportunities, higher salaries, and long-term job security.
Moreland’s 100% online TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program supports current and aspiring educators in earning their full certification in as little as 9 months. The program is structured to help working professionals balance their jobs, education, and personal commitments, so they can help their students and build a thriving career as effectively as possible.
2. Teach in High-Demand Areas
Like many states, West Virginia is facing teacher shortages in important subjects such as STEM and special education. It’s an issue that the state is taking seriously, with the West Virginia legislature introducing a bill in 2019 that made special education and STEM teachers in grades 7-12 eligible for an annual bonus of $2,000. By earning additional endorsements in these high-need areas, educators can not only qualify for more financial incentives, but they can also expand their career options and increase job security.
To help recruit and retain teachers, West Virginia also offers state-funded incentives that provide educators with tuition reimbursement on a limited first-come, first-served basis. This reimbursement is available to teachers who take coursework in a critical shortage area that has been identified by the county where they work.
Earning an additional endorsement can also be a strategic long-term move for teachers. Many educators choose to add an endorsement in Special Education or English as a Second Language (ESL) to serve more students, broaden their impact, and make themselves more qualified for higher-paying positions in districts that actively seek specialists in these areas.
3. Complete a Master’s Degree
Earning a master’s degree is one of the most immediate ways for teachers in West Virginia to increase their salary and advance their careers. According to the West Virginia teacher salary schedule for the 2023-2024 school year, educators with a master’s degree earn at least $5,000 more annually than those with only a bachelor’s degree.
Teachers who want to specialize in high-demand fields often pursue an advanced degree in their subject area or a Master’s in Education, like Moreland’s M.Ed. with six high-demand specializations that empower teachers to tailor their coursework to their unique needs and career goals.
A master’s degree can also open doors to new opportunities. For those interested in school administration, programs like Moreland’s fully online Master’s in Educational Leadership provide the guidance and skill-building needed to lead in West Virginia schools.
Each program is fully online and can be completed in as little as 12 months, offering a flexible, efficient path to higher earnings, more expertise, and new job opportunities.
Teach in West Virginia with Support from Moreland University
By using any (or all!) of these high-impact strategies, you can get a head start on expanding your career opportunities, increasing your salary, and making a greater impact on your students and in your community. Moreland supports educators with informative resources like salary insights, as well as flexible, innovative programs designed to fit your schedule and career goals.
Ready to grow your teaching career in West Virginia? Fill out your free application today — it takes less than 15 minutes and is a major step toward making your dream of becoming a certified teacher come true!
