MAT- – Virginia

Educational Requirements

According to the Virginia Department of Education: 

The state of Virginia offers the following endorsements. 

• Virginia offers Elementary (PreK-6).

Program requirements are located in the Virginia Administrative Code.

1. Earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and graduated from an approved teacher preparation program in transition and special needs education; or
2. Earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and completed a major in career and technical education or special education preK-12 with an endorsement in one area of career and technical education or special education preK-12, including 12 semester hours distributed in the following areas:
a. Overview of special needs programs and services: 3 semester hours;
b. Instructional methods, curriculum, and resources: 3 semester hours;
c. Career and life planning, transitioning, occupational information, and delivery of cooperative education programs: 3 semester hours; and d. Purposes and practices and characteristics of special populations: 3 semester hours; and
3. Completed successful, supervised occupational experience, 3 semester hours, or one year of full-time or the equivalent of relevant occupational experience within the past five years.