Radford University Launches Provisional to Professional Pathway for Provisionally Licensed K-12 Teachers in Virginia

To create a convenient way for Virginia teachers with provisional licensure to earn full credentials, Radford University is launching the Provisional to Professional Pathway project beginning Dec. 1.

Through a collaborative partnership between Radford’s College of Education and Human Development and the Vinod Chachra IMPACT Lab, the Provisional to Professional Pathway allows provisionally licensed teachers to complete Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) professional studies licensure requirements in as quickly as one year. Provisionally licensed teachers can benefit from the online and self-paced courses, allowing professionals to continue their work in the classroom while building credentials.

“We are proud to support our K-12 school division partners in developing and retaining excellent teachers for the Commonwealth of Virginia’s children,” said Tamara Wallace, Ph.D., dean of the College of Education and Human Development. “Through our Provisional to Professional Pathway, provisionally licensed teachers can attain their goals of full teacher licensure in a format that is conducive to their busy lives as working professionals and with the resources and support needed to ensure their success.”

“This innovative approach builds upon Radford University’s 113-year history of preparing educators by empowering teachers for the future with research-based classroom skills,” said Matthew Dunleavy, Ph.D., executive director of the IMPACT Lab. “Our faculty have decades of classroom experience and expertise delivered directly to teachers online, so they can continue serving their students in their communities.”

Teachers who progress through the Provisional to Professional Pathway will earn graduate-level credits while experiencing expertly designed modules complete with engaging multimedia elements and a rich library of resources that will improve their effectiveness on the job. In addition, these courses are transferrable to Radford University’s Master of Education Program.

The Provisional to Professional Pathway project is part of Radford University’s commitment to addressing teacher shortages throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. VDOE’s Staffing and Vacancy Report showed 3,573 teacher vacancies statewide for the 2022-23 school year. By giving individuals with a bachelor’s degree who have been hired by a school division the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills, the Provisional to Professional Pathway supports high quality educators for K-12 schools across the state.

The Provisional to Professional Pathway will launch in southwest Virginia through a strategic partnership with Pulaski County Public Schools.

"We are grateful to Radford University for allowing Pulaski County Public Schools to be the first partner in this initiative and are confident this partnership will have a positive benefit for our entire school community," said superintendent Rob Graham. "This is a very innovative program that will expedite the process in helping our provisionally licensed teachers become fully licensed in a quicker time frame than the regular process. In addition, our employees involved in the program will be instructed by Radford University professors who have an outstanding reputation for developing successful and strong educational leaders."

Interested teachers and school divisions can learn more about this project or enroll at the Provisional to Pathway website.

The Vinod Chachra IMPACT Lab at Radford University delivers online, self-paced, competency-based education (CBE) in high-demand workforce areas throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and several neighboring states. The IMPACT Lab’s CBE approach focuses on teaching specific job-related skills needed to complete a critical task within the workplace and is built upon Radford University's established and award-winning programs.

The IMPACT Lab, which opened on Oct. 1, 2017, established Radford University as the first Virginia four-year public institution to offer CBE certificates in cybersecurity and geospatial intelligence.