Short answer
How do Berkeley County teachers move to a higher salary class?
Berkeley County teachers apply to the West Virginia Department of Education on Form 12 with an official transcript from a regionally accredited college or university. BA15 takes 15 eligible semester hours earned after the initial West Virginia professional license; MA15, MA30 and MA45 take 45, 60 and 75 eligible hours. The new class is effective when the requirements were completed, but no more than three months before the department receives the application.
Source: Form 12, advanced salary classification, West Virginia Department of Education, and Policy 5202, section 9.10.a. Checked .
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How is the Berkeley County teacher salary schedule organized?
Berkeley's Professional Personnel Salary Schedule for 2026-2027, posted on the district's pay scales page, has columns for BA, BA15, MA, MA15, MA30, MA45 and PHD, with rows for years of experience from 0 through 35. The schedule is headed "200 DAYS," and a footnote adjusts the table for non-classroom teachers with 20 or more years.
Those columns are West Virginia's training classes. W. Va. Code §18A-4-2 sets the state minimum schedule, and §18A-4-5a lets a county add supplements that are uniform for teachers with the same training and experience. The department's Professional Salary Schedules by County for 2026-27 shows how Berkeley's pay is built: state basic salary, state supplements, a 1984 county supplement and a county supplement, with county supplements in every class. We do not reproduce the dollar figures. Our article on how to read a salary schedule explains the grid.
Which hours count toward a Berkeley salary class?
Because the state grants the class, the rules are in Policy 5202 (126CSR136), effective January 11, 2025, and on the Form 12 page:
- Hour counts. BA+15 is "15 eligible semester hours completed after receiving an initial West Virginia professional license." MA+15, MA+30 and MA+45 take 45, 60 and 75 eligible semester hours. Under section 22.2.d, a teacher whose master's took fewer than 30 hours needs 15, 30 or 45 hours beyond the degree.
- Relevance. Section 22.1 says the classes recognize coursework "which will contribute to the improvement of instruction or other services in the public schools." Section 22.2.b lists what graduate coursework after July 1, 1994 must be: related to public education, part of a degree program in education, content or professional coursework tied to the current licensure or an added endorsement, professional learning or special topics coursework approved by the department, coursework identified in the personnel evaluation process, technology for education, or coursework tied to the mission and goals of the state board.
- Accreditation. Section 9.10.e says coursework from non-accredited institutions is "not recognized for licensure or salary classification purposes," and Form 12 asks for an official transcript "from a regionally accredited college or university." "Passing grades are required."
- Undergraduate hours. Section 22.2.f allows up to 15 semester hours of related undergraduate coursework earned after the certificate was issued.
- No double counting. Section 22.2.c bars credit for duplicate coursework, and under 22.2.h a teacher with an expired certificate is not eligible for an advanced class.
The West Virginia guide explains the relevance test in more detail.
Does Berkeley require approval before you take a course?
No district pre-approval form is published. The Form 12 page asks for the county superintendent's recommendation with the application, and the department decides whether each course is related to public education. Berkeley's Human Resources page says the office "provides support related to employee certification, professional experience verification" and tuition reimbursement. Ask that office about a course before you enroll; our will my district accept it checklist lists what to ask.
When should you file, and when does the new class start?
There is no annual deadline. Policy 5202 section 9.10.a makes the new class effective "on the date that all requirements for the classification were completed not to exceed three months prior to WVDE's receipt of the application," and section 22.2.g repeats the limit. A teacher who finishes the hours in May and files in September can lose the months before June. The Form 12 page requires transcripts sent from the institution and an application fee. Our page on transcript deadlines explains why filing promptly matters.
Do the same hours count toward West Virginia license renewal?
They can. Renewal on Form 4T generally takes six credit hours related to public education, completed after the current certificate took effect, no more than five years old and with a minimum 3.0 GPA; teachers at MA+30 or above, or 60 or older, need no renewal coursework. A teacher whose hours qualify for both files both forms. Berkeley's benefits and pay scales page lists "Tuition assistance for pursuing certification and highly qualified status in area of critical need." The details are in the West Virginia renewal section of our West Virginia guide.
Where can Berkeley teachers earn graduate-level units?
Every district, Berkeley included, decides for itself whether a course counts for the purpose a teacher needs it for: a column move, a stipend, license renewal or an added endorsement. No provider, university or website can make that decision, so the rules above come first, and written approval from Berkeley's human resources office is the safest record to have before you pay.
Before you enroll: West Virginia, not the county, grants the salary class. Policy 5202, section 22.2.b, says graduate coursework used for advanced salary must be related to public education, such as "content and/or professional education coursework related to the current licensure," "professional learning/special topics coursework approved by the WVDE" or "coursework identified in the personnel evaluation process," and the Form 12 page asks for an official transcript "from a regionally accredited college or university." Match each course to one of those categories and ask Berkeley's Human Resources office, which handles certification, before you enroll.
| Question | What Berkeley says | What to look for on the provider's site |
|---|---|---|
| Type of unit | Berkeley: Regionally accredited, related to public education; BA15 15 hours; MA15, MA30, MA45 45, 60, 75 hours | Semester or quarter units, graduate-level or not, and the university named on the transcript and its accreditor |
| Grade | See units that count | Letter grade or pass/fail on the transcript |
| Deadline | Berkeley: None annual; file within 3 months of completion | Published grading and transcript-posting time, and any rush option |
| Approval | Berkeley: No district form published; superintendent recommends on Form 12 | Course descriptions or syllabi you can attach to an approval form |
| Price | Not set by the district | All-in price per credit, including any university or first-course fee (compare) |
Graduate-level credit providers, listed with the same facts
With those rules in hand, compare providers on the same points. Providers listed on this site, each with the same facts:
- Teacher Friendly: self-paced online, units through University of the Pacific; $336 first course for 3 credits (price notes)
- Credits for Educators: self-paced online, units through University of the Pacific; $297 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Fresno Pacific University CE: self-paced, up to 1 year, units through Fresno Pacific University; ≈$475 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Graduate Credit Courses: self-paced, units through Cal Poly Humboldt; $570 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Model Teaching: self-paced, 1 year, units through a choice of six universities, including University of the Pacific; $359 for 3 credits (price notes)
- PD Courses (University of La Verne): online or pdf, semester-based, units through University of La Verne; $420 for 3 credits (price notes)
The provider directory lists 28 providers and programs by what teachers need them for, and Compare sets published prices for 16 of them side by side, with transcripts from 11 universities. A listing on this site does not mean Berkeley has approved a provider or course; only the district can do that. TeacherPayGuide has commercial relationships with some providers it lists; how listings work.
Berkeley County salary questions teachers ask
Who grants a higher salary class in Berkeley County?
The West Virginia Department of Education, on Form 12 with the county superintendent's recommendation. Berkeley then pays the class on its own salary scale.
How many hours do I need for BA15?
Fifteen eligible semester hours completed after your initial West Virginia professional license.
What happens if I file Form 12 late?
The new class can be dated no earlier than three months before the department receives the application, so a late filing can lose months at the higher class.
Does Berkeley help pay for coursework?
Its benefits page lists tuition assistance for certification and highly qualified status in areas of critical need. Ask Human Resources whether a course qualifies.
Where can Berkeley teachers take graduate-level courses for salary credit or renewal?
Berkeley decides which courses count, under the rules on this page, so check with human resources before you enroll. Providers that teachers compare include Teacher Friendly, Credits for Educators, Fresno Pacific University CE, Graduate Credit Courses, Model Teaching and PD Courses (University of La Verne). They differ in format, transcript university, grading time and price; the provider directory and the Compare page list 16 providers with the same facts for each.
Sources
- Professional Personnel Salary Schedule for the year 2026-2027, Berkeley County Schools. Checked
- Pay scales, Berkeley County Schools. Checked
- Benefits and pay scales, Berkeley County Schools. Checked
- Human Resources, Berkeley County Schools. Checked
- Form 12, advanced salary classification, West Virginia Department of Education. Checked
- Policy 5202 (126CSR136), Minimum Requirements for the Licensure of Professional/Paraprofessional Personnel and Advanced Salary Classifications, West Virginia Board of Education. Checked
- Professional Salary Schedules by County, 2026-27, West Virginia Department of Education. Checked
- W. Va. Code §18A-4-2, state minimum salaries for teachers. Checked
- W. Va. Code §18A-4-5a, county salary supplements. Checked
- Form 4T, WV Professional Teaching Certificate Renewal, West Virginia Department of Education. Checked
Reviewed November 12, 2026 by TeacherPayGuide editors.Report an error