I've taken some of these courses:

http://www.canter.net/

NOVA has online classes that will count toward certification. They aren't necessarily the most stimulating classes, but they're cheap and you only have to be on campus a few times a semester to take exams.

Anonymous wrote:UVA has some great online options. I think that they run through the Curry School now. They also offer classes in Falls Church.

The UVA Northern Virginia Center has some great education classes, and most of them are offered in the evenings. Its a pretty good selection:
http://www.scps.virginia.edu/programs#complete-a-certificate-series

UVA has some great online options. I think that they run through the Curry School now. They also offer classes in Falls Church.

Thankfully, due to my field, I have been working with children since leaving public school teaching, just in a slightly different capacity (preschool teaching, choir directing job, run an early childhood business). It has left me with no resume gap. I agree though, taking at least one of my classes at George Mason, or the like, would be good for connections, and be more stimulating. That is a great piece of advice. If I can find a Fall course, or Spring course that can work with my work and pickup schedule, I am definitely interested. I just checked today, and see I missed some great summer programs at Mason.

Don't just look at the recert requirements. Consider, carefully, whether any school would actually hire you if you simply go on-line and have had no other experience in the last several years. Attending at least part of the program in a traditional classroom session would give you some renewed contacts, be more stimulating, and be received better by principals and admins. In this market, a "former" licensed teacher is no different from any other unemployed job-seeker.

I am a former elementary specialist teacher who is looking to return to teaching within the next 1-2 years. Though I had close to 140 recertification points, I neglected to find out that those points, also expire within 5 years, so I am starting from scratch. (AAAHH!!!) I plan to take 6 credit hours in order to earn the needed 180 points.

I have looked at various online options. PBS teacherline would run me about $500 for 2 credit hours, though I did not see a course that interested me there. I am not opposed to taking a class in person as well as my youngest is starting K, and I work only part-time. Since my Bachelor's and Master's Degrees are both from out of state, I am wondering what the more affordable options are in VA? (offering resident tuition rates, etc.)

Since I have a Master's I do not need to take courses in my field, which opens up a lot of options.