Certification - OSPI
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For questions regarding
Certification:
   360.725.6400
   cert@k12.wa.us

To find your local
Certification Office

  Certification
Teachers Administrators ESA CTE

Teacher Certification

For Those Who Hold A Residency Teacher Certificate

The residency certificate enables the holder to teach in endorsed subject areas. If you DO NOT KNOW what kind of Washington certificate you hold, send an email with your full name (name used at the time of certification), date of birth, certificate number (if known), and social security number (optional) to cert@k12.wa.us

If you hold a VALID RESIDENCY CERTIFICATE you have the following options:

If your RESIDENCY has LAPSED you have the following options: Renew/Reissue a Residency Certificate, Substitute Certificate

Questions?

 

 

 

 

Reissuance of a Residency Teacher Certificate (valid for five years)

All individuals, who have not completed this process, should do so before applying for renewal of the residency or the professional certificate.


The residency teacher certificate may be reissued to teachers who:

  • Complete two consecutive years of successful teaching with a Washington public school or approved private school and have signed a third-year contract since the issuance of their residency teacher certificate.
  • Have not completed two years of successful teaching in Washington since the issuance of their residency teacher certificate which has a defined expiration date.

Individuals must request reissuance of the residency upon completing two years of successful teaching and signing a third-year contract with a Washington public school or approved private school since the issuance of the residency teacher certificate.

For informational memo to employers regarding residency certificate reissuance (click here).

For details on the documents needed and process to obtain this certificate, please see the application.

top of page

  Application

Includes details on the documents needed and process to obtain certification.

Download Certification Forms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Renewal of a Residency Teaching Certificate


The residency teacher certificate may be renewed once, in one of four ways:

1

Enroll in Professional Certificate Program: Individuals who are enrolled in a professional certificate program can obtain a renewal valid for two years.

Must be enrolled in a Professional Certificate Program

Process: Request renewal through the Washington college at which you are enrolled in a professional certificate program

 

2

Register to complete the ProTeach external and uniform assessment on www.waproteach.org
(registration requires individuals to hold a valid residency certificate and have at least 1.5 FTE of experience in a Washington school district or private school). Renewal is valid for two years.

 

3

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) Assessment: Individuals who are a candidate and have been assessed for NBPTS certification can obtain a renewal valid for two years.


Please note: Individuals need verification of assessment to obtain renewal. Assessment is submitted in Spring and verifications are not available until September. Since certificates expire on June 30, individuals should plan carefully so that renewal can be accomplished prior to their expiration date and not the September following the expiration date.

For details on the documents needed and process to obtain this certificate, please see the application.

 

 

  Application

Includes details on the documents needed and process to obtain certification.

Electronic Certification Application
benefits of applying online

OR

Download Certification Forms

4

Not Eligible for enrollment:
Individual who are not eligible* for enrollment in a professional certificate program can obtain a renewal valid for five years by showing completion of 15 quarter hours (10 semester hours) of study from a regionally accredited college/university since the issuance of the residency certificate.

*Individuals with an expired residency certificate or who are not employed are not eligible for professional certificate program enrollment. We recommend that individuals who are not employed pursue this renewal ONLY when they are ready to return to teaching in Washington to ensure that the validity will allow time to complete the requirements to obtain the professional certificate.

For details on the documents needed and process to obtain this certificate, please see the application.

top of page

 

  Application

Includes details on the documents needed and process to obtain certification.

Electronic Certification Application
benefits of applying online

OR

Download Certification Forms

 

 

 

Professional Certificate (valid for five years*)


* Professional Certificates issued on the basis of holding a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certificate will have a validity of five years or the validity of the NBPTS certificate, whichever is greater.

One of the following four options:

  • Successfully complete an approved Professional Certificate Program (ProCert) up until September 1, 2011.
    or
  • Complete the new Professional Certificate Assessment (ProTeach)
    or
  • Hold a certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (see information on NBPTS);
    or
  • Hold another state's equivalent certificate; (The only other state's equivalent certificate at this time is the Oregon CTL issued after January 1999)
    plus
  • The Issues of Abuse course must include information related to identification of physical, emotional, sexual, and substance abuse; the impact on learning and behavior; the responsibilities of a teacher to report abuse or to provide assistance to victimized children; and methods of teaching about abuse and its prevention.

For details on the documents needed and process to obtain this certificate, please see the application.

top of page

  Application

Includes details on the documents needed and process to obtain certification.

Electronic Certification Application
benefits of applying online

OR

Download Certification Forms

 

 

Old Capitol Building, PO Box 47200, 600 Washington St. S.E., Olympia, WA  98504-7200  (360) 725-6000  TTY (360) 664-3631
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