Professional Teacher Certification
FAQs:
What is the Professional Certificate?
The Professional Certificate consists of 15 professional development credits that are distributed across three components: Pre-Assessment, Core, and Culminating Seminars. It is the second (advanced) level teaching certificate in the Washington State. The broadest goal of the program is to equip students with the knowledge and skills that they will need in a future world that we can not yet imagine by assisting teachers to acquire effective teaching strategies that support that goal.
Who needs a Professional Certificate?
Any certificated teacher who holds a Residency Certificate:
-
Could be a teacher who completed a Washington State teacher education program after August 31, 2000.
-
Could be a teacher who completed a teacher education program before August 31, 2000, but did not apply for Washington State certification until September 1, 2000, or later.
-
Could be a teacher who earned a certificate in another state and applied for Washington State certification on September 1, 2000, or later.
-
Could be a teacher whose Initial Certificate lapsed before meeting the requirements for a Renewed Initial Certificate or a Continuing Certificate.
How can I earn a Professional Certificate?
Candidates
earn
second
level
certification
by
enrolling
in and
completing
a
state-approved
professional
certification
program
or by
holding
a valid
certificate
issued
by the
National
Board
for
Professional
Teaching
Standards
(NBPTS).
Candidates
enroll
by
completing
an Application
(word)(pdf)
and a
Provisional
Status –
Employer
Support
(pdf)
form.
Candidates
then
complete
the
seminar
requirements
and
provide
portfolio
evidence
of
meeting
the
Professional
Certificate
standards.
Refer to
the
Woodring
National
Board
for
Professional
Teaching
Standards
webpage
for
further
information
about
that
program.
In
addition,
candidates
must
meet
state
requirements
for a
course
in
“issues
of
abuse.”
Residency
teachers
who
completed
a
Washington
State
teacher
preparation
program
after
1992 met
this
requirement
through
their
teacher
preparation
program.
Who is eligible to enroll in a Professional Certification Program?
Teachers who have a valid Residency Certificate and meet these criteria:
- Hold a position as a contracted teacher in a Washington State public or state-approved private school.
-
Complete provisional status employment in a Washington State public or state-approved private school (generally two years), OR verify support from the school district or state-approved private school for entering the program.
What is the timeline?
View the
Washington
State
Residency-Professional
Teacher
Certification
System
for a
graphic
display.
Candidates
have
five
years,
from the
time
they
complete
two
consecutive
years of
certificated
employment
and
accept a
contract
for a
third
year
with a
public
school
or
state-approved
private
school,
to earn
the
Professional
Certificate.
Candidates
who have
not
completed
these
requirements and hold
a
Residency
Certificate
with an
expiration
date
should
apply to OSPI
for a
reissued
Residency
Certificate.
Click
Here
to
access
this
no-cost
application.
Candidates
who are
enrolled
in a
professional
certification
program
and hold
a
Residency
Certificate
with an
expiration
date may
apply to
the
university
where
they are
completing
the
program
for an
additional
two year
extension.
Residency
teachers
whose
certificates
are
expiring,
but no
longer
hold a
contracted
teaching
position
with a
public
school
or
state-approved
private
school,
may
renew
the
Residency
Certificate
for an
additional
five
years
upon
completion
of 15
quarter
credits
of
college/university
coursework.
A typical professional certification program can be completed in approximately two years.
What happens after I earn the Professional Certificate?
The Professional Certificate is valid for five years and can be renewed for five-year periods by completing 150 clock hours or equivalent college/university credits that address these criteria:
- Clock hours / coursework related to one of the five state salary criteria identified in RCW 28A.415.023
-
Clock hours / coursework related to one of the three standards required for the Professional Certificate (Effective Teaching, Professional Development, or Professional Contributions)
