Become A Teacher In Washington
Interested in becoming a teacher in Washington, but not yet certified in the State of Washington?
RCW 28A.410.025 requires that all teachers must hold a valid Washington State teaching certificate or permit issued by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)’s Certification Office.
Pathways to Certification
Traditional
New to the profession
As you are starting your research, the Professional Educator Standards Board is a great resource for information about approved teacher preparation programs, alternative routes to teaching, and testing requirements for certification.
There are 3 main pathways to certification: traditional program, alternative route, and CTE certification.
The traditional teacher preparation programs:
- Results in a Washington State certification
- Places an emphasis on theory and pedagogy across content areas
- Requires no prior experience
- Takes one or more years for completion (dependent on program and any prior degree(s))
- Typically more expensive than the other pathways
Contact OSPI’s Certification Office for questions about your individual situation to see if you are eligible or steps you need to take or to start your application.
Out-of-State teachers
If you currently hold a teaching license in another state and would like to become certified in Washington, you will need to apply directly with the OSPI Certification Office. You will want to begin this process early in order to ensure you will have a valid certificate before your employment begins.
For information on how your out-of-state endorsements may translate to Washington State endorsements and required testing equivalency information, visit OSPI's Out-of-State License Transfers resource page.
Alt-Route
Overview
The Northshore School District is committed to supporting its current classified employees in their pursuit of teacher certification. As such, we support candidates seeking the Alternative-Route to teaching programs. These programs:
- Result in a Washington State teaching certificate
- Place an emphasis on high need/hard to fill areas
- Offer multiple routes to certification
- Provide greater flexility than traditional programs
- Typically include online classes
- Typically cost less than traditional programs
Washington State has four approved alternative routes to certification:
- Route 1: For classified instructional employees (e.g., paraeducators) with Associate’s degrees
- Route 2: For classified staff with Bachelor’s degrees
- Route 3: For “career changers” with Bachelor’s degrees (NSD does not currently support alternative route candidates who are not district employees)
- Route 4: For district staff with Bachelor’s degrees employed on conditional or emergency substitute certificates
The Public Educator Standards Board also has helpful information about alternate routes to certification and the testing requirements.
Affiliated Programs
Northshore limits student teacher placements to those universities with which we have written agreements in place. WAC 181-78A-125 requires that universities shall establish and maintain field placement agreements with school districts in which candidates are placed for field experiences leading to certification or endorsement.
Financial Resources for ESPs
Please refer to the NSEA Collective Bargaining Agreement for further information regarding financial resources availabale to you.
WEA-Retired offers $1,000 nonrenewable scholarships to aid WEA members in enhancing skills in specific education areas and/or attaining or maintaining a teaching certificate. The scholarships cannot be used to pay for incurred debt for past classes or reimbursement for pre-paid classes. You must be a WEA member to apply – if you are a member of NSEA you are a member of WEA.
WEA Cascade Uniserv Council Grants, Scholarships and More
- Open to NSEA members only
- Varying application cycles and requirements
Steps for Success
- Communicate! Tell your principal you are interested in obtaining teacher certification.
- Research programs and select the one that will best meet your goals, learning style, budget, and needs.
- Collaborate with your principal and Human Resources to ensure your program's requirements will align with your current position.
- Wait for confirmation of your internship. Keep track of important dates related to your program along the way.