The Northshore School District is committed to supporting its current classified employees in their pursuit of teacher certification. Documents that summarize the three ways classified employees can obtain their teacher certification have been developed to help you think about how to proceed.
Northshore partners with many local university certification programs. Two schools that support large numbers of alternate routes to certification candidates in NSD are City U and Northwest University. Western Governors University also provides NSD candidates with a program that helps them become certificated in less time than typical certification programs due to its competency-based, self-paced design. Links to these schools’ specific alternate routes to certification programs are provided below:
For specifics about Washington State certification requirements (including Career and Technical Education certification), visit OSPI's certification website. The Public Educator Standards Board also has helpful information about alternate routes to certification and the testing requirements.
As a Northshore employee, once you know you are definitely going to pursue teacher certification, please use Northshore’s Exploring Teacher Certification form to let us know to begin planning ahead for your eventual student teaching experience.
Pipeline for Paraeducator Conditional Loan Scholarship
This PESB scholarship provides funding for paraeducators who are currently employed with a minimum of 3 years classroom experience and does not hold a degree interested in obtaining their AA and then pursuing their teaching certificate. More information on the requirements and responsibilities of candidates can be found below. Applications are being reviewed by PESB March 6, 2018 and again May 8, 2018.
Learn more about this scholarship