Certification Information

Starting July 1, 2023 there are new requirements for teacher certification renewal. Human Resources created a brief slide deck outlining the updates with links to resources. 

Please renew your certificate early!!

Starting July 1, 2023 there are new requirements for administrator certification renewal. Human Resources created a brief slide deck outlining the updates with links to resources. 

What are the new requirements for administrator certificate renewal? 

Administrators are required to complete all of the following as part of their 100 clock hours for certificate renewal:

• Equity: 10 clock hours, or the equivalent in credit or PGPs, focused on equity-based school practices aligned to the cultural competency, diversity, equity, and inclusion (CCDEI) standards. 
• Educational leadership: 10 clock hours, or the equivalent in credit or PGPs, focused on national professional standards for education leaders. 
• Government-to-government: Five clock hours focused on government-to-government relations with federally recognized tribes. This learning may only be provided by subject matter experts approved by the Governor's Office on Indian Affairs (GOIA), in collaboration with the Tribal Leaders Congress on Education (TLCE) and the OSPI Office of Native Education (ONE).

Administrators must continue to meet existing certificate renewal requirements every five years.

Please renew your certificate early!!

• Application Processing Status- Weekly update on application processing 
• Clock Hour Documentation Information - Forms and accepted documentation for reporting clock hours and current and past provider lists
• Clock Hour Provider Information - Current and past clock hour provider guidance and how to become a clock hour provider
• Creating an E-Certification account 
• Educator Clock Hour Information - FAQs for Educators
• Electronic Certification (Register for and submit applications electronically)
• Issues of Abuse Course Information
• National Board Certified Teachers (Washington State Initiative)
• Professional Educator Standards Board(link is external) (Alternative Routes to Certification, Educator Testing)
• State Board of Education (link is external)(current issues, legal/constitutional references, links to other sites)
• Transcript Evaluation Services - Agencies offering foreign credential evaluations accepted by Washington State
• Troops to Teachers
• Washington State Test Information

National Board Certification is the most widely respected professional certification program. National Board Certification is achieved through the completion of a voluntary assessment program designed to recognize effective and accomplished teachers who meet high standards based on what teachers should know and be able to do.

• The certification process takes between one and five years (all components must be submitted within three years; an additional two years is allowed for retakes only).
• Candidates complete four components that are reviewed by trained teachers in their certificate areas.
• The assessments include three portfolio entries that feature teaching practice and three constructed response exercises plus 45 selected response items that assess content knowledge.
• The estimated time commitment is between 200 to 400 hours to complete the certification process.
• Certification is not a guarantee; the national certification rate hovers around 40 percent from year to year.

Supports for National Board Candidates: 

National Board Candidate FAQs

National Board Information Sessions for 24-25 School Year

National Board MOC Information Session for 24-25 School Year

Writing Workshops for 24-25 School Year

National Boards Teacher Bonus