Certification Resources

Washington State certificates are renewed through the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Your renewal paperwork must be postmarked or submitted online by the expiration date listed on your certificate. OSPI will send your new or renewed certificate directly to you; you are responsible for notifying the Human Resources department when your renewal is complete.

OSPI receives thousands of applications a year and does become backlogged during the summer months. To ensure enough time for processing, it is advisable to submit your application for renewal as soon as you have completed all the requirements. Certificates can be renewed any time within the 12-month window prior to their expiration date.

 

1. Choose the link below to access OSPI’s website.

2. Select the certificate that you CURRENTLY hold from the list.

3. Read through the requirements to ensure you have selected the correct renewal page.

4. If you are applying for your initial Washington State Certification, renewing your current Certification, or adding endorsements to your current certificate, log in or create an account in the EDS system and complete the online application. 

5. After you receive your certificate, please provide our Human Resources office with a copy.

The application that needs to be completed will vary depending upon the current or most previous certificate held. The list below also contains Limited Teaching Certificates that must be initiated by a state of Washington employer on behalf of the educator. Continuing Education is a requirement for all certificated educators in Washington.

Residency Teacher - Select this if you currently hold a Residency Teacher Certificate and will be reissuing or renewing.

Professional Teacher - Select this if you currently hold a Professional Teacher Certificate and will be renewing through the completion of clock hours, college credits or Professional Growth Plans (PGP).

Continuing Teacher - Select this if you previously held or currently hold a Continuing Teacher Certificate and will be renewing through the completion of clock hours, college credits or PGPs.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) - Select this if you are looking to renew your CTE certification.

Transitional Teacher - Select this if you hold a Continuing Teacher Certificate that has lapsed and do not currently meet requirements to reinstate your certificate.

Conditional Teacher* - Select this if you are looking to renew a Conditional Certificate you currently hold.

Emergency Substitute Teacher* - Select this if you are looking to renew an Emergency Substitute Certificate you currently hold.

First Peoples' Language, Culture and Oral Traditions Certification - Select this if you are looking to renew a First Peoples’ Certificate you currently hold.

Initial Teacher - Select this if you currently or previously held an Initial Teacher Certificate.

Standard/Continuing Teacher - Select this if you currently or previously held a Standard/Continuing Teacher Certificate.

Provisional Teacher - Select this if you currently or previously held a Provisional Teacher Certificate.

Substitute Teacher - Select this if you hold or have held a full Washington Teaching Certificate.
 

* Limited certificate. If an educator is eligible to hold a full teaching certificate, then they would not qualify for any of the limited certificates.

Converting Initial to Residency - Select this if you hold an expired Initial Teacher Certificate and do not qualify to upgrade that certificate to the 2nd tier certificate.

Upgrading Initial to Continuing - Select this if you qualify to upgrade your expired Initial Teacher Certificate to the Continuing Certificate. (You must have met requirements to upgrade to the second-tier certificate, prior to your Initial Certificate’s expiration date).

Upgrade from Residency to Professional - Select this if you have met the requirements to upgrade your Residency Teacher Certificate to the Professional Certificate. (You must have passed the ProTeach Assessment or gained National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) Certification).

HR does not get notification when your certificate is renewed/issued. Please email or inter-district mail us a copy. 

 

The following links can assist you in finding the appropriate paperwork

• OSPI Main Certification webpage (Frequently Asked Questions)
• Teacher Certification
• Educational Staff Associate (ESA)
• Administrators
• Career and Technical Education (CTE/Vocational)
• OSPI Certification Renewal