Any institution wishing to offer an educator preparation or endorsement program in Washington State must be approved by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB). PESB oversees educator preparation programs for the following roles:
- Residency teacher (traditional and Alternative Routes)
- Residency principal
- Residency program administrator
- Initial superintendent
- Initial career and technical education (CTE) teacher (plan 1 and plan 2)
- Initial CTE administrator
- Residency school counselor
- Residency school psychologist
An approved residency teacher or CTE plan 1 program may also seek approval to offer an endorsement(s) or basic area endorsement(s).
Become a new program
The approval process to offer a new program, including Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification, is a three-stage process:
Learn more about the process to offer a new educator preparation program, required forms, and additional resources.
Offer an endorsement
To add an endorsement or basic area endorsement program, your institution must already be approved to offer a residency teacher or CTE plan 1 program.
The endorsement approval process is a one-stage process. Learn more about the process to offer an endorsement, the required form, and additional resources.
Change or add to an approved program
Approved institutions notify PESB regarding any program changes. Learn more.
Alternative routes to teacher certification
- If your institution is approved to offer Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification and would like to add to or change your Alternative Routes program, visit this page.
- If your institution is not approved to offer Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification and would like to seek approval to start an Alternative Routes program, visit this page.
What is an alternative route?
Alternative Routes to Certification are non-traditional teacher preparation programs that operate as a partnership between a teacher preparation program and one or more school districts in order to develop teachers in state and local shortage areas. Read more about alternative routes programs.
Any institution wishing to add an Alternative Routes program must complete an Alternative Routes to Certification proposal and present it to the Board for approval.
What routes can our program offer?
There are four alternative routes that a program may offer, and a program may choose to offer one, all, or any combination of these routes, as it fits with their program design and the districts and candidates they seek to serve. Below is the description of each route:
- Route 1 – Employed district staff, such as paraeducators, with an associate’s degree or equivalent.
- Route 2 – Employed district staff with a baccalaureate degree.
- Route 3 – Individuals with a baccalaureate degree who are not employed by a district.
- Route 4 – Individuals with a baccalaureate degree whom the district will employ one a limited certificate while pursuing certification.
Course approval
PESB oversees the approval process for the following courses:
- Professional transitions to public schools
- Suicide prevention training
Learn more about the course approval process.
Notifications of intent to offer a new program
The first stage in the approval process to offer a new program is the notification of intent (NOI). The following programs have submitted NOIs for consideration.
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- Central Washington University (PDF). Initial CTE administrator program
- Eastern Washington University (PDF). Initial superintendent program
- Eastern Washington University (PDF). Residency program administrator program
- Highline Public Schools. Residency principal preparation program
- Peninsula College. Residency teacher preparation program
- Skagit Valley College. Residency teacher preparation program
- Washington Education Association. Residency teacher preparation program
- Pacific Lutheran University: Initial superintendent preparation program
Procedures to reestablish approval status
To reestablish approval status, the disapproved program must undergo the same procedures as a new program (WAC 181-78A-120). Learn more about the process to offer a new educator preparation program.
