Offer an endorsement

The approval process to offer an endorsement:

1. Complete an endorsement proposal
2. Present the proposal to the PESB Board for an approval decision. View Board presentation guidance.

Every prospective endorsement offering requires its own endorsement proposal. Through the proposal, prospective program leaders provide a complete picture of the endorsement offering. This includes providing concrete evidence of subject matter expertise, strategies, and endorsement design. If approved, program leaders should be prepared to fully implement the endorsement.

The form below pertains only to endorsements and basic area endorsements, for the specialty endorsement form see below. View a list of all endorsements and specialty endorsements.

• Endorsement proposal (document) – once you’ve downloaded the form, contact leiani.sherwin@k12.wa.us for more information on the process.
• Endorsement competencies

If the endorsement proposal is approved by the Board, the institution can offer the endorsement immediately. If the proposal is denied, the institution cannot offer the endorsement. Program leaders can make the decision to resubmit the proposal with changes that have been informed by Board member feedback.

Dual endorsement certification requirement

Beginning September 1, 2019, candidates for teacher certification seeking certain endorsements are required to pair it with a second endorsement. Although important to know as a prospective preparation program, candidates do not need a second endorsement to complete a program, rather it is a certification requirement. Learn more about the dual endorsement requirement.

View a list of endorsements and specialty endorsements.

Specialty endorsements can only be added to an existing teacher certificate with an endorsement. If the requirements for the specialty endorsement are completed pre-service, the individual must also complete the requirements for another endorsement. Specialty endorsement content knowledge assessments are program developed.

For the specialty endorsement proposal form, contact Leiani Sherwin at leiani.sherwin@k12.wa.us. Other than the form, the approval process to offer a specialty endorsement is the same as a “regular” endorsement (see above).

Proposal language should be specific, supported by evidence, and related to a projected outcome, strategy, action, or system. The strongest proposals make clear connections between identified need; how the endorsement design directly responds to that need; and how program leaders, faculty, and staff’s specific actions bring that design to life.

The endorsement proposal undergoes a staff internal review, in which PESB staff provide detailed feedback on your proposal and related materials. We’ve compiled our most frequent staff feedback to help you avoid common areas of improvement.

Additional tips:

• Before starting the process, familiarize yourself with the relevant endorsement competencies. These competencies outline the relevant subject matter for teacher candidates seeking that endorsement.
• Proposals are formal documents; review and check all materials for completion prior to submitting.
• Board members review a lot of materials for Board meetings. Proposal language should be concise, direct, and avoid redundancies. You can cite descriptions from one section of your proposal in another section.
• Cite all sources via a works cited list.