Professional Growth Plans (PGPs)
A Professional Growth Plan (PGP) describes an educator’s intent for developing and building their professional expertise over the coming year. Professional Growth Plans have many uses for educators, including documentation of annual growth, certification renewal, and preparation program completion.
Educator retooling conditional loan scholarship
The Educator Retooling Conditional Scholarship Program provides financial support to Washington State certified teachers who seek to expand their knowledge and skills by adding endorsements in subject or geographic shortage areas. Applicants may apply for up to $3,000 in financial support in exchange for teaching for two years in their new endorsement area.
Endorsements
Endorsements may be added to Washington state certificates in the following ways. For lists of which endorsements may be added through which pathway, and other details, please see the OSPI adding endorsements page.
- Test only
- Test + program
- National Board certification
- Migration from previous to current endorsements
Chapter 181-82 WAC: Certificate endorsements and assignment of certificated personnel
Certification standards and benchmarks
The certification standards and benchmarks section details the benchmarks by educator role:
- Teacher
- Principal / program administrator
- School counselor
- School psychologist
- School nurse
- School social worker
- Occupational therapist
- Physical therapist
Pipeline for paraeducator conditional loan scholarship
The pipeline for paraeducator conditional loan scholarship program (parapipeline program) provides financial support to classified instructional staff, with at least three years of classroom experience, to pursue their Associate of Arts degree in order to qualify, enroll in, and complete a two-year Alternative Route 1 program at a participating university to obtain a residency teaching certificate.
STEM, TPEP, and suicide prevention training certificate renewal requirements
The renewal requirements and a history of recent policy changes to certificate renewal requirements can be found on this page.
Clock hours
Clock hours are a unit of currency for continuing education. They can be used to obtain and renew certificates for Washington teachers, administrators, educational staff associates (ESAs), and are now used in the paraeducator certificate program. Individuals who submit complete components for initial National Board certification, or who submit a complete National Board renewal portfolio, are eligible for clock hours.
