Certification Glossary

/node/89911Below is an alphabetical list of key terms and definitions used by the OSPI Professional Certification Department. 

Key Words

Accredited U.S. College or University

An accredited institution of higher education means a community college, college, or university that is a candidate for accreditation or is accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the Washington Student Achievement Council and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

Activity-Based Continuing Education Credit

A type of professional learning credit awarded to educators for participating in specific, structured learning activi

A detailed academic credential evaluation that analyzes each course taken in a post-secondary program, translating it into U.S. educational equivalents. A course-by-course evaluation may serve to verify both degree and program equivalency requirements. A document-by-document evaluation may meet the degree requirement.

CTE CIP Code

A CTE CIP code is a Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code, standardized by the U.S. Department of Education, used to identify and organize CTE program areas by career field and specialization. CIP codes align CTE courses and programs with state and federal reporting requirements.

CTE Vocational Code (VCODE)

A CTE Vocational Code is a numeric code used to identify a specific Career and Technical Education (CTE) career pathway or occupational area that a teacher is authorized to teach. These codes are used for CTE certification and endorsements, es

ties that are approved for certificate renewal or professional development. Please see the Educator Clock Hour Information page for further details.

Approved Provider

An organization or entity authorized by the Professional Education Standards Board (PESB) to offer professional learning activities that count toward clock hours for educator certificate renewal. Please see the Approved Provider page for more information. 

Approved Suicide Prevention Course

An approved suicide prevention course is a training program that meets Washington State requirements for educating school staff on suicide awareness, prevention, and intervention.

Continuing Administrator License (CAL) Program

The Professional Administrator certificate cannot be awarded to holders of CAL certificates alone. The CAL program must have been completed to gain the certificate in Oregon. Those administrators who were granted the CAL certificate based on completion of a doctoral program qualify for the Residency Administrator certificate.

Course-By-Course Transcript Evaluation

pecially for CTE teachers coming from industry rather than a traditional teacher preparation route. Each vocational code corresponds to a recognized industry sector or job field, such as construction, healthcare, information technology, agriculture, automotive technology, business and marketing, etc.

Deficiency

A deficiency means OSPI reviewed an educator’s certification application and found that required documentation or requirements are missing or unmet. This is not a denial of certification. Common deficiencies include:

• Missing clock hours (such as required STEM or equity hours)
• Not enough total clock hours for renewal
• Missing test scores, transcripts, or forms
• Incomplete fingerprints or background check

Dual Endorsement Requirement

If you hold an out-of-state teaching certificate or have completed an in-state program with Bilingual Education, English Language Learner, and/or General Science endorsements, you will need to complete additional endorsement requirements before your Washington Teaching certificate is issued.

Full-Time Equivalency (FTE)

The percentage of a full-time workload that a position or employee works. In Washington, first-time teachers must be 1.5 FTE to have their Residency Teacher (First Issue) certificate reissued. 

Fundamental Course of Study (FCS)

A one 28-clock-hour course consisting of 12 units of training approved by the employing school district. 

Issues of Abuse and Emotional or Behavioral Distress in Students Course or Coursework

The candidate must have taken coursework in issues of abuse, which must include information related to identification of physical, emotional, sexual, and substance abuse; the impact on learning and behavior; the responsibilities of a teacher to report abuse or to provide assistance to victimized children; and methods of teaching about abuse and its prevention. For more information, see WAC 181-79A-200.

Reciprocity

Certificates or licenses from another state or jurisdiction do not cover employment in Washington. While the interstate agreement facilitates the movement of educators among states and other jurisdictions that are members of the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC), our state rarely uses the contract provision for individuals holding certification in another state. Washington’s rules allow us to recognize ANY state-approved educator preparation program and degree from an accredited institution to meet our basic requirements. This allows educators who have completed a college/university preparation program in another state to receive reciprocity, so our state can recognize and accept that program toward our certification requirements. Teachers holding the Wisconsin Master Educator License, or the Ohio Professional Teaching License (five-year license), have completed a procedure considered comparable to Washington's Professional Certificate Program. Educators who hold either of these certificates may apply directly for the Professional Teacher certification in Washington.

Testing Exemption

Teachers with valid National Board certification or other equivalent second-tier educator certifications from other states (approved by PESB) are exempt from specific testing requirements.

Transcript Evaluation

A formal assessment of academic records from one educational system to determine their equivalence within another, often used for international education and employment purposes. Transcripts submitted from all U.S. Territories DO NOT require an evaluation and transcripts submitted from Canada MAY NOT require an evaluation. For assistance, see the NAFSA Guide to selecting a Foreign Credentials Evaluation. 

Worksite Learning

A structured educational experience that takes place in a real workplace and allows students to apply classroom learning to hands-on, career-related activities. Experiences such as internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing, or clinical placements are planned and supervised by the school in partnership with an employer and are tied to learning objectives, skill development, and career exploration.