Administrator-Convert or Upgrade

Washington Administrators can update their certification. This page outlines the requirements to upgrade to a higher-level certificate once the requirements are met, or to convert a certificate if it has expired or cannot be upgraded. 

Convert vs. Upgrade Guidance

Convert if BOTH apply:

• You hold or have held an Initial certificate issued under previous standards
• You do not qualify to upgrade that certificate to the second-tier certificate

Upgrade if ONE of the following applies:

• You hold a valid certificate issued under current standards and have met the requirements to upgrade
• You hold an expired certificate issued under previous standards and qualify to upgrade 
• You are National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certified
• You hold or have held a second-tier certificate from an approved state (Reciprocity Information)
• You completed the Washington ProTeach Portfolio

Convert and Upgrade Options

Convert-Initial to Residency Administrator

This application is for Principals and Program Administrators who hold or previously held an Initial Administrator certificate but do not qualify for the Continuing Administrator certificate.

If the administrator did not complete the requirements to upgrade before their Initial Administrator certificate expired, they must convert it to a Residency Administrator certificate instead.

Requirements

• Must hold or have held an Initial Administrator certificate
• Must not have held a Continuing or Professional Administrator certificate
• Submission of fingerprints for a background check is required if a valid Washington certificate is not already on record

Upgrade-Initial Principal or Program Administrator to Professional Administrator

This application is for Administrators who want to upgrade their Initial Principal or Program Administrator certificate to the Professional Administrator certificate.

Administrators who hold a valid Initial certificate and have completed the required upgrade requirements may apply for the Professional certificate.

All requirements must have been completed before the Initial certificate expired. If not, the certificate must be converted to a Residency Administrator certificate instead.

 Principal Role Requirements

• Verification of three years of full-time employment in the role of principal, vice principal, or assistant principal (Form 4020F-Professional Experience Verification).
• Verification of 15 quarter hours (10 semester hours) or 150 clock hours, or equivalent, of graduate course work (in consultation with and approved by employer) based on performance domains included in WAC 181-78A-270(2) and taken after the issuance of the Initial Principal's certificate (Form 4001D-Continuing Principal Certificate Verification of Hours). 
• Must attest to completion of a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students 
  • This requirement may be entered into the educator's E-Certification account under "Clock Hours" or submit Form 4020G-Issues of Abuse Course Verification
• Submission of fingerprints for a background check is required if a valid certificate is not already on record.

Program Administrator Role Requirements

• Completion of 180 days of experience as a program administrator (Form 4020F-Professional Experience Verification).
• Completion of 30 quarter hours (20 semester hours) of graduate-level study in education or hold a doctorate in education
• Must attest to completion of a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students 
  • This requirement may be entered into the educator's E-Certification account under "Clock Hours" or submit Form 4020G-Issues of Abuse Course Verification
• Submission of fingerprints for a background check is required if a valid certificate is not already on record.

Upgrade-Initial to Professional Superintendent

This application is for Administrators who want to upgrade their Initial Superintendent certificate to a Professional Superintendent certificate.

Administrators who hold a valid Initial Superintendent certificate and meet the upgrade requirements may apply at any time. There is no limit to how many times the Initial Superintendent certificate can be issued, and upgrading to the Professional certificate is optional.

Requirements

• Completion of 180 days of experience as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, or deputy superintendent, 30 days of which need to be with the same school district (Form 4020F-Professional Experience Verification)
• Completion of 60 quarter hours (40 semester hours) of graduate-level study in education, completed after the baccalaureate degree or hold a doctorate in education
• Must attest to completion of a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students
  • This requirement may be entered into the educator's E-Certification account under "Clock Hours" or submit Form 4020G-Issues of Abuse Course Verification
• Submission of fingerprints for a background check is required if a valid certificate is not already on record.

Upgrade-Residency to Professional Administrator

This application is for administrator applicants who have completed a Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) approved professional certification program for either the Principal or Program Administrator role, or who have completed a Continuing Administrator License (CAL) program through the state of Oregon.

Principal and Program Administrator Role Requirements

• Must meet all requirements for the Residency Administrator certificate
• Completion of one of the options below:
  • Option 1: Completion of a professional administrator program approved by Washington State's Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB)

    • Not currently offered, must have been previously completed

  • Option 2: Completed a CAL Program through the state of Oregon
• Must attest to completion of a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students
  • This requirement may be entered into the educator's E-Certification account under "Clock Hours" or submit Form 4020G-Issues of Abuse Course Verification.
• Submission of fingerprints for a background check is required if a valid certificate is not already on record