National Board Certification and Washington State Teaching Certificate

Achieving National Board Certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) entitles you to apply for a Washington state Professional Teacher or Educational Staff Associate (ESA) Certificate and maintain your certificate for 5 years. However, it is necessary to complete the appropriate OSPI certification application in order to maintain your teaching certificate. Applications for state certification and renewal are completed through E-Certification.

Please contact our Professional Certification Office with specific questions about your certificate.

Residency Certificate

A teacher or ESA who earns certification from NBPTS may use the National Board Certificate to convert the state Residency Certificate to a Professional Certificate. Teachers and ESAs need to maintain their state certificate (complete the online application). Individuals can attest their intent to complete the National Board process in order to earn a Residency Certificate Renewal, valid for two years. Individuals who are National Board candidates and have completed all four components of the assessment can obtain an additional Renewal, valid for two years. Individuals need verification of assessment to obtain renewal.

The National Board assessment is submitted in spring and verifications are not available until September. Since certificates expire on June 30, individuals should plan carefully so that renewal can be accomplished prior to their expiration date and not the September following the expiration date.

Continuing Certificate

To maintain the validity of the continuing certificate:

• 100 approved clock hours of continuing education study and/or equivalent academic credit or Professional Growth Plans (PGPs) must be completed every five years.
  OR
• In lieu of the required clock hours, present a copy of a valid certificate from NBPTS.

You must complete the appropriate application to maintain your Washington state teaching certificate.

Professional Certificate

If you are a Candidate: To renew the Professional Certificate, 100 clock hours of approved continuing education study and/or equivalent academic credit must be completed since the issuance of the most recent certificate. For all Professional Certificate Renewal applicants submitting after 9/1/2019, they must complete the STEM requirements as part of their renewal clock hours.

The National Board assessment is submitted in spring and verification is not available until September. Since certificates expire on June 30th, individuals should plan carefully so that earning clock hours can be accomplished prior to their expiration date and not the September following the expiration date.

If you are an NBCT: Educators who hold a valid National Board Certificate may submit that certificate in order to apply for, renew, or reinstate their Professional Certificate. The STEM certificate renewal requirement is considered met by holders of a valid National Board Certificate.

NOTE: An application to renew must NOT be submitted more than 12 months in advance of that certificate's expiration date.

Adding an Endorsement

Washington state teachers may add an endorsement through National Board certification, according to the table of National Board certificate areas and equivalent Washington state endorsements. Out-of-state educators seeking certification in Washington are exempt from the WEST-E/NES requirement, if they hold a National Board Certificate and there is a direct equivalency between the endorsement sought and their National Board certificate area