CTE Teacher

This page explains how to apply for your first Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher certificate in Washington state. It covers both the Initial and Continuing CTE certificates, who qualifies for each, and the requirements you must meet.

Washington Offers Two Types of CTE Teacher Certificates

• Initial CTE Teacher certificate is the first-tier credential for new CTE educators.
• Continuing CTE Teacher certificate is the second-tier credential for CTE educators who hold a valid Initial certificate in the CTE Teacher role. 

Initial CTE Teacher

This application is for CTE Teachers who have completed either the CTE Plan 1: University Route or the CTE Plan 2: Business & Industry Route program and have verified the required experience for each CTE Vocational Code (VCODE) requested. Please see the CTE plans below for additional information.

CTE Plan 1: University Requirements

Plan 1 is a full teacher program designed to obtain the CTE endorsements in Agriculture, Business & Marketing, Family & Consumer Science, and Technology Education.

Requirements

• Completion of a bachelor's degree or higher (must submit official transcripts showing degree conferral)
• Apply for and be issued the Residency Teacher certificate or use it to add the endorsement to your teaching certificate
• Completion of one of the options below:
  • Option 1: Must complete and verify any state's approved CTE program in one of the four broad endorsement areas listed above (CTE University Route Program Verification Form 4075E) 
    • CTE University Certification Route Programs 
  • Option 2: Submit a copy of out-of-state CTE (vocational) certificate and verification of three years of teaching in grades 7–12 in the specific subject area
• Verify 2,000 hours of occupational industry experience in the subject area other than teaching in the past ten years (Non-Teaching Experience Verification Form 4075V).
  • Please Note: If all or part of the 2,000 hours is over ten years old, candidates must complete an additional 300 hours of recent (occurring in the last two years) occupational experience, which can be volunteer hours in the CTE subject area. Volunteer hours can only be used for the 300 hours of recent industry experience.
    • Family and Consumer Science Ed Note: Teaching experience may be used for the 2,000 hours of experience.
• Complete a basic skills test (WEST-B or approved alternative) 
• Pass a content area test for endorsement sought (WEST-E/NES or approved alternative)
  • Teacher Testing Assessments
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record

CTE Plan 2: Business & Industry Requirements

Plan 2 is for Specialty Program Areas within Agriculture, Business & Marketing, Family & Consumer Sciences, Health & Human Services, and Skills & Technology Sciences.

Please Note: The plan 2 CTE program will not gain the CTE Agriculture V010000, Business & Marketing Ed V078000, CTE Family & Consumer Science Ed V200002, or CTE Technology Ed V210100 VCODES.

Requirements

• Completion of ONE of the following options:
  • Option 1: Must complete a Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) approved program for the B&I Route or any out-of-state approved Business & Industry route program (CTE Business and Industry Route Program Verification Form 4075G)
    • Business and Industry Certification Route Programs 
  • Option 2: Submit a copy of out-of-state CTE (vocational) certificate and verification of three years of teaching in grades 7–12 in the specific subject area
• Verify 6,000 hours of industry experience in the past ten years for each VCODE requested (Non-Teaching Experience Verification Form 4075V).​​​​​​

  • The applicant may use up to 4,000 hours of teaching experience in the CTE subject area and 2,000 hours of occupational experience (non-teaching) in the past ten years (Teaching Experience Verification Form 4075H)

    • Please Note: If all or part of the 2,000 hours is over ten years old, candidates must complete an additional 300 hours of recent (occurring in the last two years) occupational experience, which can be volunteer hours in the CTE subject area. Volunteer hours can only be used for the 300 hours of recent industry experience.

      • Biomedical Science and Health Science Biotechnology Note: After completing the CTE Plan 2 program, applicants may use all 6,000 hours of teaching experience in biology. 

      • STEM Hours Note: After completing the CTE Plan 2 program, applicants may use all 6,000 hours of teaching experience in science, technology, engineering, and math. 

• Complete a basic skills test (WEST-B or approved alternative) 
  • Teacher Testing Assessments
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record

Continuing CTE Teacher 

This application is for CTE Teachers who hold an Initial CTE Teacher certification and have met the requirements below to upgrade it.

Requirements

• Completed 15 quarter hours or 150 clock hours of CTE educator training in the CTE-related field since the issuance of the Initial CTE certificate
• Provide documentation of two years of certified teaching/coordination in the CTE-related subject area with an authorized employer, e.g., school district or skills center (CTE Continuing Teacher/Coordination of Experience Verification Form 4076F)
• Completion of one of the options below:
  • Option 1: Must have completed all requirements for the Initial CTE certificate
  • Option 2: Must hold a valid National Board Professional Teacher certificate
• Attest that you have completed a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students
  • Enter this requirement into your E-Certification account under Clock Hours or submit the Issues of Abuse Course Verification Form 4020G.
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record