Educational Staff Associate-Convert or Upgrade

Washington Educational Staff Associates 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
• Meet additional requirements as needed (please review the information below) 

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 (review reciprocity information)
• You completed the Washington ProTeach Portfolio

Convert and Upgrade Options

Convert-Initial to Residency

This application is for Educational Staff Associates (ESA) who currently hold or previously held an Initial ESA School Counselor or School Psychologist certificate.

They may convert their Initial certificate to a Residency ESA certificate under current standards.

Requirements

• Hold or have held an initial ESA certificate (issued under previous standards) for the role
• Verification of a master's degree appropriate to the certification role.
  • If transcripts are not on file, they must be submitted at the time of application
• Verification of successful completion of a comprehensive exam relevant to the role (Psychologist and Counselor Program Completion Verification Form 4098). 
  • If you did not complete such an exam in your program, you must verify one of the approved testing alternatives listed in the tables on the page linked below. 
    • School Counselor and School Psychologist Approved Testing Alternatives
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record

Upgrade-Initial to Professional

This application is for Educational Staff Associates (ESAs) who hold or previously held an Initial or Residency ESA Certificate in one of the following roles:

Those who have completed the required education and work experience may apply to upgrade to the Professional ESA certificate.

General Requirements for ALL Role Types Below

• Must have completed all requirements for the Initial ESA certificate by role type.
• Must have completed 150 continuing education credit hours related to the ESA role type since the first issuance of the Initial or Residency ESA certificate.
• Must have completed two years full-time equivalency (FTE) experience in the role in Washington with a school district, state-approved private school, state-tribal compact school, state-authorized charter school, or state agency that provides educational services for students (Professional Experience Verification Form 4020F).
• 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

Additional Requirements by ESA Role Type

In addition to the general requirements listed above, applicants must also meet the criteria below. 

School Behavior Analyst

• Must hold a valid Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Certificate from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB).

School Nurse

• Must attest to completion of a suicide prevention training approved by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) or Washington State Department of Health within the previous five years (Suicide Prevention Training Verification Form 4020S).
• Must hold a valid registered nurse license issued by the Washington State Department of Health or the Nurse Licensure Compact.

School Occupational Therapist

• Must hold a valid occupational therapist license issued by the Washington State Department of Health or the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact.

School Orientation and Mobility Specialist

• Must hold a valid Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) certificate from the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP), or a valid National Orientation and Mobility Certification (NOMC) from the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB).

School Physical Therapist

• Must hold a valid physical therapist license issued by the Washington State Department of Health or the Physical Therapy Compact Commission.

School Social Worker

• Must attest to completion of a suicide prevention training approved by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) or Washington State Department of Health within the previous five years (Suicide Prevention Training Verification Form 4020S).

School Speech Language Pathologist or Audiologist

• Must hold a master's degree in speech-language pathology or audiology.
• Must have successfully completed a written comprehensive examination relevant to the speech-language pathology or audiology knowledge included in the coursework for the required master's degree. This exam shall be a proctored, written examination of an accredited institution of higher education (Other ESA Roles Program Completion Verification Form 4099E)
  • If you did not complete such an exam as part of your program, you complete one of the following options:
    • Option 1: Submit a copy of your valid Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) in Speech Language Pathology or Audiology, issued by the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
    • Option 2: Submit a copy of your score report of one of the following Praxis tests:

Upgrade Residency to Professional

These applications are for Educational Staff Associates (ESAs) with a Residency certificate in Counseling or Psychology who have completed the required national certification. They may apply to upgrade to the Professional ESA certificate.

General Requirements for ALL Role Types Below

• Must have completed two years of full-time equivalency (FTE) experience in the role in Washington with a school district, state-approved private school, state-tribal compact school, state-authorized charter school, or state agency that provides educational services for students (Professional Experience Verification Form 4020F)
• 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

Additional Requirements by ESA Role Type

In addition to the general requirements listed above, applicants must also meet the criteria below. 

School Counselor

• Hold a school counselor certificate issued by the *National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)
  • NBPTS Note: Professional ESA Certificates issued based on holding a valid NBPTS certificate will have a validity of five years or the validity of the NBPTS certificate, whichever is greater.

School Psychologist

• Hold a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) certificate issued by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)