Conditional Certificates

These applications are for educators working with a Washington employer who wants to hire them but who do not currently meet the full certification requirements for a Teacher, Career and Technical Education (CTE) Educator, Administrator, or Educational Staff Associate role. If an educator meets the requirements for a full certificate (Teacher, CTE Educator, Administrator, or ESA), they may not qualify for a limited certificate.

State Employer Must Initiate a Limited Certificate

Please Note: A Washington state employer must initiate limited certificates on behalf of the educator who is not eligible for full certification.

Conditional Teacher

This application is for educators seeking employment with an employer who will hire them based on their experience and expertise in a particular educational area. This limited certificate is issued for up to two or three school years (Special Education endorsement only) and is not available to full certificate holders.

Non-Immigrant Exchange

A conditional certificate may be issued to an individual admitted to the United States to serve as an exchange teacher. The individual must be eligible to teach in elementary or secondary schools in their country of nationality or last residence.

First-Time Conditional Teacher Requirements

• Application must be initiated by the employing school district and completed by the educator
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record.

Additional Requirements-Special Education Endorsement

• Must hold a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college/university (must submit official transcripts showing degree conferral).
• Must be enrolled in a state-approved program leading to Special Education certification.
  • Educator must provide verification by the preparation program provider that the individual is enrolled in a state-approved teacher preparation program for special education (Teacher Program Enrollment Verification Form 4050E).

Reissue Requirements for Conditional Teachers

A Conditional certificate can be reissued for up to two school years (or less) upon request by an employing school district, approved private school, or educational service district, provided that:

• The candidate continues to meet all the conditions for the original certificate issuance.
  • Special Education Reissue Note: As of January 1, 2025, the Conditional certificate with a Special Education endorsement can no longer be reissued. 
• The applicant has completed 50 clock hours (or equivalent college credit) of coursework since the issuance of the most recent Conditional certificate, as verified by the employer.
  • The coursework must be designed to support the individual's professional growth and enhance their knowledge or skills to assist students in meeting state learning goals.

Conditional CTE

This application is for educators a school district wants to hire because of their experience and expertise in a specific Career and Technical Education (CTE) specialty area.

The candidate must be highly skilled and knowledgeable in the field, including new or emerging occupations identified by the Professional Educator Standards Board.

A two-year Conditional CTE certificate allows districts to hire a qualified and experienced professional when they are unable to find a fully certificated CTE instructor.

First-Time Conditional CTE Requirements

• Application initiated by the employing school district and completed by the educator
• Must complete a written training plan developed in coordination with the CTE administrator and CTE advisory committee with the district during the validity of the certificate (WAC 181-77-014). 
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record.

Additional Requirements-Worksite Learning and Career Choices

• Must be enrolled in a CTE program 
  • CTE Plan 1: University Route (College/University Route Conditional Program Enrollment Verification Form 4075E-1)
  • CTE Plan 2: Business and Industry Route (Business and Industry Route Conditional Program Enrollment Verification Form 4075G-1)
• Must have already completed the Worksite Learning coursework (Worksite Learning Course Completion Verification Form 4075W)

Reissue Requirements for Conditional CTE

• The district must initiate the request in E-Certification
• Must complete 50 clock hours or equivalents verified by the district during the validity of the certificate

Conditional Administrator (Principals Only)

This application is for educators who hold a bachelor's degree but have not yet completed their principal preparation program and master's degree. A Conditional certificate enables an educator to be assigned to a position in the principal or assistant/vice-principal role for up to two school years. 

First-Time Conditional Administrator Requirements

• Application must be initiated by the employing school district and completed by the educator
• Complete a bachelor's degree (must submit official transcripts showing degree conferral).
• Must be enrolled in a state-approved principal preparation program (Teacher Program Enrollment Verification Form 4050E).
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record.

Reissue Requirements for Conditional Administrators

• The candidate continues to meet all conditions for the first issuance of the certificate (submit updated Teacher Program Enrollment Verification Form 4050E).
• Complete 50 clock hours or equivalent coursework verified by the employer since the issuance of the most recent Conditional certificate for the role
  • The coursework must be designed to support the individual's knowledge or skills to better assist students in meeting state learning goals.

Conditional ESA

This application is for Educational Staff Associate (ESA) applicants who are working with an employer that wants to hire them based on their experience and expertise in a specific ESA role.

This may apply to:

• School counselors
• School psychologists
• School behavior analysts
• School social workers
• School nurses
• School speech-language pathologists or audiologists
• School orientation and mobility specialists

The Conditional ESA Certificate is valid for up to two years and is not available to educators who hold a full certificate.

First-Time Conditional ESA Requirements

School Counselor

• Application must be initiated by the employing school district and completed by the educator
• Must hold a bachelor's degree (must submit official transcripts showing degree conferral)
• Must be enrolled in a state-approved school counselor preparation program, but not yet qualify for the Residency ESA certificate (ESA Program Enrollment Verification Form 4026E-1)
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record.

---

School Psychologist

• Application must be initiated by the employing school district and completed by the educator
• Must hold a bachelor's degree (must submit official transcripts showing degree conferral)
• Completion of all required coursework for a master's or education specialist degree in psychology/school psychology
• Must be enrolled in and have substantially completed a state-approved school psychologist preparation program (ESA Program Enrollment Verification Form 4026E-1)
• Must be participating in the required internship
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record.

---

School Behavior Analyst

• Application must be initiated by the employing school district and completed by the educator
• Complete ONE of the following options:
  • Option 1: Hold a valid Assistant Behavior Analyst License through the Washington State Department of Health. The district, educational service district, or approved private school must provide a supervisor who meets the Department of Health requirements for a supervisor of assistant behavior analysts
  • Option 2: Hold a valid Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCABA) Certificate from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). The district, educational service district, or approved private school must provide a supervisor who meets the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) requirements for a supervisor of Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCABA)
  • Option 3: Hold a bachelor's degree and be enrolled in, or have completed, the coursework requirements for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Certificate from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), as verified by the institution providing the BACB Verified Course Sequence (ESA Master's Degree Program Enrollment Verification Form 4025E-1)

---

School Social Worker

• Application must be initiated by the employing school district and completed by the educator
• Must hold a bachelor's degree (must submit official transcripts showing degree conferral)
• The candidate shall be enrolled in a master's degree program for social work or social welfare (ESA Master's Degree Program Enrollment Verification Form 4025E-1)
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record.

---

School Nurse

• Application must be initiated by the employing school district and completed by the educator
• The candidate must possess a state of Washington Registered Nurse License, but does NOT yet hold a bachelor's degree or higher in nursing
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record.

---

School Speech-Language Pathologist or Audiologist

• Application must be initiated by the employing school district and completed by the educator
• Must hold a bachelor's degree (must submit official transcripts showing degree conferral)
• Submit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record.

---

School Orientation and Mobility Specialist

• Application must be initiated by the employing school district and completed by the educator
• Must have completed all requirements for an approved national certificate, with the exceptions of the internship and the assessment, as verified by the institution providing the coursework for the national certificate.
  • National Certificates:
    • The Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) certificate from the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP)
    • The National Orientation and Mobility Certification (NOMC) from the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB).  
• The school employer must ensure the candidate has access to a mentor who meets the requirements for an intern supervisor set by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) or the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB). 

Reissue Requirements Conditional ESAs

• Verification that the candidate continues to meet all conditions for the first issuance of the certificate (ESA Program Enrollment Verification Form 4026-E-1)
• Completion of 50 clock hours or equivalent coursework verified by the employer since the issuance of the most recent Conditional ESA certificate for the role
  • coursework work must be designed to support the individual's knowledge or skills to assist students in meeting state learning goals better.