Teacher-Convert or Upgrade

Washington teachers 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 a 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

Covert and Upgrade Options

Convert-Initial to Residency

This application is for educators who hold an Initial Teacher certificate and do not qualify to upgrade that certificate to the second-tier certification.

Requirements

• Must have qualified for an Initial or Provisional certificate
• Must not have held a Continuing or Professional certificate
• The certificate currently or previously held may be valid or expired
• Submission of fingerprints for a background check is required if a valid Washington certificate is not already on record

Upgrade-Initial to Continuing

This application is for educators who want to upgrade an expired Initial Teacher certificate to a Continuing certificate.

If you completed all requirements for the Continuing certificate before your Initial certificate expired, you may still apply. If your Initial certificate has expired, you can apply with a $100 late fee.

If you did not complete the requirements before your Initial certificate expired, you cannot upgrade it. Instead, you must convert your Initial certificate to a Residency certificate.

Requirements

• Must hold a valid or expired Initial certificate
• Must have a master's degree from an accredited college/university or 45 quarter hours (30 semester hours) of upper division or graduate-level post-bachelor's study
  • Please Note: Coursework at the 100 level is allowed when used to obtain an endorsement
• Completion of 180 days of teaching experience,
  • 30 days of which must be in one school district.
  • Substitute teaching, out-of-state teaching, and teaching in more than one district are acceptable
• 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 Washington certificate is not already on record

Upgrade-Residency to Professional

The Professional Teacher application is for educators who:

• Hold or have held a second-tier certificate from an approved state
• Are National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certified OR
• Have completed the Washington ProTeach Portfolio

Requirements

• Must meet all Residency certificate requirements
  • Testing Exemption Information
  • Dual Endorsement Requirements for Bilingual Education, English Language Learner, and/or General Science
• Completion of one of the following options:
  • Option 1: Completion of an advanced-level certification from another state that has been approved by Washington's Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) as comparable to Washington's standards (Reciprocity Information) 
  • Option 2: Hold a certificate issued by the National Boards
  • Option 3: Completed the Washington ProTeach Portfolio
• 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 Washington certificate is not already on record