Teacher Certification

Certification Requirements

How do I get Certified?

Congratulations! You have finished student teaching and are looking for the next steps. The first official certificate you are eligible for is the Residency Teaching (first issue) Certificate. When all of your requirements are received by the Teacher Certification Program, we will initiate your recommendation to OSPI and inform you of your next steps. This is a time-consuming process that we check by hand for every item. We greatly appreciate your patience, if you could try your best to refrain from sending e-mails about updates for at least three weeks after your degree has been awarded, it will help us process your recommendation faster.

Certification Requirements

• Full admission to the Teacher Certification Program.
• Degree Checkout has awarded your degree
• Logged over 450 hours in MyCWU field experience log
• Passed the appropriate WEST-E and/or NES tests
• Have $0.00 balance on your MyCWU student account

Certification Process

Please do not apply for any certificates in OSPI until you are told your recommendation has been processed. If you apply early for any teaching certificate, there is a potential of applying for the wrong certificate, not having your application fee refunded, or require contacting customer service at OSPI to restart the process.

CWU has awarded your degree

Teacher Certification reviews all certification requirements

If you meet all certification requirements above we will move forward. If you are still missing items we will contact you with your missing items typically a month after the end of the quarter.

Recommend to OSPI

The Teacher Certification Program will submit to OSPI that you have met all requirements and send your CWU e-mail instructions on how to apply for your certificate.

Your file will stay active with us, until the day you meet all the requirements, and we can recommend you! Whether it is a few months or a few years, it won't matter, as soon as you meet the requirements, we will recommend you for your teaching certificate (barring any changes at the state level)!

You are encouraged to apply for jobs after student teaching, even if you haven't met the certification requirements. You just need to communicate with the school districts you are applying to. CWU has nothing to do with this process. They may be interested in hiring you with a Conditional Certificate or Emergency Substitute Certificate but please note that each district is allowed to have their own requirements.

Federal Rules Disclosure

Statement on 34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)(v) and 34 CFR 668.43(c)

Candidates of Central Washington University’s Teacher Certification Program, complete requirements to be recommended for certification or endorsement in the state of Washington. Completion of the Teacher Certification Program requires students to maintain a 3.0 GPA, graduate with an endorsable degree and pass state assessments.

Except for Washington State, CWU has made no determination if this program will lead to licensure in your state or the state in which you are seeking licensure. Please reference the resources below to determine licensure requirements and/or transfer policies in your state.

The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) have negotiated licensure reciprocity agreements

among states. This means that if you earn licensure in Washington you may be able to gain licensure in your own state based on proof of a valid Washington license. NASDTEC agreements can be found by clicking the link below.

Please note: requirements for licensure can change without notice, therefore it is important to contact your State Department of Education to confirm reciprocity with your state. A list of state contacts and information can be found at the U.S. Department of Education