Teacher Certification

Nope! As long as you have 45 graded quarter credits and intend to become a teacher please apply to the Teacher Certification Program. The earlier you apply the earlier you get consistent communication from our program. Being on the program roster helps us keep you on track for your non-academic certification requirements so that you get the support you need to make it through to certification!

If you want to sign up for a TCP 101: I have 45 credits! Now What?! Zoom session, we would be happy to answer any of your questions!

The state requires all candidates for certification to attempt a basic skills test in three subject areas. It is possible that you did not attempt a subject from the specific codes we get from College Board

Option 1 to meet Basic Skills Requirement

• Subject-Math240+
• WEST-B-515 (prior to 3/4/2016)
• SAT-27.5 (after 3/5/2016)
• ACT-22

• Subject-Reading240+
• WEST-B-500 (prior to 3/4/2016)
• SAT-27 (after 3/5/2016)
• ACT-22

• Subject-Writing
• WEST-B-235+
• SAT-490 (prior to 3/4/2016), 28 (after 3/5/2016),Did not exist before 2006
• ACT-8 (prior to 8/31/2015), 23 (9/2015-8/2016), 8 (after 9/1/2016)

Check out our Fingerprinting page for information. Fingerprint clearance is valid for two calendar years.

Check out our Liability Insurance page for information and a link to purchase this requirement annually.

You need to make an account on OSPI to be a certified teacher in Washington. It is ideal to make this account when you apply to the Teacher Certification Program. It is free and will be your account for as long as you are a teacher in Washington. It is best practice to use a personal email address for your account as it is yours indefinitely.

Directions can be found starting on page 5 of the E-Cert User Guide (PDF)

You can also watch the tutorial video on YouTube.

Pre-Residency clearance is one way OSPI requires you to demonstrate good moral character. This is a student teaching application pre-requisite but more school districts are requiring this early for all practicum. The application is FREE and valid for two years so it doesn't hurt to complete it early! Please do not send the Teacher Certification Program notification or confirmation that you have completed this task. We are the people who clear it in OSPI and therefore know when it is done!

Directions can be found starting on page 7 of the E-Cert User Guide (PDF) or you can follow along with the tutorial video on YouTube.

Helpful hints!

• It is unlikely you can complete this the same day you create your eCERT account. The eCert User Guide provided by OSPI says you can do it 15 minutes after you create your account but students have not found this to be consistently reliable, so it is best to wait overnight.
• Practicum courses ARE NOT work experience in this context. Page 12 question 7 should be NO.
• You can put whatever you want in Page 12 question 12 about your fingerprint clearance status.

Please review the Office of Field Experiences website for a detailed guide on where to log your hours in MyCWU. You can also watch the Field Experience Log Tutorial Video below for directions and common troubleshooting issues.

There are dozens of reasons this could be the case. Most of the common issues are discussed in the Field Experience Log tutorial video below.

Please e-mail SOEdata@cwu.edu for additional assistance. Please include a detailed description of the problem, and a screen shot of any error messages you are getting.

Please e-mail soedata@cwu.edu for assistance.

Please include the following information in your e-mail

• Last Name of Mentor
• First Name of Mentor
• Name of School District
• Name of School

You can register online for the exam(s). All three subtests are available for the online proctoring option so you can take the exam from the convince of your house. If you would like to take advantage of this option and have more than one test or subtest to take, you will need to complete the registration process for each section separately. Please note than you cannot use scratch paper for the math test if you use the online option.

In order to be a certified teacher you need to pass the required content exam. Typically you will take only one test that is either an NES test or a WEST-E test. If you are attempting to be certified in more than one endorsement, then you will need to pass those additional tests as well. Study guides for each test are linked in the center column on the table below.Check out our Required Tests & Voucher Applications page for more information.

Major/Minor, Test Description, NES Test Code

Art Education
Art (PDF)
503

Biology
Biology(PDF)
305

Business and Marketing Education
Business Education (PDF)
309

Chemistry
Chemistry(PDF)
306

Computer Science
Computer Science(PDF)
315

Early Childhood Education (major or minor)
Early Childhood Education(PDF)
101

Earth and Space Science/Geology
Earth and Space Science(PDF)
307

Elementary Education
Elementary Education Subtest 1(PDF) and Subtest 2(PDF)
(You must pass both subtests)
102 AND 103

English Language Arts
English Language Arts(PDF)
301

Literacy Minor
Essential Components of Elementary Reading Instruction(PDF)
104

Secondary Math
Mathematics(PDF)
304

Middle Level Science
Middle Grades General Science(PDF)
204

Middle Level Math
Middle Grades Mathematics(PDF)
203

Broad Area Music Education
Music- General(PDF)
504

Physics
Physics (PDF)
308

Major/Minor
Test Description
WEST-E Test Code
Bilingual Education/Teaching English as a Second Language Minor
Bilingual Education(PDF)
IF you are bilingual and wish to teach in a dual language classroom, you will also need to take the ACTFL oral (OSPI) and written (WPT) tests in the language you wish to be certified.
Must rate at Advanced Mid level or higher
50

Dance Minor
Dance (PDF)
54

TELL and Bilingual Education/Teaching English as a Second Language Minor
English Language Learners (PDF)
(if you wish to teach students learning English but not teach in a different language)
51

Family and Consumer Sciences Education
Family and Consumer Sciences Education (PDF)
41

Library Media (Endorsement Only)
Library Media (PDF)
42

PESH
Health and Fitness (PDF)
29

Middle Level Humanities
Middle Level Humanities Subtest 1(PDF) and Subtest 2(PDF)
(You must pass both subtests)
52 AND 53

Broad Area Music Education- Choral specialization
Music: Choral (PDF)
56

Broad Area Music Education- Instrumental specialization
Music: Instrumental (PDF)
57

History/Social Studies Education
Social Studies (PDF)(this test will let you teach History and Social Studies)
28

Special Education (Major or minor)
For Special Education majors: you will not be recommended to OSPI for your teaching certificate without passing your content test for your minor.
Special Education (PDF)
70

Technology Education
Technology Education (PDF)
40

Theatre Arts/Drama
Theatre Arts (PDF)
55

You can register online for the exam(s) you are seeking endorsement(s) in. Most tests are available for the online proctoring option so you can take the exam from the convince of your house. If you would like to take advantage of this option and have more than one test or subtest to take, you will need to complete the registration process for each section separately.

In order to be a certified teacher you need to pass the required content exam. Typically you will take only one test that is either a NES test or a WEST-E test. If you are attempting to be certified in more than one endorsement, then you will need to pass those additional tests as well. Check out our Required Tests & Voucher Applications page for more information.

As part of your application for Student Teaching, you need to send the confirmation e-mail from Pearson that shows the date, location and test code. Please do not send us the receipt.

CWU offers a Case-by-Case Exception Program. You can look at requirements on our Required Tests page. Please do not apply until your official scores been sent by Pearson. If you apply before you receive your official scores and diagnostic report, you will have to do this again. Test report dates can be found online for both NES and WEST-E tests.

We know this is an exciting step in your journey and you are eager to have your own classroom, but please be patient. Degree Checkout could take up to 6-8 weeks for your degree to be awarded. When the Teacher Certification Program sees your degree has been awarded, we manually review your file for recommendation. If you have met all of the certification requirements, we will recommend you to OSPI and send you an e-mail with instructions on how to claim your certificate.

We monitor this process daily at the end of every quarter and process recommendations in batches a few times a week.

• Absolutely! After you have successfully passed student teaching you are ready to start looking for jobs! Most school districts are aware that the recommendation process typically takes a 6-8 weeks after your recommendation has been entered. Check out Career Services for resources and information about applying for employment.

  You will need to contact the HR department of jobs you are applying for to get information on how they prefer you indicate your certificate is pending. Your Washington Cert # was issued when you completed your Pre-Residency Clearance and will not change when your certificate is issued so you can include that in your applications. When you log in to your e-cert account on the "Educator Main" tab on the far left, you can find your WA Cert # right under your name.

•  

If you used SAT scores or the WEST-B remediation courses to satisfy your basic skills requirements, those tests have been loaded into OSPI. After you have been recommended to OSPI it can take up to 6-8 weeks for your certificate to be awarded.

As long as your application status in OSPI reads PENDING then the error you are given about missing WEST-B results has not been verified by a Certification Officer at OSPI. If you receive an e-mail from OSPI saying your application is deficient then please reach out so we can help with any questions.

Have you recently passed the NES/WEST-E test for your minor or second major and want to add that endorsement to your teaching certificate? Complete the Finishing Original Endorsements form to notify us of your request.

The Diversity Center is your go to place to get questions answered and for support! The CWU Undocumented Student Resource Guide can be found through their website. If you have questions you can reach out to diversity@cwu.edu or by calling (509) 963-2127.

There is no citizenship requirement to be certified in Washington.

Things to know and plan for:

• When you make an OSPI eCERT account, you will need to call OSPI 360.725.6400 to get a generated social security number place holder. When you get that number assigned please relay that information to teachercertification@cwu.edu so we have the information to match you to the correct account.

Endorsement: An endorsement is the specific subject matter or content area listed on your teaching certificate in Washington State. All certificates must have at least one endorsement, and some endorsement areas cannot stand alone and require dual endorsements. ​

Major/Minor: Academic course work that covers the competencies required by the state that will lead to an endorsement

• Graduation: Meeting the graduation requirements of CWU based on course catalog and Major/Minor program requirements.​

  Certification: Is independent of graduating. Items like passing the NES/WEST-E test, account balance, hours logged, will not prevent students from graduating but will delay recommendation to OSPI.