Teachers who received a teaching certificate after September 2000 have a Residency certificate. The second level of certification required by the state of Washington, after the Residency, is the Professional Certificate. The ProCert must be obtained within five years after completing Provisional Status (usually the first 2 years of teaching.) At the time provisional status is completed, it is the teachers' responsibility to apply to OSPI for a reissuance of the Residency certificate, and a new Residency certificate with an expiration date 5 years thereafter will be granted. Please click here for instructions on how to do this.

For general updated information about certification, and ProCert in particular, please see this PowerPoint.

Seattle Public Schools has partner relationships with two universities; Seattle University and Seattle Pacific University, whose programs have certain advantages for Seattle teachers.

Please see this comparison document to note the details of the SU and SPU programs.

SPU's program (4 credits) has already begun for this year. SPU will offer this course just one more time, next year, 2010-2011.

SU's program (7 credits) begins in January 2010. DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO JANUARY 5, 2010! Interested teachers need to sign up on the SPS Professional Development website, under "Professional Certification." This class will finish in Winter 2011, and will not be offered again.

PLEASE NOTE that teachers who began ProCert with the University of Washington WILL be able to finish. Culminating Seminars will be offered through Fall/Winter 2011. Those needing to finish must be aware of their certificate expiration dates to be sure they finish on time. No new cohorts will begin ProCert with UW. Please contact Jane Dudley with any questions about this.

As of 9/1/2011, all candidates for Professional Certification will be required to pass a new state level assessment called the Washington ProTeach Portfolio (scored externally by the state), and university certification programs will no longer be offered.

National Board Certification satisfies the ProCert requirements; but teachers must document their NB certification for OSPI, who will then grant them a Professional Certificate.

Please contact Jane Dudley with any questions.

Please see links at the left for more information.

Does your Teaching Certificate expire in 2010?
If so, you will want to request an extension to be sure you have time to complete your ProCert program. Click here for more information.