 April 9, 2026
“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
— Rainer Maria Rilke
- Action Needed: Residency Teacher Reissuance
- Certificate Reissue Vs. Renewal Guidance
- Walk-In Availability Update
- Website Renovation Coming Soon! We Promise!
- You're Invited! CTE Office Hour
- How to Reinstate an Expired Certificate
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Action Needed: Residency Teacher Reissuance
This is a courtesy notice from the Professional Certification Department at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) for district HR staff and administrators.
Annual expiration dates have been added in the E-Certification (eCert) system for Residency Teacher First Issue (FI) certificates.
If an educator previously held an undated Residency Teacher FI certificate and was reported in a teaching role with 1.5 or more FTE on the annual S-275 report, their certificate will now show an expiration date of June 30, 2026.
Affected educators were notified by email through the address listed in their eCert account.
Please remind educators in your district with a June 30, 2026 expiration date to apply for reissuance if they have not already done so. They must reapply to avoid expiration.
Certificate expiration reports are now available in eCert. Administrators and HR staff can run district reports to identify educators who need to reissue their certificates. See the “Resources” section below for instructions on running a report.
How Do Educators Reissue in eCert?
1. Navigate to the Educational Data System (EDS), and log in to the eCert application. If an educator's certificate is available for Reissue, the option to apply for reissuance will be available.
2. On the home page, under the Educator Action Center, select "Get Started" on the "Apply to re-issue to Your Washington Credential" tile.
 3. To start the Reissue process, select "Apply for Credential." If an educator's certificate is available for Reissue, it will be listed.
 Certificate Reissue Vs. Renewal Guidance
Reissue the certificate if both of the statements below apply to educators:
- The certificate title includes "First Issue (FI)" (Ex. Residency Teacher, Administrator, or ESA — First Issue)
- They have met the service requirement of 1.5–2 years in Washington in the designated teacher, administrator, or ESA role
Renew the certificate if both of the statements below apply to educators:
- The five-year certificate is expiring
- They have completed 100 clock hours of professional development
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Walk-In Availability Update
Due to limited staffing, walk-in availability will now be offered on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9–4:30 pm. We understand that these days may not work for everyone. If you need a different day, please reach out at 360-725-6400 to schedule an alternative time.
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Website Renovation Coming Soon! We Promise!
A new certification website layout is expected to launch in May. The role out of the new site pages needs more processing time, so we are extending the launch timing. Thank you for your patience!
Based on feedback from a usability study with educators, improvements include:
- Reducing pages from 122 to about 43
- Simplifying and aligning information
- Grouping related topics together
- Shorter navigation paths
Once the new site launches:
- Update any saved certification webpages or favorites
- Links in existing OSPI resources may no longer work or you will be redirected to new pages
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You’re Invited! CTE Office Hour with Kelli Bennett
Do you have questions regarding CTE certification?
The Professional Certification Department invites district CTE Directors, Human Resources staff, and anyone in the role to attend an open Q & A with Kelli Bennett, Administrative Program Specialist for CTE certification.
Date: Tuesday, April 14
Time: 1:30–2:30 pm
Location: Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/92768503888)
Attendees are welcome to join at any point during the session to ask questions about CTE certification requirements, documentation, or related processes.
We look forward to connecting with you!
How to Reinstate an Expired Certificate
To reinstate your expired certificate, you must:
- Complete 100 clock hours (or credit equivalents) and/or up to four annual Professional Growth Plans within the five years before you apply.
- Submit documentation of completed clock hours or equivalent activities with your application for review.
- Must have valid fingerprint results on file within the past two years or hold another valid certificate, e.g. Substitute credential.
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Resources
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Questions?
If you or an educator has questions regarding information in this newsletter, reach out to our Professional Certification Customer Service team at 360-725-6400 or by email at cert@k12.wa.us, and one of our Program Specialists will assist you.
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The OSPI Professional Certification Department thanks you for your collaboration in support of Washington state educators!
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