 May 4, 2026
“I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.”
–John Steinbeck
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
- Action Needed: Educator Renewal for June 30
- Walk-In Availability Update
- Be Ready! New Website Coming Soon!
- Feedback Survey: CTE Office Hour with Kelli Bennett
- CTE Director FAQs Resource
- EWU CTE Plan 2 Clock Hour Program
- Approved Provider Transcripts
- Payment Processing Notice
- Application Process-Rush Requests
|
Action Needed: Educator Renewal for June 30, 2026
Please assist the OSPI Professional Certification Department in notifying educators who hold a certificate with an expiration date of June 30, 2026, to apply for renewal of their certificate.
An email notice will be sent to all full certificate holders every month who have an expiration date of June 30, 2026 and have yet to apply for renewal, to the email listed in their E-Certification (eCert) account.
Notification Process:
-
Once S-275 data is available in the system, run the eCert Certificate Expiration report using 6-30-2026 as the expiration date.
- Check for educators with no application submission noted. Disregard educators not returning to your district, who already have a renewal application on file, or who have already been issued another certificate.
- The Professional Certification Department recommends that comparisons be made between the eCert Certificate Expiration report and school district records to ensure consistency in the results.
-
Notify educators who are expiring this school year and have yet to apply to renew their certificate.
- Instruct these educators to submit an application, which may include a character and fitness report (found in the application) and the requirement to be fingerprinted if they do not have a valid certificate.
Fingerprint and Background Check Reminder
Fingerprint results need to be on file to process an application and issue a certificate. Fingerprint and background checks cannot be expedited. Individuals that still need to complete the fingerprint/background check process may experience the following delays.
- If an educator has applied and fingerprints are in the system, the request may take 7–10 business days.
- If an educator has applied and fingerprints are not in the system, it may take 10–15 business days or more to obtain results from the Washington State Patrol (WSP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
|
 |
|
Walk-In Availability Reminder
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.
|
Be Ready! Website Renovation Coming!
A new certification website layout is expected to launch in early 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 47
- 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
|
Feedback Requested: CTE Director Q & A Session
If you attended the CTE Q & A Session with Kelli Bennett on April 14, please take a few minutes to complete this feedback survey. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to connect with us, and we look forward to providing more opportunities like this in the future!
NEW Resource! CTE Director and HR FAQs
From the CTE Director Q & A session, a common Career and Technical Educator (CTE) Director FAQs resource document has been created. Whether you attended this presentation or not, feel free to use it!
Eastern Washington University (EWU) CTE Plan 2 Clock Hour Program:
EWU is excited to bring back our CTE Plan 2 Clock Hour Program in the summer of 2026! 9 six-week quality courses with CTE experienced instructors that have been revised by CTE experts across the state. The cost will be $200 per 10 clock hours, with up to 25 credits available for a total cost of $5000.
Interested candidates can register at the EWU CTE web page or call 509-359-6121.
Please note that EWU still offers the CTE Administration and MED Programs.
|
Process Change: Approved Provider Clock Hour Transcripts
What's currently happening?
The OSPI Professional Certification Department accepts clock hour transcripts from school districts as clock hour documentation. Because there are no set requirements for the information contained in the transcripts, it leads to confusion during application review when clock hours are submitted for renewal.
What's changing?
Starting October 1, 2026, only school district transcripts approved by OSPI will be accepted by the Professional Certification Department.
Approved Provider Transcript Requirements
- The educator's name
- WA Cert # (if possible, but not required)
- Course completion date
- Number of hours
- Course title
- Hour designations:
- STEM, Equity, Leadership
- Fundamental Course of Study and Subject Matter
- Organization/Institution logo or seal
- Signature from the organization designee (administrator, superintendent, clock hour manager, human resource manager, etc.)
What happens if the transcripts do not currently meet the requirements or a school district does not use transcripts?
If a school district clock hour transcript does not currently meet the requirements above, the district will need to make the necessary changes to their transcript before the fall of 2026. If a district does not issue transcripts or their transcript is not approved, they may issue the 1125 Form as clock hour documentation.
How does a transcript get approved?
If the school district transcript already meets the requirements above, please fill out the request form below to submit a request for a transcript review to the OSPI Professional Certification Department. Please do not submit the 1125 Form. Only a transcript developed by the school district. Once reviewed, the school district will receive notification of approval, and a copy of the transcript is kept on file with OSPI. If a school district changes their transcript, they should provide OSPI with an updated copy.
|
Payment Processing Notice
Our department is experiencing intermittent issues with the online payment system. If you receive an error message, please contact us before trying again so we can confirm whether your payment was processed and avoid duplicate charges. Please note that we cannot process payments over the phone.
To improve your chances of success:
- Use Chrome or Microsoft Edge or Firefox (avoid Safari)
- Clear your browser’s cache and cookies or use a private/incognito window
- Try a different device or a different time of day
- School or district VPNs may block payment processing (if possible, submit payment from home or on a mobile device not connected to a school network)
If online payment issues continue, you may request a paper application by calling or emailing us at the contact information below. Paper applications can be mailed with a check or money order.
|
Application Process-Rush Requests
 |
|
A Rush Request is a courtesy provided by the OSPI Professional Certification Department that allows a school district to request a priority review (10-business days) for submitted applications. |
Please Note:
Rush Requests cannot be submitted for Pre-Residency Clearance or Paraeducator applications and only ONE Rush Request can be placed on an application.
Rush Request Requirements
Before submitting, verify the following criteria:
- The educator's application status says "Open or Re-Opened"
- Valid fingerprint results on file (not "pending" or "resubmit")
- Does NOT already hold a valid certificate for the assignment
- For Educational Staff Associates, verify their professional license (Nurse, Occupational, or Physical Therapist, etc.)
To better assist the priority review of a submitted application, please ensure educators have turned in applicable information such as fingerprint background check results, transcripts, verification forms, and professional license before requesting a rush.
 |
|
Resources
|
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.
|
The OSPI Professional Certification Department thanks you for your collaboration in support of Washington state educators!
|
