• On-Time Renewal Application Date
• Why Renew Your Certificate Early?
• Upcoming Certification Phone Availability
• Professional Certification Team Shout-Out!
• 2026–2027 Approved Clock Hour Providers
• E-Certification Clock Hour Upload Available to School Districts
• Ghost Hunting for Documentation: Finding your Continuing Education Records
• Clock Hour Requirements Overview

On-Time Renewal Application Date

What's Changing

Renewal certificates will now have two important dates:

• On-Time Renewal Application Date: January 1
• Uniform Expiration Date: June 30

Starting in 2030, renewal applications submitted after January 1 of the expiration year will be considered late and subject to a $35 processing fee. 

Who is Affected

This change applies to the renewal of full, regular certificates in all roles, including:

• Residency and Professional certificates
• Initial and Continuing certificates

This change does not apply to:

• Limited certificates
• Paraeducator certificates
• Residency Reissuance certificates

Why is This Changing?

Many educators currently wait until late June or even after their certificate expires to submit their renewal application. This creates a significant increase in applications for the Professional Certification Department and can delay processing for educators.

Establishing an earlier on-time application date will help:

• Spread out the renewal processing workload throughout the year
• Give educators more time to complete the renewal process
• Increase the likelihood that renewed certificates are issued before the new school year
• Create a smoother and more predictable renewal experience

Why Renew Your Certificate Early?

If you have already completed the clock hours needed for renewal, there is no disadvantage to renewing early.

• You do not lose any time on your certificate: Your renewed certificate will still expire five years after your current expiration date, not five years from the date you renew.
• You can make the most of your clock hours: Clock hours may only be used if they were completed between the certificate’s issuance and expiration dates. Renewing early starts your next renewal cycle sooner, allowing future clock hours to count toward your next renewal.
• You can avoid the renewal rush: Many Washington certificates have a uniform expiration date, and many educators wait until the renewal deadline to apply. This creates a high-volume period for our office and may result in longer processing and response times.

If you have met your renewal requirements, consider renewing early. It gives you more time for your next renewal cycle and helps you avoid the last-minute rush!

Certification Phone Availability

The phones will be closed from 4–5 pm on:

• October 7
• October 14
• October 21

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

🌟Give a Shout-Out to Our Professional Certification Team! We believe we have the best Professional Certification Team, and we'd love to hear about your experience. Has a team member gone above and beyond to assist you? Provided excellent customer service? Helped make a complex process easier? Take a moment to recognize their efforts. Your feedback helps us celebrate the people who work every day to support Washington's educators with professionalism, knowledge, and care. Submit a shout-out and help us recognize exceptional service! 💙

2026–27 Approved Clock Hour Providers

The clock hour approval period begins October 1, 2026, and ends September 30, 2027. The new list of Approved Clock Hour Providers will be available soon on the Professional Educator Standards Board website.

All Washington state school districts are automatically approved as providers. All approved equity and leadership clock hour providers must provide attendees with the correct form to document and claim their clock hours. The OSPI 1125-E Form can be used for general, STEM, Equity, or Leadership hours and should be made available to every attendee upon course completion. 

E-Certification Clock Hour Upload Available to School Districts

This new feature in E-Certification (eCert) allows approved clock hour providers to use the eCert application in EDS to upload clock hour records for educators to claim. The new system feature allows approved providers to ensure that clock hour records are accurately reported and claimed by the appropriate educators.

NOTE: This process if for E-Certification and is not associated with the same clock hour claim process as pdEnroller. If a school district currently uses pdEnroller to enter clock hours, they should review both processes and decide which system best suits the district's needs. 

How Does this Process Work?

Once onboarded, designated staff at a school district upload a CSV (comma separated values) format file with specific educator and course information listed.

The eCert system matches uploaded clock hour records to educators based on meeting ONE of the following identification criteria. 

• EDS Person ID/Educator ID matched
• Washington Certificate Number matched
• Email address matched
• EDS Username matched
• Birthdate and SSN last 4 matched
• Birthdate, First Name, and Last Name matched
• SSN last 4, First Name, and Last Name matched

How do Educators Claim the Hours?

When an educator logs into eCert, they will see a notification on their Educator Action Center home page if there are reported clock hours available for them to claim. 

For more detailed information on the new clock hour upload feature, please read through the E-Certification Clock Hour Provider User Guide. 

Common Questions

Q. Does this new eCert feature cost anything to use?

A. No, this feature in eCert is free.

Q. Do school districts still need to follow all approved providers clock hour rules?

A. Yes, school districts must still have a clock hour committee, approve all clock hour offerings, and keep clock hour records according to the policies and procedures outlined in Chapter 181-85 WAC. 

Q. If a school district uses the upload feature, do they still need to issue a transcript or the OSPI 1125 In-Service Registration form?

A. Yes, educators should still receive documentation of completed hours. 

Q. Must a school district use this feature?

A. No, this is not required. 

Q. Will this new clock hour upload feature change the current pdEnroller integration?

A. No, pdEnroller will continue to transfer data over to the E-Certification system.

Ghost Hunting for Documentation: Finding your Continuing Education Records

Know Where Your Clock Hour Records Are?

Wondering whether OSPI has a record of your clock hours? You are not alone! This is a common question we hear from educators when it is time to renew their certificates. The Clock Hour Log in E-Certification is NOT an official record of your completed continuing education hours. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

PdEnroller clock hours
Clock hours earned through PdEnroller are automatically transferred to your E-Certification account if the two accounts are linked, making it easier to keep track of your professional learning. To link your accounts, visit Automatic Clock Hour upload to OSPI's E-Certification.

District-sponsored training
If you complete professional development through your school district, your district maintains records or transcripts of those clock hours through the 1125 In-Service Form or with an approved clock hour transcript. Check with your district's professional development or human resources office if you need documentation.

Clock hours earned independently
If you complete clock hours independently or through a provider outside your district, it is important to keep your own records. Save your 1125 form, official transcript, certificate of completion, or other documentation provided by the approved clock-hour provider. For a more detailed list of accepted providers and documentation, view the OSPI Educator Clock Hour Information page. 

A good rule of thumb: If you earn it, keep it!

Educators are responsible for maintaining documentation of their professional learning, particularly for clock hours completed independently. Keeping your records in one place can make the renewal process much easier when it’s time to apply.
Taking a few minutes now to organize your clock-hour documentation can save you time later.

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. 

Certification Walk-In Hours

Walk-in availability is offered every Monday and Wednesday from 9–4 pm. Please reach out to us if you need to schedule an alternative time.