Teacher Certification Requirements. The Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) is statutorily directed to establish rules for teacher certification. Under state law and rules adopted by PESB, there are several pathways to becoming a certificated teacher; the traditional route is enrollment in a teacher preparation program as part of a postsecondary degree program. Teacher applicants must also:
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Out-of-State Teachers. State law requires PESB to identify an expedited professional certification process for out-of-state teachers who have five years or more of successful teaching experience. A professional-level certificate must be issued to out-of-state teachers if the teacher holds a valid teaching certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
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Out-of-state candidates who have not completed an approved teacher preparation program or approved alternate route program may obtain a residency certificate if they have an out-of-state teaching certificate and three years of out-of-state teaching experience.
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Licensure of Military Spouses. State law requires PESB to adopt rules to expedite the issuance of a license to a person who is certified in another state and whose spouse is the subject of a military transfer to Washington.
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Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact. In 2024, the Legislature adopted the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact (Compact) with the stated purpose of facilitating the mobility of teachers between member states.
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Each state in the Compact must compile a list of eligible licenses the member state is willing to consider for equivalency and provide this list to the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Commission. Upon receipt of an application for licensure by a teacher holding a valid, current?unencumbered?license in a member state, the receiving state must determine which, if any, of the state's eligible licenses the teacher is qualified to hold and shall grant such a license to the applicant.
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For active military members and eligible military spouses who hold a license that is not unencumbered, the receiving state must grant an equivalent license, except where the receiving state does not have an equivalent license.
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Nothing in the compact limits the authority of a member state to investigate or impose disciplinary measures on teachers according to state practice. Member states must provide files and information regarding the investigation and discipline of teachers to other member states upon request, according to certain disclosure conditions.
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States Participating in the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact. In addition to Washington State, Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Legislation has been enacted in: Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Utah.
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Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Legislation is pending in: Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Virginia.
The Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact is repealed. The withdrawal shall not take effect until six months after enactment of the repealing statute.
PRO: We already have a fast track for military spouses and will keep it. The compact created a separate category of employee that isn't eligible for renewal, which creates two standards. By repealing this language the bill rectifies the situation and state agencies will not have to create, track, and monitor a different category of certificated educator.
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CON: This is a state to state contract that addresses just the certification portability of licensed teachers. This is important for military families. Washington can be a leader for state to state collaboration.
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OTHER: Costs to the state haven't yet been funded. There are already expedited pathways for military spouses to receive a teaching license.? As with the other ten compacts in which Washington is a member, the scope of rulemaking is narrowly tailored. The regulation of the teaching profession remains solely in the power of the state. Washington has a delegate to the commission.