Moving from the Residency Certificate to the Professional Certificate

The residency teaching certificate is the first-level certificate. This certificate is valid for five years during which time the goal is to progress to the second and last level of certification, the Professional Certificate. The Professional Certificate is the most advanced teaching certificate.

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Steps to move toward the Professional Certificate:

1. Be contracted and employed through a public or state approved private school.
2. Have completed provisional status employment at a public school or an approved private school, or a letter of support provided by the school district after the first year of teaching. However, a teacher may enroll in a professional certificate pre-assessment seminar while still in provisional status.
3. Enroll in a Professional Certificate Program at a Washington college/university Professional Certificate Program - a minimum of 10 sem. credits or 15 qtr. credits
   1. Preassessment Seminar
      • Formation of Professional Growth Team (PGT)
      • Development of Professional Growth Plan (PGP)
   2. Core
      • Coursework based on PGP
      • Review of Progress by PGT
   3. Culminating Seminar
      • Demonstration of the teacher’s positive impact on student learning
      • Successful completion of the PGP
4. College verifies program completion to OSPI for Professional Certificate
5. Receive Professional Certificate from the state of Washington

** Applicants who hold a valid certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Standards, may be issued a professional certificate.

To renew Professional Certificate:

• 150 Clock hours every five years. Applicants apply to the state for clock hour’s requirement.

Options for renewal of the Residency Certificate:

1. If you are enrolled and making satisfactory progress in a State Board of Education approved Professional Certificate Program; you can renew your Residency Certificate once for two years.
2. If you do not qualify for a Professional Certificate Program, (see #1, #2 under steps) you may renew once for an additional five years with the completion of 10 semester hours (15 quarter) of college course work (100 level or above) from a regionally accredited institution. These credits do not apply to the Professional Certificate Program.
3. All other individuals who hold, or who have held, Residency Certificates many have their certificates renewed only by appeal to the State Board of Education, or its designated appeals committee.

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Professional Certification: Sharon Straub, Director of Professional Certification: straub@gonzaga.edu (509) 313-3662