OSPI recently released an important bulletin related to certificate renewal requirements for all teachers and administrators who need to renew their certification after July 1, 2023.

Educators may renew early. An educator may choose to renew a certificate at any time during the validity of their certificate. It is the responsibility of the educator to ensure that they hold a valid certificate and renew that certificate in a timely manner. OSPI recommends that those wishing to renew a certificate apply for their renewal as soon as they have completed the required number of hours.

After July 1, 2023, administrators need to show they have earned 10 clock hours in Equity-Based School Practices aligned with CCDEI standards, 10 clock hours based on the Professional Standards for Education Leaders (PSEL), and five clock hours of Government-to-Government Relationship with Federally Recognized Tribes.

Administrators may use Professional Growth Plans (PGPs) for both the equity and leadership clock hour requirements, but not for the Government-to-Government requirement.

Here is specific information related to the Government-to-Government training that will be available after July 1:

All administrators must earn at least five continuing clock hours of professional learning focused on Government-to-Government Relationships with federally recognized Tribes in order to renew a residency, professional, initial, and continuing certificates in the role of principal, program administrator, superintendent, and CTE director. 

These five hours are part of the 100 clock hours required for certificate renewal. The Government-to-Government Relationships with federally recognized Tribes professional learning must be provided by one or more subject matter experts approved by the Governor’s Office on Indian Affairs in collaboration with the Tribal Leaders Congress on Education, and the Office of Native Education in the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. 

A Professional Growth Plan (PGP) may not be used for these hours. 

To strengthen alignment across a district, OSPI recommends districts put a plan in place for how administrators will access the Government-to-Government Relationships training. This will help ensure administrators across the district have clear and consistent information aligned with existing district partnerships and meaningful consultation practices. This template may be used for district planning purposes.

The training is being designed by the Office of Native Education (ONE) in partnership with Washington State Native American Education Advisory Committee (WSNEAC), Region 16 Comprehensive Center, and District Administrators. Implementation partners for this work include the Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP), the Governors’ Office of Indian Affairs (GOIA), Tribal Leaders Congress on Education, Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA), Washington State Native American Education Advisory Committee (WSNEAC), and OSPI. 

The training, which will be available to all administrators in July 2023, will be offered in two modalities: synchronous facilitated virtual training, and synchronous facilitated hybrid virtual/in-person training. Schedules, information on how to access training, and content offerings will be communicated in a future bulletin in late spring 2023. Only trainings endorsed by ONE will count for the new certification requirements. Information on which trainings will count will be posted on ONE’s website in June 2023.

OSPI encourages all educators to plan ahead for applying for certificate renewal to allow time for the Professional Certification Office at OSPI to evaluate the application and to issue the certificate. It can take up to 12 weeks for a certificate to be issued after application.

For questions regarding professional standards, CCDEI standards, SEL standards, Professional Growth Plans, or certification policy, please visit the PESB website.

We will share more information about the Government-to-Government trainings when we know more.