Teacher Certification Program

College of Education and Professional Studies
Ellensburg
Black Hall, room 228

Teacher Certification Program General Information
The Teacher Certification Program is administered through CEPS and the Teacher Education Executive board. The provost/vice president for academic and student life in collaboration with the CEPS dean appoints faculty to serve on the advisory council, which advises the Teacher Education Executive board on program policies.

Admission Requirements
Admission to the university does not guarantee a student admission into the Teacher Certification Program. Students must be at least conditionally admitted to the Teacher Certification Program prior to enrolling in any courses required in an Education-related major and/or minor. Students must be fully admitted to the Teacher Certification Program prior to enrolling in any of the Professional Education Program courses housed within the Educational Foundations and Curriculum Department (Black Hall, room 101).

The processing of applications takes time. To insure the thorough review of an application, it is required that all application materials for admission to the Teacher Certification Program be submitted by the following dates: For Ellensburg campus programs-winter, October 1; spring, January 1; summer, April 1; fall, April 1. For university center programs-please contact the university center.

(All application forms are available online at www.cwu.edu/teacher-certification)

1. A 3.0 grade point average (GPA) for at least the last 45 graded quarter credits (the total may exceed 45 if an entire quarter is needed to achieve the minimum 45) or overall CWU/transfer cumulative is required for full admittance into the Teacher Certification Program. A 2.8 GPA for at least the last 45 graded quarter credits or overall CWU/transfer cumulative will be considered for conditional admittance into the Teacher Certification Program. A 3.0 GPA for at least the last 45 graded quarter credits or overall CWU/transfer cumulative is required prior to making application to student teaching.
2. Completed APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TO TEACHER EDUCATION.
3. Completed Character and Fitness supplement. Answering “YES” to any question on the form will require that you meet with the Certification Officer prior to a decision regarding admission. All court documents should be submitted prior to that meeting. False answers to the questions on the form may result in denial of program admission and/or certification.
4. Official or unofficial transcripts for all college/university coursework must be submitted directly to the Teacher Certification office. These transcripts are in addition to transcripts submitted to Registrar Services.
5. Successful completion of ENG 101, ENG 102, and one of either MATH 101, 153, 154, 164,170, or 172.
6. Submission of the Dispositional Survey. Once you activate your LiveText account, you are automatically sent the Dispositional Survey. It is located in your Forms box in LiveText. Once you complete the survey, click the submit button. Please call 509-963-2660 if you have any questions.
7. Successful completion of the Basic Skills (Reading, Writing, and Math) requirement. Candidates may satisfy this requirement by passing the WEST-B or obtaining certain scores on the SAT and/or ACT. Please see below:
    

WEST-B Test
The WEST-B exam is administered statewide several times each year. Registration information and test dates can be found online at www.west.nesinc.com.

Note: Failure to begin the program within one year from date of acceptance may result in cancellation of admission.

The completed application packet needs to be submitted to the following address by the appropriate deadline date: Teacher Certification Office, College of Education and Professional Studies, Central Washington University, 400 East University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926-7414.

Please be aware that:
No grade lower than a C in major or minor, and foundation coursework, will be accepted for certification.

To remain in the program, students must maintain a 3.0 GPA for the last 45 graded quarter credits or overall CWU/transfer cumulative.

Each applicant for admission to the Teacher Certification Program will be notified in writing of the status of his or her application.

Completion of the Teacher Certification Program does not guarantee certification by the state of Washington. In order to be certified, the candidate must demonstrate good moral character and personal fitness as defined by WAC 180-79A-155. Fingerprint clearance from the Washington State Patrol and FBI will be required prior to application for any practicums, all courses that require any type of field experience or working with P-12th grade children, EFC 330 - Field Experience, and/or EFC 480 - Student Teaching. If you have anything from your past that you think may compromise your certification, please seek advisement from the Certification Officer at 509-963-2660 prior to submitting your application.

Teacher Certification Program admission regulations are administered by the College of Education and Professional Studies. Personal folders are maintained in the Teacher Certification office for each student enrolled in a teaching program at Central.

Transfer Students
Students entering the university with a transferable associate of arts (AA) degree from an accredited Washington community college will need to meet the admission requirements for the Teacher Certification Program prior to enrolling in any education courses. These students are frequently surprised to find that, after finishing two years of community college, they have more than two years left to complete an education degree. This is because the AA degree required 90 credits and, when transferred to CWU, satisfies only the Basic and Breadth requirements, which can generally be completed in 60 credits at CWU. Community college students can make good use of the additional 30 credits required by the AA by selecting courses at the community college which may meet major, minor, or, in some cases, courses in the Professional Education Program. Check your community college’s equivalency sheet to make certain your courses are equivalent to CWU’s courses for these particular requirements.

National Evaluation Series (NES) Exam
As of July 1, 2014, all teachers wishing to obtain certification must take the NES exam in each content area for which they seek endorsement prior to student teaching. Documentation (i.e., registration confirmation, test scores) that the student has registered for a test date that occurs prior to student teaching must be submitted to the Teacher Certification Office prior to applying for student teaching. Final certification will not be awarded until successful completion of the NES exam is earned. Test information and registration is online at www.nestest.com.

Alternative Admissions Procedures to Teacher Certification
Students who do not have the required grade point average, or who do not pass portions of the WEST-B test may apply for provisional admission to the Teacher Certification Program by alternative means.

PROCEDURE

1. Applications will be made in writing to the Candidate Admissions, Recruitment, and Retention Committee (CARR) in care of the Certification Officer. The deadline for application will be the first Friday of the quarter preceding the quarter admission is desired (fall quarter applicants deadline will be the first Friday of spring quarter.) The written application will include the following:

     a.    A letter from the applicant’s major advisor that supports the following:

            •  Applicant’s academic ability, service experience, growth, commitment, and motivation
            •  Potential for graduate study (following graduation from the undergraduate program)
            •  Potential for success in working with diverse groups
            •  Other criteria appropriate to the applicant’s potential as a teacher
            •  Other extenuating circumstances that may have affected the applicant’s grades and test scores

     b.    One supporting letter from a former employer, supervisor, or other individual knowledgeable of the applicant’s experiences in working with young people
      
      c.    A personal essay by the applicant that describes his or her educational goals and objectives

2.    An interview with the Candidate Admissions, Recruitment, and Retention committee (CARR) may be required.

3.   Those admitted will be monitored on a quarterly basis by the CARR committee, and will meet all admission requirements prior to student teaching.

4.    Students who have been admitted to the Teacher Certification Program via the CARR committee will receive personal guidance to facilitate completion of their undergraduate degrees and receipt of their certificates.

5.    For further information, contact the Certification Officer at 509-963-2660.

Graduation/Certification Requirements for the Teacher Certification Program

• No grade lower than a C in major, minor,  and professional education foundation courses
• Minimum GPA of 2.5 in major, minor, and professional education foundation courses
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 for last 45 graded quarter credits (the total may exceed 45 if an entire quarter is needed to achieve the minimum 45) or overall CWU/transfer cumulative.
• Passing scores on the NES exam.
• Passing scores on the edTPA.

Major and Minor Concentrations

The following majors are endorsements offered at CWU. Students should contact the departments to request information about major requirements.

Endorsable Majors
Biology: Teaching Major
Chemistry: Teaching Major
Early Childhood Education Major
Earth Science Teaching Major
Elementary Education Major
English/Language Arts: Teaching Major
Family and Consumer Sciences Career and Technical Education Teaching Major
World Languages: Teaching Foreign Languages: Teaching Broad Area:, German, Japanese Majors
History: Social Studies Teaching Major
Mathematics: Teaching Secondary Major
Middle Level Humanities Major
Middle Level Math and Science Teaching Major
Music: Broad Area Specialization
Music: Choral Music Specialization
Music: Instrumental Music Specialization
Physical Education and School Health
Physics Major (BA)
Spanish Teaching Major
Special Education P-12 Major
Special Education P-12 Broad Area Major
Technology Education Broad Area Major
Technology Education Major

The following minors are endorsements offered at CWU. Students should contact the departments to request information about requirements.

Endorsable Minors
Bilingual Education/Teaching English as a Second Language Minor
Biology Teaching Secondary Minor
Chemistry Teaching Minor
Dance Teaching Minor
Early Childhood Education Minor
Literacy Minor
Middle Level Mathematics Minor
Middle Level Science Teaching Minor
Physics Minor
Science Education: Broad Area Science Teaching Minor
Teaching English as a Second Language Minor
Traffic Safety Education Minor

Certification
Central is in compliance with the No Child Left Behind federal legislation. It is a public institution that is regionally accredited.

CWU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). NWCCU is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as the regional authority on educational quality and institutional effectiveness of higher education institutions in the seven-state Northwest region of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
 
CWU’s Teacher Certification Program is approved by the Washington State Board of Education to offer programs, which lead to teacher certification. To be awarded Washington certificates, candidates must be at least 18 years of age.

Graduates of the Teacher Certification Program are legally qualified for certification in states, which are party to the interstate certification compact.

Residency Certificate
The residency-teaching certificate is normally awarded simultaneously with the bachelor’s degree. Individuals who hold, or have held a residency-teaching certificate and are enrolled in a professional certificate program, may have the certificate renewed for an additional two years upon verification the individual is enrolled in a professional certificate program.

Professional Certificate (Pro Teach Program)
The Pro Teach Portfolio is an evidence-based assessment designed for teachers seeking the Washington professional certificate. Teachers who hold a residency certificate must meet the passing score set on the Pro Teach Portfolio (determined by the Professional Educators Standards Board) in order to earn their professional certificate. The Pro Teach Portfolio evaluates teachers on their ability to impact student learning as stated in the 3 standards–effective teaching, professional development and professional contributions– and 12 criteria for the professional certificate approved by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB). Visit www.waproteach.org/index.html for more information.

To maintain the continuing (professional) certificate, each person must complete 150 clock hours of approved in-service education and/or 15 college or university credits every five years.

Endorsement-only Program
CWU’s endorsement-only program is available to certified teachers who hold the Washington State initial, residency, or continuing teaching certificate and who wish to add a teaching endorsement to their certificate. Teachers interested in obtaining an endorsement from CWU should obtain an application online at www.cwu.edu/teacher-certification/endorsement-programs. Once an application and transcripts are submitted, a credit evaluation will be completed.

To qualify for an endorsement to teach in more than one specialization, students must meet the requirements for each specialization. 

Certification Only
Candidates with a bachelor’s degree who desire certification must follow the guidelines for admission to Teacher Certification. Certification-only students may earn the residency-teaching certificate by satisfactorily completing the professional foundation courses and at least one college endorsement program. Final approval of the college endorsement program lies with the individual’s content area.

Alternative Pathway to Teaching Program

General Information
Washington has a shortage of teachers in the areas of special education, mathematics, and the sciences. While the need for these teachers is widespread across the state, rural districts have the most difficulty recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers. Merely preparing more teachers is not the answer to meet current demands. The solution is to address teacher placement and retention in rural schools.

CWU’s Teacher Certification Program offers a hybrid online alternative certification program in partnership with school districts in central and southeast Washington (Educational Service Districts (ESD’s) 171, 105, and 123).

Ten intensive days of coursework during the summer will be completed on the main CWU campus in Ellensburg prior to placement in a school classroom. You will begin the session with group of students and then proceed at your own pace.

The online APT program is inquiry-based. Throughout the year, you will complete and implement pieces of evidence for an online portfolio using case studies, chat rooms, and discussion boards. A co-teaching model is used for your internship. You will begin your internship supporting the classroom teacher, and as your skills build, the roles gradually reserve. You will complete a series of transitions that conclude with the submission of a portfolio and passing the teacher performance assessment.

Transition I:

• Learn from case studies matching them to state standards and the teacher performance assessment.

Transition II:

• Contribute to cases using actual classroom problems and issues.

Transition III:

• Write case studies.

Transition IV:

• Complete and pass the teacher performance assessment.

Admission Requirements

• Applicants must complete a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution prior to enrollment in the CWU-Alternative Pathways to Teaching-Online Program. Degrees attained from foreign institutions must be translated and evaluated for U.S. equivalency by an accredited agency.
• Attained a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher from all college coursework.
• Complete the application to the Alternative Pathways to Teaching-Online Program.
• Complete a post-baccalaureate application to Central Washington University.
• Submit official transcript(s) from ALL previous colleges or universities attended. All transcripts must be sent directly from the school to CWU Admissions Office.
• Submit a resume.
• Submit two letters of recommendation.
• Submit passing scores from the Washington Educator Skills Test - Basic (WEST-B). Candidates may also satisfy this requirement if they have scored high enough on the SAT or ACT. Please see the chart below:
   

• Complete an interview. You will be contacted by the Alternative Pathways to Teaching-Online Program Manager to schedule an interview time.
• Submit a passing score on the WEST-E exam in our content area. (Information on the exam can be found online at www.nestest.com).
• Submit a completed Character and Fitness Form. If you have any yes answers on the form, you must contact the CWU Certification Office at 509-963-2660 to schedule an appointment to discuss the yes answer(s).
• Have current WSP and FBI fingerprint clearance (verified through the OSPI Fingerprint Database by the CWU Teacher Certification Office).

Please contact the APT Program Manager at 509-963-2433 or hollarje@cwu.edu if you have any questions.

Recency of Coursework
Education courses may not be older than 10 years at the time of graduation/ certification.