The Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) adopts rules and creates policies for the preparation and certification of educators.  The PESB's statutory duties include specifying the types and kinds of educator certificates to be issued and the conditions for certification.

Teachers and administrators holding residency, professional, initial, and continuing certificates must complete continuing education requirements to renew their professional certificates every five years.  These requirements include completing one of the following requirements:  (1) 100 clock hours or the equivalent in college credit; (2) four professional growth plans (PGPs); or (3) a combination of PGPs and clock hours.  Teachers with an endorsement in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) must focus 15 clock hours, or one goal from an annual PGP, on STEM integration, which means integrating two of the four STEM components.  Teachers and administrators who hold a valid National Board Certificate may submit the certificate in lieu of meeting these continuing education requirements.

In 2009 the Legislature directed the PESB to identify a list of model standards for cultural competency that include:  knowledge of student cultural histories and contexts, as well as family norms and values in different cultures; knowledge and skills in accessing community resources and community and parent outreach; and skills in adapting instruction to students' experiences and identifying cultural contexts for individual students. 

The PESB must adopt rules for renewal of administrator certificates and teacher certificates that meet the following continuing education requirements.

• To renew an administrator certificate on or after July 1, 2023, continuing education must meet the following requirements:  10 percent must focus on equity-based school practices; 10 percent must focus on the national professional standards for education leaders; and 5 percent must focus on government-to-government relationships with federally recognized tribes.
• To renew a teacher certificate on or after July 1, 2023, 15 percent of continuing education must focus on equity-based school practices.  However, this requirement does not apply to a person renewing both a teacher certificate and an administrator certificate.

Continuing education focused on equity-based school practices must be aligned with state standards for cultural competency.

This continuing education must be provided by one or more of the following entities, if they are an approved clock hour provider:  the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), a school district, an educational service district, a PESB-approved administrator or teacher preparation program, the Association of Washington School Principals, or the Washington Education Association.  However, continuing education related to government-to-government relationships with federally recognized tribes 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 OSPI.