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.

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, 2022, 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 indigenous communities.
• To renew a teacher certificate on or after July 1, 2022, 25 percent of continuing education must focus on equity-based school practices.

This continuing education must be provided by a school district, an educational service district, a PESB-approved administrator or teacher preparation program, the Association of Washington School Principals, the Washington Education Association, or a tribal organization.