(1) Specialty endorsements prepare a teacher to work with a specific student population/demographic and/or subject matter area, and are created to help teachers specialize beyond the required certificate endorsements as stated in WAC 181-82A-202. Specialty endorsements have unique endorsement competencies not found in any of the existing endorsements. Specialty endorsements shall include a means of assessing an applicant's content knowledge in the specialty subject area that shall be assessed and verified through program completion.

(2) Each college or university and/or Washington-based organization/association requesting the creation of a specialty endorsement shall seek a two phase approval by the professional educator standards board.

(a) Phase one: Proposers shall submit a preapproval proposal to the professional educator standards board that includes the following information:

(i) Documentation of nationally recognized teaching standards unique to the proposed specialty endorsement;

(ii) Letter of support from a professional educator standards board-approved college or university interested in offering the proposed specialty endorsement program.

(b) Phase two: If proposers receive preapproval from the professional educator standards board, they shall submit a phase two application available by the board. The phase two application, not to exceed ten pages, will address the following information:

(i) A description of the needs, student population and/or subject matter addressed by the proposed specialty endorsement;

(ii) A description of the unique knowledge and skills the proposed specialty endorsement provides to educators;

(iii) An explanation of the expected value and benefit of the proposed specialty endorsement for the K-12 system.

(c) Upon completion of both phases and board approval of a specialty endorsement, the process in WAC 181-82A-206 shall apply.