At their November 2024 board meeting, the Professional Educator Standards Board approved policy updates to limited certificates and substitute assignment. These policy shifts are effective January 2025.
Here is a summary of the changes, compared to previous policy:
| Previous policy |
New policy effective January 2025 |
| Only certain types of teacher certificate holders were clearly allowed to be assigned as substitute teachers, causing confusion in the field
Substitute teacher certificates required a plan of professional learning for single assignments of 30 days or longer
Emergency substitute teacher certificates did not require a plan of professional learning |
ALL types of teacher certificate holders may now be assigned as substitute teachers
Any individual subbing in courses that are not a match to an endorsement area in a single assignment for 30 days or longer require a professional plan of learning
(examples: a math-endorsed teacher subbing in a PE class for 30+ days, or an emergency substitute teacher subbing in a 5th grade class for 30+ days)
This updated policy now includes individuals holding unendorsed certificates such as the substitute teacher certificate and emergency substitute teacher certificate
Establishes a new section WAC 181-82-107 that clarifies this policy |
| Conditional special education certificates |
| Previous policy |
New policy effective January 2025 |
| Conditional special education certificates were valid for 2 years on first issue, and could be reissued for 3 additional years |
Conditional special education certificates are valid for 3 years on first issue and may no longer be reissued |
Policy that remains the same:
- Conditional special education certificates still require a bachelors degree and enrollment in a program leading to a special education endorsement
- All conditional certificates still require school board approval and a plan of professional learning
- Special Education assignment rules must still be followed even if the conditional certificate shows a special education endorsement
|
| Intern substitute certificates |
| Previous policy |
New policy effective January 2025 |
| Intern substitute certificates were valid for 1 year
Intern substitute certificates were only valid while the individual was enrolled in student teaching |
Intern substitute certificates are valid for 2 years
Intern substitute certificates are valid even when the individual is finished with their student teaching placement (e.g. university academic calendar) |
Policy that remains the same:
- Holders of the intern sub certificate may only be assigned as substitutes for their mentor teacher’s classroom
|
| Previous policy |
New policy effective January 2025 |
| The transitional certificate could only be issued for expired continuing certificates |
The transitional certificate may be issued for all expired full certificate types, including initial, continuing, residency, and professional |
