ESD-U, a certification program offered through Educational Service District 112 (ESD 112), is seeking applications for its first offering since being approved to certify teachers in Washington State in August. Current teachers wanting to earn an additional endorsement in the harder-to-fill areas of Special Education (SPED) and English Language Learners (ELL), as well as in Reading, can apply to be in the first cohort of this residency-based, flexible program.

Called a “Retooling Endorsement” by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB), this offering is for those currently employed as teachers at a Washington K-12 school or at the district/ESD level (substitutes included).

Scholarships for this program are available through PESB in shortage areas, including SPED and ELL.

Informational sessions about the Retooling Endorsements are being held at ESD 112 in the Conference & Institute Center on:

  • December 6th from 4:00 to 5:30 pm
  • December 7th from 4:00 to 5:30 pm

“ESD 112 is proud of these efforts to address the teacher shortage in Washington State,” said Mike Esping, ESD 112’s Director of Educator Effectiveness and Early Career Development. “It’s an incredible opportunity for those who feel called to teach in a shortage area.”

ESD 112 is the only entity approved to offer teaching certifications in Washington that isn’t a college or university.

Applications for the ESD-U Retooling Endorsement program are due April 1, 2018. Applications and more information can be found online.

ESD-U will also be offering teacher certification for people who hold a bachelor’s degree and want to continue working while getting certified. Applications for the Alternative Routes program will be available later in December. Visit ESD-U to learn more.