A Brief Guide To Careers in Education

TEACHERS

Each state has unique policies regarding their education system such as instructional time and receiving a teaching license. Fortunately, Washington was recently voted the best state for teaching by Forbes. The information below will be specific to Washington state, please reach out if you would like to request information on another state!

Prior Education 

A residency teacher certificate is required to be a licensed teacher in Washington. This is traditionally obtained while completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in education. Many universities offer education degrees including University of Washington (bachelors and masters), Washington State University (bachelors and masters), and Seattle University (masters). In many programs, the first years will take place in a classroom setting. The final years will often require in-classroom observational hours. These will be specialized such as early childhood education, elementary education, or secondary education. Regardless of where your degree is awarded, it’s important to make sure that it is accredited by asking the college which accrediting agency approved it. 

The Routes to Teaching infographic highlights alternative pathways to those without a bachelor’s degree. This list of programs also highlights programs for obtaining a teacher’s certificate post-undergrad.  

Testing Requirements

Becoming a certified teacher in Washington also involves some testing requirements. Basic skills, content, and performance are evaluated through these tests. Basic skills are fulfilled by the SAT, ACT, or Washington Educator Skills Test - Basic (WEST-B). There is not a minimum score needed but this score is often evaluated by teaching programs as part of their application. While in a teaching program, students will take either the Washington Educator Skills Test - Endorsement (WEST-E) or National Evaluation Status (NES) content knowledge tests. The edTPA performance test is not required by Washington State but is still an aspect of many teacher accreditation programs. Free prep resources for the WEST/NES and edTPA are available here.

After completing a teacher certification program, the state will award the certification following completion of a background check and fingerprinting.

EDUCATIONAL STAFF ASSOCIATE

In addition to teachers, there are a variety of additional staff in the educational sector. This includes school nurses, counselors, social workers, speech pathologists, etc. There are a total of nine different positions available and certifications and descriptions of each can be found here. 

Working in these associate roles requires a certificate through Washington state. 

ADMINISTRATORS

Being a school administrator is a high-level position and involves managing the function of schools or school districts. This includes lots of logistical work such as budgeting, developing curriculums, or supervising and hiring educational staff. Many of these positions require a master's degree. However, for those without a master’s degree there is a conditional certification for people with a bachelor’s degree to become certified principals. 

Certifications are required for principals and superintendents. The first step is to complete a Washington state program for these roles. The program can then submit a recommendation for either the principal or superintendent positions. 

Last updated: 11/14/2024

This resource guide was cultivated by Elli Prickett, Director of Resource Acquisition