How to Become a Physical Education (PE) Teacher in Washington State
Physical education teachers in the state of Washington have two main routes for becoming certified. This overview will cover the two routes, along with the required tests and licensing renewal process.
Process for Becoming a Physical Education Teacher in Washington State
Physical education (PE) teachers can work with students at the elementary, middle, or high school levels. They are responsible not only for providing physical fitness instruction, but also helping students make healthy choices. In the state of Washington, PE teachers will need to take a content area test to become certified.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Required Degree</b></td><td>Bachelor's degree</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Required Degree Field</b></td><td>Physical education or fitness-related discipline</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Required Test</b></td><td>National Evaluation Series WEST-E Health/Fitness test</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>License Renewal Period</b></td><td>2 or 5 years</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Requirements for Renewal</b> </td><td> ProTeach or National Boards process or completion (2 year); 100 clock hours, equivalent college credits, Professional Growth Plan (5 year)</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Average Salary for School Teachers in Washington (2018)*</b></td><td>$65,180 (Elementary School Teachers)<br/>$65,630 (Middle School Teachers)<br/>$67,550 (Secondary School Teachers)</td></tr>
<tr><td><b> Job Outlook for School Teachers Nationwide (2016-2026)*</b> </td><td>7% (Elementary School Teachers)<br/>8% (Middle School Teachers)<br/>8% (Secondary School Teachers)</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)</i>
</p><h3 id="section---PreResidencyClearanceRoute">Pre-Residency Clearance Route</h3><p>The state of Washington allows residents enrolled in a bachelor's degree teacher training program to apply for their initial teaching license. Candidates will need to obtain approval from their teacher training program, complete an online application, and submit fingerprints for a criminal background check.
</p><h3 id="section---TeacherCollegeRecommendationRoute">Teacher College Recommendation Route</h3><p>This route is for residents who have earned at least a bachelor's degree through a state-approved teacher training program. They must first receive a recommendation from their educational institution in order to apply for the Residency First Issue Certificate. Along with the criminal background check, candidates will also need to pass a basic skills test and the content area test for physical education teachers.
</p><h3 id="section---PETeacherTest">PE Teacher Test</h3><p>PE teaching candidates in Washington who pursue the teacher college recommendation route will need to pass the content area test from the National Evaluation Series (NES). The WEST-E Health/Fitness test is computer-based and has 110 multiple-choice questions. Candidates will have 2 hours and 45 minutes to complete this test. Washington requires a passing score of 240 to earn initial teaching certification.
</p><h3 id="section---BackgroundCheck">Background Check</h3><p>All candidates applying for a teaching license in Washington state will need to pass a fingerprint and criminal background check through both the Washington State Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Candidates' results are sent to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) of Washington and will be available to public school districts, private schools, and other educational institutions via an online Educational Data System (EDS).
</p><h3 id="section---PETeacherResidencyCertificateRenewalProcess">PE Teacher Residency Certificate Renewal Process</h3><p>The state of Washington has several options for renewing a Residency Certificate. The initial, two-year renewal application includes declaring intent to become certified via the National Board for Professional Teacher Standards or through the ProTeach portfolio assessment. The second, two-year renewal application is for teachers whose first, two-year renewal certificate will be expiring and who have met the certification standards for the National Board for Professional Teacher Standards or completed all requirements for the ProTeach portfolio assessment. Finally, the five-year renewal application is for teachers whose reissue certificate is expiring and includes earning 100 clock hours, applicable college credits, Professional Growth Plans, or a mixture of all three of these. It should be noted that teachers will need to submit a fingerprint check if they do not have a valid clearance on file.</p>