The WEA Teacher Residency program provides pathways to certification for educators who reflect Washington’s diverse learners and communities. Find out more about the program. Thank you for applying!
In order to be considered for admission to WEA’s program, complete applications must be submitted by the 5 pm, Friday, April 12, 2024 deadline. Find an application checklist to help you plan your process. Find out how applicants will be selected for the WEA program in our application FAQ. Reach out with your questions related to admissions and this application at admissions@washingtonea.org.
Some parts of this application require you to schedule a testing appointment or request documents. You will want to get these parts started first in order to complete them by the admissions deadline:
> Take a Basic Skills assessment. There is no requirement to pass, but you must take this prior to the application deadline, and submit scores to WEA in reading, writing, and math. Find out more on testing options, scheduling, and how the basic skills test is used in the admissions process in the application FAQ.
> Request a transcript documenting a bachelor’s degree or higher. We need an unofficial transcript submitted as part of this application by the deadline. An official transcript needs to be sent to us by the college/university. Find out more in the application FAQ.
> Request two letters of recommendation. At least one of the letters must be from a current or most recent supervisor. Note: Teachers are not supervisors of paraeducators. The supervisor for a paraeducator is generally the principal, assistant principal, special education director, or someone in a similar administrator role.If you have experience with students or children, at least one of the letters must document that experience, including length of experience. Find out more in the application FAQ.
If you have already completed a teacher preparation program (in Washington, another state, or another country), or if you already hold a teaching certificate from Washington, another state, or another country, you may be eligible for a Washington teacher certificate and would not be eligible for our program. Contact the OSPI certification office at 360-725-6400 or cert@k12.wa.us to determine if you are already eligible for a Washington teacher certificate.
> Would you like to add a special education endorsement to an existing teacher certificate? Complete our interest survey.
Applicants for the WEA Teacher residency program may be invited to an in-person interview. Applicants invited to an interview will also be asked to complete a virtual teaching simulation. WEA anticipates notifying all applicants of admissions decisions in late May.
WEA strives to offer an inclusive, accessible admissions process that enables all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. To request an accommodation, or for inquiries about accessibility please contact admissions@washingtonea.org.
1. Documentation required. In order for this application to be considered complete, supporting documentation must be uploaded by the application deadline. Please review this list of required documentation, including transcripts, resume or description of experience, personal narrative, and any evidence you would like WEA to consider towards meeting program completion requirements. You will receive the link for the document upload portal once you have submitted this application form.
2. Demographic information. You have the opportunity to provide your race and ethnicity information by responding to the questions at this link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LQXGQVG . Please respond to these questions prior to the admissions application deadline. Your application will not be considered complete without these.
3. Fingerprint background check. A fingerprint background check and a pre-residency clearance or certificate is required prior to field experience in schools. A character and fitness questionnaire is part of this process. Field experience will begin with the summer’s program. Find information on fingerprinting procedures. WEA will provide financial support for the costs of fingerprinting. You do not need to take any action now on this. More information will be provided after admissions to accepted applicants.
4. Program admission and completion requirements. Please review the WEA teacher residency program admission and completion requirements, if you have questions, please email admissions@washingtonea.org.
5. Availability. If invited, I am available for an interview the week of May 13-May 18, 2024. These interviews would be in-person in the partner school district. Interviews may be during the day, evening, or Saturday.
Carefully review this 2024-25 WEA Teacher Residency program calendar. Note in-person and online dates, course withdrawal dates, and other items noted. Attendance is required for program completion. Lodging and transportation for in person coursework is provided for candidates living at a distance. Ensure your availability for the duration of the program.
6. Content knowledge assessment. If admitted, you must take a content knowledge assessment prior to August 16, 2024. Passing a content knowledge exam is required prior to certification.
The Special Education WEST-E 070 is the content knowledge assessment for the special education endorsement. You may take this assessment at a testing center, or at home through online proctoring. You must take this assessment at a time that does not conflict with WEA program courses or field experience. WEA will provide financial support for the assessment fees.
Find a test overview and sample questions to use in preparation. Additional preparation resources will be provided to admitted candidates.
7. Candidate agreement. You will be required to sign a candidate agreement upon admission to the WEA Teacher Residency Program. Please review this 2023-24 candidate agreement as this upcoming year's agreement will be somewhat similar. Each resident will be responsible for paying $5,000 of the program cost. WEA encourages all individuals to apply for the program, regardless of the ability to pay the $5,000 program cost. WEA is committed to assisting residents to remove as many barriers to achieving certification as possible.
Other costs are supported through grants and a variety of funding sources. The remaining costs for some candidates will be funded through a Washington state Alternative Route Block Grant scholarship loan. The loan is forgiven upon completion of a teaching service commitment. Find our more under "Do completers of WEA’s program need to commit to teaching in a specific district or in special education?" in the FAQ.
Learn more about the "X" value here and here
You also have the opportunity to provide details on your race and ethnicity information by responding to the questions in this survey. Please respond to these questions prior to the admissions application deadline. Your application will not be considered complete without these.
You must be available and eligible to student teach in your selected district during the school year. District information and eligibility requirements for student teaching include:
Auburn, Federal Way, Pasco, Peninsula, and Sumner-Bonney Lake are willing to consider applicants with or without a previous relationship to the district.
Mukilteo: Applicants must be a current district employee. Please contact the district for employment opportunities.
Sedro Woolley: Sedro Woolley may be a residency district pending external funding. If Sedro Woolley is a district of interest to you, please know that we will not have firm information until Mid-March at the earliest. Applications will still be due April 12. Sedro Woolley is willing to consider applicants with or without a previous relationship to the district.
Walla Walla and College Place: Applicants must be current or previous employees with Walla Walla, College Place, or a surrounding school district. Student teaching will take place in both Walla Walla and College Place.
For admission to the program, a bachelor’s degree or higher must be earned prior to the program start date. Please have the institution(s) which granted your bachelor’s degree or higher send an official transcript to:
admissions@washingtonea.org
or
WEA Teacher Residency Program
P.O. Box 9100
Federal Way, WA 98063-9100
If the primary language of the transcript is not English, or if the degree was completed in another country, you must provide a translation and verification of the equivalency of the degree. Find a list of acceptable credentialing equivalency services.
The service you select should send the translated, official transcripts and equivalency verification directly to the WEA Teacher Residency program at the email or address listed above.
Please keep your receipts for any costs associated with the degree equivalency and translation service. Email the receipts, along with a description of the cost and the address we should mail your reimbursement check to admissions@washingtonea.org.
Taking a basic skills assessment is required for program admission, and must be taken prior to the application deadline. You must request that a score report be sent to the WEA.
There is no minimum required passing score. This assessment is one of multiple measures used in the admissions process. See, "How will applicants be selected for this program?" in the FAQ. The results of this assessment will be used by the WEA teacher residency program to design candidate supports.
Basic skills exams approved for Washington teacher preparation program admission:
> WEST-B: Register for the WEST-B. Request a WEST-B score report be sent to the WEA.
> SAT: Request a SAT score report. Use the Code 9284 -Washington Education Association to request your scores be sent to the WEA.
> ACT: Request an ACT score report. Use the Code 8087 -WEA Teacher Residency Program to request your scores be sent to the WEA.
> Washington state approved Basic skills exams from other states
Fee reimbursements and vouchers:
WEA will provide you with a WEST-B voucher so you do not have to pay a testing fee. Request a WEST-B voucher by emailing admissions@washingtonea.org PRIOR to registering for the WEST-B.
To be reimbursed for any fees for requesting SAT or ACT scores, please keep your receipt, and email a copy of your receipt, a description of what the cost was for, and your mailing address for receiving a check to admissions@washingtonea.org.
Many applicants will have previously taken the SAT or ACT, and these past scores can be submitted. There is no expiration date for these exams, although be aware that if the College Board (SAT) or ACT is unable to retrieve your scores, you will need to take the WEST-B.
Your score report needs to include separate results in reading, writing, and math. In many years, the SAT and ACT did not include a writing test, or writing was optional. If you do not have a writing score for your SAT or ACT, you will need to take the WEST-B writing subtest. Please request a voucher from admissions@washingtonea.org prior to registering for the WEST-B writing subtest.
If you have already completed a teacher preparation program in Washington, another state, or another country; or if you already hold a teaching certificate from Washington, another state, or another country, you may be eligible for a Washington residency teacher certificate and would not be eligible for our program. Contact the OSPI certification office at 360-725-6400 or cert@k12.wa.us to determine if you are already eligible for a Washington residency teacher certificate.
If you do hold any type of Washington educator certificate, or have held one in the past, please provide that information. If you are unsure about your certificate status, or for more information, please contact the OSPI Certification Office at cert@k12.wa.us or (360)725-6400, or log in to OSPI eCertification to view your certificate information.
You will be uploading two letters of recommendation in Step 3 of this application, the document portal. Find details on letters of recommendation. In addition, applicants selected for an interview may have references contacted by phone after the interview process. Please provide contact information for three references. At least one reference listed below must be a current or previous supervisor. Note: Teachers are not supervisors of paraeducators. The supervisor for a paraeducator is generally the principal, assistant principal, special education director, or someone in a similar administrator role.