Alternative Routes to Certification
What is ESD-U?
NEW! PARAEDUCATOR & EXPLORER PROGRAM (PEP)
Refer to the PEP webpage and PEP flier for details, including what participation includes, who is eligible, cost, when program occurs, how to apply, etc.
(PEP) is designed to give current paraeducators and individuals exploring the teaching profession a glimpse into the ESD-U teacher certificate program by attending ESD-U seminars, while earning clock hours toward the General or Advanced Paraeducator Certificate requirements.
Fundamental Course of Study (FCS) sessions for paraeducators!
ESD-U and ESD 112 will be hosting FCS sessions in the summer and fall. Refer to the FCS flier for details and register on pdEnroller.org.
What is ESD-U?
ESD-U is an alternative pathway to certification that supports a “grow your own” partnership with local districts. This residency-based teaching certification program offers Route 2, 3, and 4, as well as a “retooling” route for a currently certified teachers seeking to add an endorsement.
ESD-U is a hybrid program, with all courses held virtually with real-time instruction plus opportunities for in-person participation in select sessions. The program is intended to be completed within 1 year (July to June) with courses occurring in the summer, on Saturdays, and occasionally Wednesday evenings. Courses begin in July, spanning 3-5 weeks, Monday-Friday 9am-4pm. For the remainder of the year, courses occur 1-3 Saturdays per month with occasional Wednesday evenings. Number of weeks in the summer, number of Saturdays per month, and number of Wednesday evenings are dependent on route and endorsement. Candidates will finish in early or late June, depending on endorsement area. For specific dates/times of courses based on route/endorsement, refer to the Year-at-a-Glance Calendars in the Resources section at the bottom of this webpage.
All courses will occur virtually with real-time instruction, utilizing the Zoom and Canvas platforms. Opportunities for in-person participation in select sessions will be provided throughout the year and will be held at the ESD 112 Vancouver campus (2500 NE 65th Ave. Vancouver, WA, 98661).
Participation in the program includes attending courses, completing field experience hours in a classroom environment setting and passing a state-required assessment. The program is designed so individuals working within a school system can use their regular position to fulfill a majority of the field experience requirements, as long as the position matches the endorsement pathway (ex: a special education paraeducator getting a special education endorsement).
ESD-U is operated by ESD 112 and has been approved by PESB.
Routes to Certification
- Route 2: Individuals with baccalaureate degrees who are currently employed classified instructional staff working with the district for at least one year, and are seeking a residency teacher certificate with endorsements in a locally determined shortage area.
- Route 3: Individuals with baccalaureate degrees who are not employed in the district at the time of application or who are currently employed by a district but have been working with the district for less than one year at the time of application, and are seeking a residency teacher certificate with endorsements in a locally-determined shortage area.
- Route 4: Individuals with baccalaureate degrees for whom the district will secure a conditional or emergency substitute certificate and employ as a teacher of record while seeking a residency teacher certificate with endorsements in a locally-determined shortage area.
- Retooling Pathway: Individuals who currently hold a Washington state teaching certificate and are employed as a teacher in a Washington school district, and are seeking an additional endorsement. Priority shall be given to those currently employed in partnering districts.
Endorsements
- English Language Learners
- Special Education
- Reading
- Elementary Education
Starting in the 2019-2020 cohort, residency teacher certificates with endorsements in ELL must be dually endorsed in a second area of certification. In future years, we may also offer additional endorsements based on district partner requests.
Cost
ESD-U offers a variety of payment plan options to provide financial flexibility to our candidates. Scholarships are available for candidates; more information can be found under the Certification and Endorsement tabs, as well as at informational sessions. Updated tuition rates for 2023-2024 are listed below:
- $5,250 for adding retooling endorsement
- $9,000 for Residency Teacher Certificate with stand-alone endorsement (Elementary Education or Special Education)
- $12,000 for Residency Teacher Certificate with dual endorsement
District Partners and Contacts
Currently, ESD-U exclusively partners with districts in the ESD 112 region in southwest Washington. To view individual districts, visit https://www.esd112.org/schooldistricts/

2024-2025 Applications Available January 31, 2024
Preview application materials from 2023-2024:
- Paraeducators, career changers, emergency substitutes & conditionally certified teachers can view the 23-24 Application Link & Materials found here.
- Currently certified teachers adding an endorsement can view the 23-24 Application Link & Materials found here.
Questions?
Email esd-u@esd112.org
Is ESD-U Right for Me?
ESD-U candidates should possess the following:
Certification
Residency Teacher Certificate
ESD-U Program Scholarship
For the 2022-2023 cohort, 30 scholarships for up to $5000 will be available for Route 2, Route 3, and Route 4 candidates through the ESD-U Program grant awarded by PESB. These scholarships will be awarded to candidates based on district needs. More information about these scholarships will be provided at informational sessions, and throughout the application process. Scholarships are currently pending for the 2023-2024 cohort.
Routes to Certification
ESD-U is a residency-based, flexible program that offers Route 2, 3, and 4 alternative routes to teacher certification. Eligible candidates will hold a Bachelor’s degree and be supported by a partnering district. See the FAQ tab for a list of ESD-U’s partner districts. ESD-U provides access to certification through the following three routes:
- Route 2: Individuals with baccalaureate degrees who are currently employed classified instructional staff working with the district for at least one year, and are seeking a residency teacher certificate with endorsements in a locally determined shortage area.
- Route 3: Individuals with baccalaureate degrees who are not employed in the district at the time of application or who are currently employed by a district but have been working with the district for less than one year at the time of application, and are seeking a residency teacher certificate with endorsements in a locally-determined shortage area.
- Route 4: Individuals with baccalaureate degrees for whom the district will secure a conditional or emergency substitute certificate and employ as teacher of record while seeking a residency teacher certificate with endorsements in a locally-determined shortage area.
Areas of Certification
- English Language Learners/Elementary Education*
- Special Education
- Elementary Education
- Special Education/Elementary Education (by district request)
*Please note that starting with the 2019-2020 cohort, residency teacher certificates with endorsements in ELL must be dually endorsed in a second area of certification. Refer to PESB’s Dual Endorsement FAQ for more details. In future years, ESD-U may offer additional endorsement areas based on district partner requests. See Endorsement Pathways Diagram for prerequisites and program details for the area of certification you wish to pursue.
Prerequisite Tests
The Washington State Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) requires Route 2, 3, and 4 alternative route candidates to take the basic skills test and endorsement test prior to starting the program. In Washington State, these tests are the Washington Educator Skills Tests (WEST) and National Evaluation Series (NES).
Refer to our WEST & NES Information & Resources document for more information about what is expected of ESD-U applicants in regards to this requirement. Specific information for each test, including when and where you can take them, can be found on the WEST website.
ESD-U requests that all prerequisite test scores be submitted by the application deadline of May 1. To ensure meeting this deadline, we recommend taking the tests as early as possible.
ESD-U may host test preparation courses for some endorsement tests. Attendance is optional and not required for applying to ESD-U. Registration is $25 and since space is limited, priority will be given to individuals who are current candidates of ESD-U or who have submitted their ESD-U application for the upcoming cohort.
2023-2024 Applications Available!
Deadline extended to June 5!
ESD-U Route 2/3/4 Application Materials: For paraeducators, career changers, emergency substitutes & conditionally certified teachers
Questions?
Email esd-u@esd112.org.
Endorsement
Retooling Endorsement
Adding an Endorsement for Currently Certified Candidates
“Retooling” candidates currently hold a Washington state teaching certificate and are employed as a teacher in a Washington school district, and are seeking an additional endorsement. Those in a partner district will be prioritized for enrollment. See FAQ tab for a list of ESD-U’s partner districts.
Educator Retooling Conditional Scholarship
Teachers who qualify as retooling candidates can apply for a competitive retooling scholarship through the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), of up to $3000. These scholarships are awarded through WSAC and ESD-U is not involved in the scholarship selection process.
To qualify, you must be certified as a teacher in the state of Washington, and seeking an endorsement in a shortage subject area. ESD-U currently offers endorsements in the following areas: Special Education, English Language Learners, Elementary Education, and Reading.
See WSAC’s website for more details and how to apply. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Endorsement Areas
- Special Education
- English Language Learners
- Reading
- Elementary Education
See Endorsement Pathways Diagram for prerequisites and program details for the endorsement area you wish to pursue.
2023-2024 Applications Available!
Deadline extended to June 5!
ESD-U Retooling Application Materials: For currently certified teachers adding an endorsement
Questions?
Email esd-u@esd112.org.
Advisory Board
Professional Education Advisory Board
Mission
To prepare educators who demonstrate a positive impact on student learning, evidence shall be evaluated to determine whether each preparation program is in compliance with the program approval standards.
Purpose
The purpose of the PEAB is to participate in and cooperate with the institution on decisions related to the development, implementation, and revision of each program.
Responsibilities
- Adopt operating procedures.
- Meet at least three times over the course of a year. A quorum of voting members must be present at each meeting.
- The Professional Education Advisory Board must review all program approval standards at least once every five years.
- The PEAB annually has reviewed and analyzed data for the purposes of determining whether candidates have a positive impact on student learning and providing the institution with recommendations for programmatic change. This data may include, but not be limited to: Student surveys, follow-up studies, employment placement records, student performance portfolios, course evaluations, and summaries of performance on the pedagogy assessment for teacher candidates.
- Make recommendations for program changes to the institution, which must in turn consider and respond to the recommendations in writing in a timely fashion.
Upcoming Board Meetings
Past Board Meeting Minutes
- April 17, 2020
- January 17, 2020
- November 8, 2019
- September 12, 2019
- May 30, 2019
- April 15, 2019
- December 7, 2018
- October 26, 2018
- May 30, 2018
- March 29, 2018
- January 12, 2018
- October 27, 2017
- May 8, 2017
Current Board Members
FAQ
FAQs about ESD-U
ESD-U & PEP Interest Survey
Please fill out the ESD-U & PEP Interest Survey if you are interested in applying, or would like to be added to our email list to receive program updates
Field Supervisor Interest Form
If you are interested in becoming an ESD-U field supervisor and providing support for pre-service teachers, please fill out the Field Supervisor Interest Form.
Resources
ESD-U Candidate Handbook (last updated 2023)
ESD-U Course Descriptions
WEST & NES Information & Resources
Endorsement Pathways Diagram
ESD-U Quick Facts Flier
PEP Quick Facts Flier
Year-at-a-Glance Calendars 2023-2024
- SPED Route 2/3/4 Stand-Alone & Retooling Calendar
- ELEM Route 2/3/4 Stand-Alone & Retooling Calendar
- ELL-ELEM Route 2/3/4 Dual Endorsement Calendar
- ELL Retooling Calendar
- RDG Retooling Calendar
Website Links
Washington Educator Skills Tests (WEST)
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)
Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB)
District Resources
ESD-U Info Sheet for HR & Administrators
ESD-U Field Experience Agreement Form
ESD-U Funding Information for Districts