1. Status = Fully Implemented
On December 23, 2009 the website for the ProTeach Portfolio was launched at
On January 4, 2010 the online registration opened for business.
The PESB is pleased to announce that the Washington Teacher ProTeach Portfolio is launched and open for business. The information website opened on 12/23/09 at and the online registration opened on 1/4/10.

2. Continuum of Educator Development See “What’s New” at www.pesb.wa.gov
Before going on to talk about the assessment, let’s develop a context for the assessment in a continuum of educator development. The work of the PESB since given rule-making authority (able to write WAC) in 2006 and the related work of the Basic Ed Funding Task Force and ESHB 2261 passed in 2009 are all focused on is a coherent continuum of educator development where teachers are supported in acquiring the knowledge and skills they need at each stage of their career and licensure, that each step is developmentally appropriate, and there is a progressive degree of expected knowledge and skills.
What are the expectations at each stage? Are they appropriate and reasonable? And, lastly, what are the benchmarks and measurements of knowledge, skill and practice? Again, are they appropriate and reasonable?
The continuum begins at the preservice level, also known as just teacher preparation. In WA, this takes place primarily through higher education colleges and universities. The license or certificate earned at completion is the residency certificate.
Next, is the stage referred to as Induction Support and Mentoring. This is a very crucial stage and based on discussions at many levels should last from 2-3 years.
When teachers begins to feel settle into their practice after 2-3 years, they should begin looking toward work on their professional certificate. Once the professional certificate is earned, teachers advance into the career-long stage of professional growth where there are many opportunities. Those may include the list shown above. Note: this continuum places national board certification in the career-long stage. The PESB holds that position that it is most developmentally appropriate for teachers to earn their professional certificate in years 3-5, then, if desired, work toward the national board certificate when the demonstration of accomplished teaching is most readily accomplished. The clear difference between the ProTeach Portfolio for the teacher professional certificate and the National Board assessment has to do with growth. It is expected and appropriate that teachers are supported through the growth needed to earn the professional certificate; however, the National Board assessment is an opportunity for teachers to demonstrate their accomplished teaching.
Residency –first level
Chart shows – pieces in places and pieces we are proposing or in process of building – pieces are reliant on one another –

3. Uniform and External Assessment for the Professional Certificate
WA Learns Commission: Need for Uniform and External Assessment
Too much variance among programs
2007/08 legislative charge to the PESB:
Set standards, develop, pilot and implement a uniform and external assessment for the professional certificate.
In 2006, the Washington Learns Commission sent a report to the Governor recommending the need for a uniform and external assessment for the teacher professional certificate. This recommendation came from the variance in content, quality and cost among the higher education procert programs.
In 2008, the legislature gave the PESB a charge to set standards, develop, pilot and implement a uniform and external assessment for the professional certificate. The assessment has been designed and developed over the past 2 years by Washington educators for Washington educators. The content development team, consisting of P-12 practitioners, higher education faculty and other crucial stakeholders, designed the entry directions, rubrics and other scoring materials in alignment with the 3 standards and 12 criteria for the professional certificate. Educational Testing Service (Ets) provided guidance in assessment design, validity, fairness and reliability throughout the process. As mentioned earlier, beginning 1/4/10, the assessment is online and ready to go. ETS is administering and operating the assessment as well.

4. 2009 Legislation
Beginning 9/1/11, 1) may earn prof cert with minimum 2 years as defined by PESB and results of assessment authorized in 2007/08, and 2) may not require to enroll in higher ed procert program.
PESB defined minimum 2 years of experience as 1.5 FTE--and do not have to be employed, but must hold valid residency cert.
Between 1/1/10 and 9/1/11, candidates have two options: attend a higher ed procert program or submit to ProTeach Portfolio. See website for list.
9/1/11—all candidates submit to ProTeach Portfolio.
In 2009, the legislature passed additional legislation that beginning no earlier than September 1, 2011, award of professional certificate shall be based on a minimum of two years of successful teaching experience as defined by the professional educator standards board and on the results of the evaluation authorized under RCW 28A (14), and may not require candidates to enroll in a professional certification program. The PESB defined a minimum of 2 years of experience to mean 1.5 FTE. Additionally, a teacher does not have to be employed, but must hold a valid residency certificate.
Between 1/1/10 and 9/1/11, teacher have two options for earning their professional certificate—attend a higher ed procert program or submit a portfolio to the ProTeach Portfolio. After, 9/1/11, all teachers holding a residency certificate must submit to the ProTeach Portfolio. Website located at

5. Other PESB Policy
Approved the changes to WAC A adding elements to the external assessment including the PGP and PGT (PGT will still receive clock hours.)
Residency certs expiring in 2010 or 2011can register for ProTeach Portfolio and receive a two-year renewal.
Other PESB policy passed:
The PESB approved changes to WAC A: as of December 31, 2011, requirements for the professional certification preparation programs (procert programs) would be eliminated. Language changes to WAC A defined the legislative requirement to be at least 2 years of successful teaching experience equal to 1.5 FTE. The changed WAC language retained the requirements for the Professional Growth Plan (PGP & PGT) The PESB approved an emergency rule change in WAC permitting teachers to register for ProTeach Portfolio and receive a two-year renewal of their certification. Go to the OSPI website for an application.

6. Highlights Fully electronic end-to-end online assessment
Candidates have own private, secure website
Maximum flexibility and choice for registration & submission
Examples for the various textboxes are available online
The ProTeach Portfolio is an fully electronic end-to-end online assessment designed to measure the 3 standards and 12 criteria for the teacher professional certificate. Upon completion of online registration, candidates have access to their own private, secure website in which to build their portfolio of evidence. There is maximum flexibility and choice for registration and selection of a submission date. Where applicable, example textboxes have been taken from the pilot portfolios, plus more will be developed as additional portfolios are received in upcoming submissions.

7. More Highlights WA educators trained and used as scorers
Assessment results will be used to educate the system for continuous improvement
Validity and reliability monitored overtime
Registration fee: $495
Washington P-12 practitioners and higher education faculty will be trained and used as scorers. All scorers must be certified and will be continuously calibrated to meet the rigorous scoring standards set with ETS.
Group assessment results will be used to educate the system for continuous improvement, such as, what do the data say about teacher’s impact on student learning at the mid-career level?
The assessment validity and reliability will be monitored overtime by ETS, a world-wide leader in assessment development.
The assessment registration fee is $495.

8. The Entries and Rubrics
Entries measure and are fully aligned to 3 standards and 12 criteria
#1 – Professional Growth and Contributions
#2 – Building a Learning Community
#3 – Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Rubrics aligned to each criterion
Composite score = sum of 12 criterion scores
Passing standard set after 1st operational cohort plus pilot portfolios
The ProTeach Portfolio measures teachers’ ability to impact student learning as stated in the 3 standards – effective teaching, professional development and professional contributions – and 12 criteria approved by the PESB.
The assessment is aligned to the 3 standards and 12 criteria through 3 entries:
#1 – Professional Growth & Contributions
#2 – Building a Learning Community
#3 – Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
The criteria are distributed among the 3 entries with the rubrics are aligned to each criterion.
Each criterion will be scored so there will be 12 scores plus 1 more which will be the composite score of the 12 criterion scores.
The passing score—or standard—will be set after the 1st operational cohort submits portfolios plus the pilot portfolios will be used for standard setting.

9. Administration and Management
Administered by ETS and LiveText
Ethics and Integrity Policies ensure each candidate submits their own work
The ProTeach Portfolio will be administered by ETS and LiveText, a Chicago-based company that provides online electronic platforms for education.
A rigorous Ethics and Integrity policy has been developed for the assessment to ensure that each candidate submits their own work.
All portfolio content will be scanned by state of the art software used in other high-stakes assessments. The software will scan for overlapping content with another portfolio and plagiarism. If a situation is detected, the ETS Office of Testing Integrity will conduct an investigation. The results will be forwarded to the PESB, who will inform the OSPI Office of Professional Practice (OPP), which will subpoena the report from the PESB. After review, the OPP will determine next steps according to the WA Code of Professional Conduct.

10. Proposed PESB Policy Change
In May 2010 the board will consider a cost neutral proposal to award 150 clock hours to candidates successfully completing the ProTeach Portfolio.
In the past, candidates attending the higher education procert programs have earned 15 credits applicable to possible movement on the salary schedule. In order to keep this available to candidates earning the professional certificate through the ProTeach Portfolio, the PESB will consider a cost neutral proposal to award 150 clock hours upon successful completion.

11. Length of Residency Cert
At what point should teachers engage in the Professional Certificate process?
Previously – too drawn out / up to TWELVE years
Appropriate post induction – years 3-5
At what point, if not successful on ProTeach will we withdraw licensure?
Expectation will be completion by end of year 5
Conditions for renewal (2, 2-yr renewals):
Lapses in employment
Attempted and failed
One of the charges from the 2009 Legislature called to define the length of the residency certificate. In light of the recent changes to requirements and clarity of the continuum of teacher development, the PESB addressed the question regarding the point at which teachers should engage in the process of growth leading to the professional certificate.
Previously the pursuit what too drawn out and could take up to 12 years when if fact it is meant to be a post-induction process taking place during years 3-5.
Because of the legislative charge, the stakeholder group had to consider at what point will licensure be withdrawn if a candidate does not successfully pass the ProTeach Portfolio , in spite of repeated attempts.
The expectation is that the ProTeach Portfolio should be attempted by the end of year 5. If the candidate has submitted a portfolio yet not received a passing score, application for two 2-year renewals can be made. If the candidate is not successful by the end of year 9, the certificate will lapse. Reinstatement options will be developed in the near future.

12. Document available at http://www. pesb. wa
Document available at in Strengthening the Continuum Of Teacher Development, Professional Educator Standards Board Response to the Charges in ESHB 2261, page 29.
Recap Specifics:
Years 1-2: Issuance of first undated residency teaching certificate. Candidate holds a valid undated first-issue certificate—whether teaching or not—until accumulates “2 years of successful teaching experience” (ESHB 2261) required eligibility to being ProTeach Portfolio. This time will vary for candidates—most will reach in two calendar years.
Years 3-5: Teacher reissued a dated residency certificate for 3 years; eligible to register for the ProTeach Portfolio. November S-275 pull—all residency certificate holders with a least 1.5 FTE experience (WA or other state)
End of Year 5: Dated residency certificate expires. Renewal options:
1. Tried but failed the ProTeach Portfolio? 2 year renewal available
2. Did not work each year during 3 three years / break in service?
Options:
a. I will begin ProTeach—2 year extension
b. I do not plan to teach in next 2 years – let cert lapse
3. Worked full time, just didn’t do it? Must register for ProTeach Portfolio in order to get extension.
End of Year 7: First renewal expires.
1. Worked all 7 years but never submitted to ProTeach Portfolio? Certificate expires.
2. Renewal options:
a. Took and failed ProTeach Portfolio? 2 year renewal
b. Didn’t work during year 6 and/or 7?
1. Register for ProTeach Portfolio
2. Certificate lapses.
End of Year 9: Residency Certificate Final Expiration.

13. Verifying Private School Teachers
Eligibility (1.5 FTE in at least 2 years) is verified at registration.
If ineligible or record incorrect, a message will appear with a form to be downloaded. The form and documentation should be taken, faxed or mailed to the nearest ESD for correction of the record.

14. Candidate Support Providers
Several ProTeach Portfolio Support Providers operating
Go to for list, or for list with contact info