ESD 112 able to certify teachers through new program

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The Reflector 

Over the past five years, Washington’s demand for teachers has increased by 250 percent, according to Educational Service District 112, which covers school districts in Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Pacific, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties.

As a result, ESD 112 is working to alleviate the shortage by helping people already working for schools get their teaching certificates through a program called Alternative Routes to Certification. The program removes common barriers such as time and money, thus allowing people to keep working while getting certified.

In partnership with the Battle Ground Public Schools District and a few others, ESD 112 received a two-year grant to fund certification for future teachers in shortage areas, such as Special Education and English Language Learners.

Recently, ESD 112 was approved by the Professional Educator Standards Board to certify teachers in the state of Washington. The approval makes ESD 112 the first entity that's not a college or university to be approved to certify teachers. 



"We're all in this together, to provide quality teachers for our classrooms," said Mike Nerland, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning at ESD 112, in a press release. 

The Professional Education Advisory Board is made up of public and private education teachers, teaching fellows, principals and occupational therapists. 

"Our program is being designed and taught by practitioners with real world public education teaching experience," said Mike Esping, coordinator of educational initiatives and professional learning for ESD 112. 

Esping will manage the certification process for the new ESD 112 Alternative Routes program, called ESD U. Applications for ESD U will be accepted this winter.