School Counselor First Time Applicant

Requirements

For the Residency First Issue Certificate

This application is for people seeking their first tier certification for the school counselor role.

• Master's degree in counseling*. Must submit official transcripts showing degree conferral
• Qualification options relevant to K-12 services:
  • Completion of any state's approved program leading to certification for the school counselor role Form 4098E
  • If you did not complete an approved program, Three years of out of state experience in the school counselor role Form 4020F-1
• Completion of a comprehensive exam** relevant to the role
• Submission of fingerprints for a background check is required if a valid Washington educator certificate is not already on record

*DEGREE NOTE: If your master's degree is not in counseling, you could possibly still be eligible if, you completed a state-approved school counselor preparation program (submit Form 4098E) OR you completed all coursework requirements for a master's degree in counseling (submit written, signed verification from head of the counseling department or registrar's office of the institution. The OSPI Certification Office is not authorized to perform transcript evaluations.)

** EXAM NOTE: If you completed a comprehensive exam relevant to counseling in your program, you may submit completed Form 4098E for verification. If you did not complete such an exam in your program, verification of one of the following approved alternatives is required:

• The National Counselor Examination (NCE) of the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC).
• Praxis II specialty area test (code 5422) with a passing score of 159 (10/1/2022 to current)
• Praxis II specialty area test (code 5421) with a passing score of 156 (9/1/2014 to 9/30/2022)
• Praxis II specialty area test (code 0421) with a passing score of 156 (Prior to 8/31/2014)
• Praxis II specialty area test (code 0420) with a passing score of 600 (Prior to 1/17/2003)

For the Professional Certificate

This application is for people seeking second-tier certification for the school counselor role.

• Must meet all requirements for a Residency Educational Staff Associate (ESA) First Issue Certificate
• Must hold a school counselor certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)
• Must attest to completion of an issues of abuse course for more information see WAC 181-79A-030(9). This course MUST be entered into the 'PD Hours' section of your E-Certification account prior to applying
• Must attest to completion of a suicide prevention training approved by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) in the state of Washington within the five years previous to application. Form 4020S

ISSUES OF ABUSE COURSE NOTE: The issues of abuse course or course work must include information related to identification of physical, emotional, sexual, and substance abuse; the impact on learning and behavior; the responsibilities of an educational staff associate to report abuse or to provide assistance to victimized children; and methods of teaching about abuse and its prevention.

Apply

If you have all necessary documentation to apply for this certificate, login to: E-Certification