To become a math teacher in Washington, you complete a PESB-approved preparation program, take a basic skills test such as the WEST-B, and pass the NES Mathematics (304) or NES Middle Grades Mathematics (203) exam. Then you apply to OSPI for a Residency Teacher Certificate. Career changers can enter through one of four alternative routes.
Washington State certifies math teachers in two grade bands, and the band you pick decides which exam you take. PESB’s guidelines in WAC 181-82-201 recommend grades 4-9 for the Middle Level Mathematics endorsement and grades 5-12 for the secondary Mathematics endorsement. These are placement guidelines for districts and programs, not grade limits printed on your certificate. Two agencies handle your file. The Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) sets the requirements and approves programs, and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) issues your certificate. The broad sequence follows how math teacher certification works in most states, but Washington’s tests and renewal rules are its own. Here’s how to become a math teacher in Washington State, in four steps.
- Complete an Approved Math Teacher Preparation Program
- Take the WEST-B and Pass the NES Math Exam
- Apply for Your Residency Teacher Certificate
- Reissue and Renew Your Certificate
Step 1. Complete an Approved Math Teacher Preparation Program
You need at least a bachelor’s degree and a PESB-approved teacher preparation program with a math endorsement. Many Washington universities combine the two, so you graduate with a math degree and become eligible for a certificate at the same time. Use PESB’s Find a Preparation Program tool to see which programs offer the Mathematics or Middle Level Mathematics endorsement.
Expect math content courses first, such as:
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Trigonometry
- Statistics and probability
- Calculus
- Discrete mathematics
The education side of the program covers how to teach that content:
- Math teaching methods
- Lesson planning for math classes
- Educational psychology
- Teaching diverse learners
- Supervised student teaching in a math classroom
Student teaching comes near the end. You’ll teach under a mentor teacher who reviews your lessons and gives you feedback before you lead a classroom on your own.
If You Already Have a Bachelor’s Degree
If you hold a bachelor’s degree but never completed teacher preparation, you can enroll in a post-baccalaureate or Master in Teaching program that includes student teaching. You can also take one of PESB’s alternative routes, which are built for career changers and current school staff. As of October 2026, every alternative route requires you to seek certification in a shortage area, complete a one-year mentored residency, and log 540 hours of student teaching.
PESB offers four routes:
- Route 1: District staff, such as paraeducators, with an associate’s degree. You finish your bachelor’s degree and certification in about two years while working in your district.
- Route 2: District staff with a bachelor’s degree. You complete one to two years of coursework plus a residency in the district where you work.
- Route 3: Career changers with a bachelor’s degree who don’t work for a district. You complete one to two years of coursework plus a residency in a partner district.
- Route 4: District staff with a bachelor’s degree and a limited certificate, such as a conditional certificate. You complete about one year of preparation while you keep teaching.
Routes 2, 3 and 4 also require one attempt at your NES math exam before student teaching begins. Search PESB’s alternative route program list for current providers.
If You’re Certified in Another State
OSPI issues a Residency Teacher Certificate to out-of-state applicants who completed any state’s approved preparation program, or who hold a full teaching certificate from another state plus three years of teaching experience (verified on Form 4020F-1). If you qualify for a temporary permit, you have one calendar year from its issue date to finish Washington’s tests. You can also use passing scores from your current state’s certification exam. Start with OSPI’s first-time teacher certification page. If you’re still choosing where to teach in the Northwest, compare the steps for becoming a math teacher in Oregon and Idaho’s math teacher certification requirements.
Step 2. Take the WEST-B and Pass the NES Math Exam
Washington has two testing requirements, and only one of them has a passing score. You need both before OSPI will issue your certificate.
Basic Skills: Take the WEST-B
Since 2019, you must take a basic skills test, but you don’t need a minimum score. Preparation programs use your results to judge how ready you are for their coursework. The WEST-B has three subtests: reading, writing and mathematics. As of October 2026, each subtest costs $32, or $96 for all three at a test center. If you test online, you register and pay for each subtest separately.
The WEST-B isn’t your only option. PESB also accepts SAT or ACT scores and several other equivalent tests. Check with your program before you register, because programs can set their own admission requirements.
Content Knowledge: Pass NES 304 or NES 203
Your content exam is a National Evaluation Series (NES) test matched to your endorsement. You’ll see the Washington Educator Skills Test-Endorsement (WEST-E) name on PESB pages too, but in Washington the WEST-E covers other subjects, not math.
| Detail | NES Mathematics (304) | NES Middle Grades Mathematics (203) |
|---|---|---|
| Endorsement | Mathematics | Middle Level Mathematics |
| Grade band (PESB guideline) | Grades 5-12 | Grades 4-9 |
| Format | 150 multiple-choice questions, computer-based | 150 multiple-choice questions, computer-based |
| Testing time | 5 hours | 5 hours |
| Passing score | 220 | 220 |
| Fee | $119 | $119 |
Test figures come from the WEST testing site as of October 2026. Book a 5-hour-15-minute appointment: the extra 15 minutes covers the tutorial and nondisclosure agreement. Both tests give you an on-screen scientific calculator and a formulas page. You get a scaled score right after testing, and your score report within two weeks. Review the NES 304 or NES 203 test page for the current content outline before you register.
If you don’t pass, ask your preparation program about PESB’s case-by-case exception. It isn’t automatic. You must have taken the test at least once, a program review committee weighs other evidence of your math knowledge, and you still have to meet every other certification requirement. If you’re adding a math endorsement through testing alone, you aren’t eligible.
Step 3. Apply for Your Residency Teacher Certificate
Your first Washington certificate is the Residency Teacher Certificate (First Issue). If you finished a Washington program, the program recommends you to OSPI, and you complete the application in OSPI’s E-Certification system, which runs inside the Education Data System (EDS).
You’ll also need a fingerprint-based background check if you don’t already hold a valid Washington certificate. OSPI lists the process and locations on its fingerprints and background checks page.
The First Issue certificate starts with no expiration date. It gains one once your district reports 1.5 years of full-time equivalent (FTE) teaching.
Step 4. Reissue and Renew Your Certificate
When OSPI tells you your First Issue certificate has an expiration date, apply to reissue it in E-Certification. As of October 2026, the reissued Residency certificate is valid for five years, and you don’t need clock hours to reissue it. Don’t apply until you’ve received OSPI’s notice or confirmed the expiration date in E-Certification.
After that, you renew every five years. As of October 2026, OSPI’s renewal requirements and PESB’s renewal rules ask math teachers for:
- 100 clock hours or equivalents, completed after your current certificate was issued
- 15 of those hours in equity-based school practices, required on renewals since July 1, 2023
- 15 of those hours in STEM integration, which both the Mathematics and Middle Level Mathematics endorsements require
- At your first renewal only, an attestation that you completed coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students, entered in E-Certification or on Form 4020G
Each block of hours counts toward one requirement only, so a STEM hour can’t also be an equity hour. College credit counts toward the 100 hours: one quarter credit equals 10 clock hours, and one semester credit equals 15. A qualifying professional growth plan (PGP) goal can also meet the STEM and equity requirements, and a valid National Board certificate meets both.
Watch the deadline. Certificates now expire on June 30, and your renewal application is due by January 1 of the expiration year. OSPI treats anything later as late, though it won’t charge the late fee until January 2030.
The Professional Certificate Is Optional
Washington used to push new teachers to upgrade to a Professional Certificate through the ProTeach Portfolio. ProTeach accepted its last submissions in June 2019, and the Professional Certificate is now optional. You can keep renewing your Residency certificate every five years instead.
If you still want the upgrade, National Board Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is the route open to a teacher who started in Washington. If you’re coming from another state, a second-tier or advanced certificate from an approved state can also qualify you. The National Board’s math certificates come in two levels, Early Adolescence and Adolescence and Young Adulthood. OSPI explains how a National Board certificate affects your Washington certificate on its National Board page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pass the WEST-B to teach math in Washington?
No. Since 2019 you must take a basic skills test, but Washington doesn’t require a passing score. You can also use SAT or ACT scores or another PESB-approved equivalent instead of the WEST-B.
Which math test do I take in Washington?
You take NES Mathematics (304) for the secondary Mathematics endorsement, which PESB recommends for grades 5-12, or NES Middle Grades Mathematics (203) for the Middle Level Mathematics endorsement, recommended for grades 4-9. As of October 2026, both require a scaled score of 220.
Can I teach math in Washington without an education degree?
Yes. With a bachelor’s degree in any field, you can complete a post-baccalaureate or Master in Teaching program, or take Route 3, PESB’s alternative route for career changers. Either way, you still pass the NES math exam and complete supervised student teaching.
Can I transfer my out-of-state teaching certificate to Washington?
Usually. OSPI accepts a full certificate from another state plus three years of teaching experience, or completion of any state’s approved preparation program. If you qualify for a temporary permit, you get one calendar year to meet Washington’s testing requirements.
Do I need a Professional Certificate to keep teaching?
No. The Professional Certificate became optional, and ProTeach closed in 2019. You can renew your Residency certificate every five years with 100 clock hours, including 15 in equity-based school practices and 15 in STEM integration. You can also upgrade through National Board Certification or a qualifying advanced certificate from another state.
- Two grade bands: PESB recommends grades 5-12 for the Mathematics endorsement and grades 4-9 for Middle Level Mathematics.
- Basic skills is take-only: You must take the WEST-B or an equivalent such as the SAT or ACT, but Washington sets no passing score.
- The math exam is NES: You pass NES 304 or NES 203, each with a passing score of 220 as of October 2026.
- Career changers have four routes: PESB’s alternative routes pair coursework with a one-year mentored residency in a shortage area.
- Renewal is clock hours: You renew your Residency certificate every five years with 100 clock hours, including 15 in equity-based school practices and 15 in STEM integration, applying by January 1 of the expiration year.
If you’re choosing between a Master in Teaching and an alternative route, compare how each program schedules its residency and student teaching hours, since that decides whether you can keep working while you train. The school listings on this page let you compare formats, cost and start dates side by side.