The WEST-E or NES is a content knowledge assessment that teacher candidates must pass prior to becoming a certified teacher. Passing the WEST-E or NES is one way PESB knows if teacher candidates have been prepared with the knowledge necessary to serve K-12 students well. In 2018-19 data collection moved to the Education Research and Data Center (ERDC) In December 2020, PESB implemented a policy allowing for case by case exceptions (doc) to the content knowledge assessment requirement.