As the agency responsible for overseeing many of Washington’s educator workforce policies, the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) is uniquely positioned to hold preparation programs accountable for how they recruit, support, and prepare diverse and classroom-ready educators.
PESB regulates the quality and effectiveness of preparation programs through initial approval and ongoing review. Program review involves looking at their performance on multiple dimensions of merit, including design fidelity, standards alignment, key performance indicators, and the ability to demonstrate continuous improvement. The review process produces the following information:
- Better understanding of program design, implementation, and outcomes
- Opportunities for strategic input on preparation programming
- An approval decision by PESB
Initial review for new programs
PESB grants initial approval to programs that can demonstrate their ability to meet all standards and requirements, address local and state educator workforce shortages, and advance equity. During initial approval, programs serve candidates for a limited amount of time following the beginning of instruction. Before the expiration of initial approval, PESB convenes a review team to conduct site visits and determine if the program performance is aligned with state approval requirements. Based on the review results, the Board may grant full approval. Once programs are fully approved, the Board will review them on an ongoing basis. Learn more about initial review for new programs.
Ongoing review for programs by educator role
PESB conducts ongoing review of programs that prepare teachers, administrators, school counselors, and school psychologists. Each type of preparation program is reviewed differently through key performance indicators, site visits, and evidence of upholding PESB program standards.
