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Career and Technical Teacher Education
CTE Certification Frequently Asked Questions
CTE Home | Certification Overview | Program Courses | Registration | FAQ's
Introduction—Program Definition
Registration
Course of Study
CTE Teacher Certificate Options
Work-Based Learning Certification
Eligibility for Post-Secondary Certification
CTE Education Administration
Q & A: INTRODUCTION—PROGRAM DEFINITION
I have been told that I need to obtain certification as a “Career and Technical Teacher.” What is that?
The Washington Administrative Code for secondary CTE certification (WAC 181-77-041) addresses the area as “Career and Technical Education.” The career and technical teacher education approved course of study at South Seattle Community College leads to an initial secondary CTE certificate. Information about the Washington State CTE certification is available at the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Web site.
I have a Teaching Certificate already and they say I need a CTE Teaching Certificate—what’s the difference?
Many of the competencies for the CTE teaching certificate are specific to the category of classes including business, family/consumer sciences, marketing, and technology and agricultural education (as compared with academic classes). Additionally, in order for a school district to receive reimbursement for a class categorized as a Career and Technical Education, the teacher must have a CTE teaching certificate.
Is this an approved program by the State of Washington?
Yes. South’s course of study is an approved program by the Washington State Board of Education (January 2003) for secondary (grades 9-12) Career and Technical Education (CTE) certification (for those seeking their initial state certificate).
Q & A: REGISTRATION
What do I need to do to enroll in South Seattle’s program?
Call the Continuing Education office at 206-764-5339 or e-mail the program administrator to confirm eligibility for this program. Please register for courses over the phone or at www.learnatsouth.org. Also, many of your initial questions about enrolling are answered in these FAQ.
Q & A: ELIGIBILITY FOR SECONDARY CERTIFICATION
Who is eligible for this program?
“Business and industry” professionals with 6,000 hours of paid employment in a recognized career or technical field may be eligible for this secondary certification program. Once eligibility is determined, taking the approved course of study fulfills the competency requirements for secondary CTE teaching (grades 9–12). Eligibility is determined by OSPI. For questions call the OSPI certification number: 360-725-6400.
What do they mean by Work Experience and 6000 hours?
Certification requires the documentation of three years (6,000 hours) of paid occupational experience in the specific CTE subcategory/specialty area for which certification is sought. One year (2,000 hours) must be within the past six years. If any of the 2,000 hours is more than six years old, 300 hours of the experience must be within the past two years.
I have been self-employed—will that count towards the 6000 hours?
Yes, it will. However, documentation of the business hours is required and could be presented in the form of a business license, tax returns or letters from business clients.
Are there other requirements?
First, teacher candidates must be able to document 6000 hours of paid employment as per guidelines from OSPI.
Second, teacher candidates must be competent in the basic skills (reading, writing, and math), as this is a competency-based program. These basic skills are demonstrated by either passing the Compass Test or the West-B. Individuals possessing a bachelors, masters or doctoral degree may be exempt. However, on an individual basis and regardless of degree or other preparation, should any of the program faculty determine there may be a need to assess teacher candidate literacy levels, teacher candidates will then be required to take such testing and attain such basic skills before they will be approved to complete the program and/or teach in the classroom.
Please note: All teacher candidates are required to submit to OSPI a background check which includes obtaining fingerprints and being screened by both the Washington State Patrol and the FBI.
Q & A: COURSE OF STUDY
What does the course of study involve?
The course of study covers competencies outlined by the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) and Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Courses have defined learning outcomes, which are aligned with core competencies including:
See our annual schedule.
See complete course descriptions and clock hours.
Do I need all the content areas within this course of study?
This is a competency-based program, and there is a rigorous expectation that the teacher candidate will be able to successfully demonstrate the competencies outlined in the program. These competencies deal directly with the ability to teach and be effective in the classroom as a career and technical teacher educator. Even with prior teaching experience, the teacher candidate will be asked to demonstrate competencies in the various courses that attest to the teacher candidate’s abilities and/or attainment of such competencies. The goal is to achieve those competencies and skills that will contribute to becoming an effective grade 9–12 CTE classroom teacher (regardless of previous grade level experience).
Is there a sequence to the course of study?
The Introduction to Career and Technical Teacher Education is STRONGLY recommended as the initial course (it can be taken concurrent with other courses).This course is offered twice a year and includes:
- Understanding of the CTE program expectations
- CTE competency assessment
- Clarifying documentation required for the course of study and certification process.
- Items related to safety and industrial hygiene.
- Portfolio development.
Teaching Strategies is a prerequisite for Advanced Teaching Methods & Strategies.
The Practicum course is taken after completing the core methods courses: Organization and Curriculum Design, Teaching Strategies, Advanced Teaching Methods & Strategies and Classroom Management.
What is the Practicum?
The Practicum is similar to a practical exam and is designed to give the teacher candidate a place to demonstrate their observable teaching abilities and competencies. It is also a forum in which the program validates experience relevant to the subcategory/specialty area endorsement on the initial certification.
Two Practicum Paths
In the Practicum, the teacher candidate will be observed a minimum of two times while teaching a lesson. These two observations are to be documented by an Observer appointed by the South’s Program Administrator. These observations should be either in two different courses or two different classes of students.
Based on classroom experience, there are two paths available for this Practicum.
- For those with solid classroom experience, there are to be two structured observations by an appointed Observer in an approved classroom setting.
- For those without classroom experience, it is expected that the teacher candidate will observe and gradually gain experience within 30 hours of instruction given by an experienced Host Teacher in an active environment of teaching during classroom lessons. This Practicum is designed to give the teacher candidate a place to practice, implement, and finally demonstrate their teaching skills using the knowledge and competencies acquired during South’s CTE Teacher Certification Preparation Program. The teacher candidate will keep a log of those observed lessons and activities. Later in the Practicum, there will be at least two observations by an appointed Observer.
I have already completed student teaching with my teacher’s certification—will I need to do the Practicum?
The Practicum is a required course for completion of South’s CTE certification, and it provides documentation of a teacher candidate’s mastery of the CTE competencies as outlined by the State of Washington. A teacher candidate may use their current CTE classroom as their Practicum site.
What are clock hours?
At South, teacher candidates earn clock hours for completing the competencies of the course. At the completion of the course, teacher candidates will receive a completed form signed by the Program Administrator. When signed by the approved in-service provider, this form serves as a transcript or letter documenting eligible credits as required for salary purposes by WAC 392-121-280(2). Please note: the number of hours spent mastering the competencies of the course—through attendance, papers, class preparation and discussion— will be greater than then number of clock hours listed by a class description.
How are the online and hybrid classes structured?
Online classes use Blackboard. Teacher candidates log onto the Web site to participate in discussions with classmates, receive assignments and to submit completed assignments. For teacher candidates new to Blackboard, there is an online tutorial to orient them to the Blackboard system. Online classes require that teacher candidates log onto Blackboard on a regular basis.
Hybrid classes meet on the electronic Blackboard and in person on the South campus. On campus meetings are held on Saturdays and scheduled prior to the start of the quarter. Those on-campus meetings often have mandatory attendance requirements.
Note: Online courses are not self-paced. You will be expected to spend time each week looking at the class material posted on the Web site—reading lectures, keeping up with the discussion boards, responding to colleagues, writing and researching. Some assignments many require group work.
How long will it take to complete this course of study?
The course of study requires that the teacher candidate demonstrates the skills and competencies required by law. South’s program offers many of the courses online. The College will make every attempt to offer the required courses for teacher candidates to complete their course of study in a reasonable time frame.
Only successful completion of the “approved” course of study and the recommendation to OSPI from a CTE Certification Preparation Program such as South’s will provide a valid basis for filing an application for an initial certificate as a Career and Technical Education teacher.
What if I have taken courses at another institution—will they transfer in and be accepted?
Teacher candidates who have taken courses at another Washington State Board of Education-approved CTE program will need to forward a transcript from that institution to South’s CTE program office, attention program administrator. Upon receipt, such transcripts will be evaluated to determine what courses substitute for courses at South.
If a teacher candidate has taken other secondary teacher education courses from a regionally accredited college/university, an official transcript must be submitted to determine if there are any courses that might qualify for substitute (waiver) of South’s program courses.
Having gone through a state-approved teacher preparation program does not guarantee that any of those courses will substitute for meeting the competencies of the CTE program at South. After a teacher candidate has completed Introduction to Career and Technical Teacher Education, they may request a waiver for some of the methods courses and may be asked to provide a catalogue and/or course outlines/syllabi from the other institution to assist in the evaluation process. The Practicum will be required by all teacher candidates in this program.
Again, it cannot be presumed that because a teacher candidate has taken a secondary program or holds a master’s degree in teaching that such courses will correlate to the competency-based CTE teacher education course of study (PDF) .
Q & A: CTE TEACHER CERTIFICATES OPTIONS
What if I am already teaching a CTE class—why do I need to a CTE initial certificate?
If a teacher candidate is currently teaching, he or she may have a limited conditional or probationary certificate. A conditional, probationary or similar certificate is only valid for two years, and is only good within the district that it was issued. Completing the course of study for a regular initial CTE certificate provides the flexibility to teach within any school district.
A classroom certificated teacher who is seeking the additional CTE certificate will be required to go through an approved CTE program. Evaluations will be done on an individual case basis to determine specific requirements.
Remember, for the program at South, secondary CTE teachers need to have “business and industry experience.” WAC 180-77-041 clearly states that there should be 6,000 hours of paid employment in a specific area. That experience will determine the field code used on the application to the State for certification.
Visit the OSPI web site for information on the different types of CTE Certificates.
Q & A: WORK-BASED LEARNING CERTIFICATION
How do I obtain my Work-Based Learning (WBL) Certificate?
There have been many changes at the state level related to Work Based Learning Coordination Certification. WAC 180-77-068 and WAC 181-77A-180 discuss the requirements for WBL which include:
- Possessing a valid initial or continuing Career and Technical Education teaching certificate; and
- Completion of an approved course in coordination techniques (offered by a State Board approved CTE program-South’s is approved).
South Seattle Community College offers a course in Work-Based Learning Coordination Techniques which is a partial fulfillment of the WAC requirements for the WBL certificate.
OSPI issues the certificates upon approval of your application, which should include a transcript from the educational institution (indicating course completion).
Why is Work-Based Learning (WBL) highly suggested for CTE Teacher Certification?
Successfully completing this course provides a teacher candidate with an additional endorsement that could offer them more opportunities in a school. Whether it is Health Occupations, Cisco Networking, Carpentry, or Filmmaking, the teacher candidate’s ability to see how their education advances their career possibilities and to get a ‘real feel’ for what it is like to actually do the job. In order for a CTE teacher to be able to offer this kind of experience for credit, and to ensure that the teacher candidate is safe, that learning is happening, and to extend relationships from the school to the community, they need to have the Work-Based Learning endorsement.
Q & A: ELIGIBILITY FOR POST-SECONDARY CERTIFICATION
I want to teach college—what do I need?
WAC 131 governs post-secondary CTE certification. Those in a professional-technical field and are seeking employment at a community college can make application directly to the college. After being hired, the teacher candidate will be obligated to prepare a professional development plan that is in part based on the state’s post-secondary skills standards. That process is done in conjunction with the designated professional-technical dean at that college.
If opting to go through our approved secondary program, the teacher candidate would be able to make application to the state for a secondary CTE certificate; under WAC 131, there is reciprocity that such a certificate would be accepted at a post-secondary institution as well.
Q & A: CTE EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION
I am looking for a course in Administration for CTE Education—does South offer such a course?
Not at this time. Such a course covers all the duties of a Career and Technical Education administrator, and is required before one can obtain a CTE Director certificate (state). Currently, such training is covered by a yearlong internship sponsored by the Washington Association of CTE Administrators (WAVA).
Questions?
Contact South’s Continuing Education Department at 206-764-5339 or CEDstaff@sccd.ctc.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions about South’s CTE program.
Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Web site.
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