SB 5693
In CommitteeSenate
Teacher residency & apprent.
Concerning teacher residency and apprenticeship programs.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill establishes formal teacher residency and apprenticeship programs to grow and support new teachers, especially in high-need areas. It also updates certification terminology, strengthens tribal co-governance over Indigenous language/culture certification, and revises teacher preparation standards and assessment requirements.
- Creates a new teacher residency program requiring a full year of mentored, hands-on classroom teaching (900 hours for undergraduates, 450 for graduates), paired with academic coursework and cohort-based learning.
- Establishes a teacher apprenticeship program for bachelor’s-degree holders, offering 2,000 hours of mentored, on-the-job teaching experience under a gradual-release model, approved jointly by the Washington apprenticeship council and educator standards board.
- Expands the alternative route and teacher residency conditional scholarship program, offering up to two years of financial aid to candidates committing to teach in shortage areas.
- Replaces the terms ‘residency certificate’ and ‘professional certificate’ with ‘initial certificate’ and ‘continuing certificate’, respectively, to reduce confusion—effective July 1, 2026.
- Strengthens the First Peoples’ Language, Culture, and Oral Tribal Traditions teacher certification program, requiring tribal governments—not the state—to certify teachers in these subjects and mandating co-governance protocols between tribes and state agencies.
- Updates teacher certification standards and assessments to align with revised teaching standards, social-emotional learning benchmarks, and trauma-informed practices, and expands eligibility for expedited certification for experienced out-of-state teachers.
Who is affected
- Aspiring teachers — Aspiring teachers in Washington who want to enter the profession through structured, mentored pathways—especially those seeking initial certification and interested in teaching in high-need areas or Indigenous languages and cultures.
- School districts and state-tribal education compact schools — School districts and state-tribal education compact schools that partner with teacher preparation programs to host residents and apprentices, and may benefit from increased teacher retention and support.
- Mentor teachers — Current and prospective mentor teachers who co-teach with residents and apprentices and receive stipends for their mentorship work.
- Sovereign tribal governments — Sovereign tribal governments that may certify teachers in Indigenous languages, cultures, and oral traditions and collaborate with the state on co-governance of certification standards.
Pro/Con Analysis
Potential Benefits (5)
Requires preservice mentors to co-teach with residents throughout the residency and provides stipends to mentors—directly compensating experienced teachers for time-intensive mentorship, which supports teacher retention and professional growth.
EducationPeopleRef: NEW SECTION. Sec. 1(2)(d), (e), (h), (i); NEW SECTION. Sec. 2Reduces confusion in certification terminology, improving clarity for aspiring teachers, hiring districts, and credentialing agencies—reducing administrative errors and delays in hiring.
EducationPeopleRef: NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 (renaming 'residency certificate' to 'initial certificate' effective 7/1/26)Mandates suicide prevention training for school nurses, counselors, psychologists, and social workers—and embeds social-emotional learning and trauma-informed practices into teacher standards—directly improving student mental health infrastructure.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 9 (amending RCW 28A.410.226), Sec. 13 (amending RCW 28A.410.270)Strengthens principal preparation standards to include evidence-based teacher evaluation skills, student growth data use, and support planning—improving instructional leadership quality across districts.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 14 (amending RCW 28A.410.278)Provides a phased implementation timeline (with 2026 effective date), allowing districts and preparation programs time to build partnerships, train mentors, and align curricula—reducing implementation risk.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: NEW SECTION. Sec. 17 (effective date: 7/1/26)
Potential Concerns (5)
Mandates full-year, mentored clinical teaching experiences (900/450 hours) for residents and 2,000 hours for apprentices, which significantly improves teacher preparedness and classroom effectiveness—especially for students in high-need areas. Strong evidence from national studies (e.g., TNTP, UChicago Urban Education Institute) shows residency models increase teacher retention and student outcomes.
EducationPeopleRef: NEW SECTION. Sec. 1(2)(h) and (i); NEW SECTION. Sec. 3; NEW SECTION. Sec. 2Expands need-based financial aid (up to two years) for candidates committing to teach in shortage areas, directly reducing financial barriers for low- and moderate-income aspiring teachers—especially community college students, career-changers, and first-generation college students.
FinancialPeopleRef: NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 (alternative route and teacher residency conditional scholarship program)Grants sovereign tribal governments exclusive authority to certify Indigenous language/culture teachers, affirming tribal sovereignty and self-determination in education—a major step toward culturally responsive pedagogy and restorative justice for Native students.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 (First Peoples’ certification, subsection (3)(a), (b), (d))Updates teacher certification assessments to include social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, and culturally sustaining pedagogy—aligning teacher preparation with modern student needs and evidence-based best practices.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 7 (amending RCW 28A.410.220), Sec. 8 (amending RCW 28A.410.2211), Sec. 13 (amending RCW 28A.410.270)Expedites certification for experienced out-of-state teachers with 5+ years of successful teaching, helping districts quickly fill critical shortages—particularly in special education, STEM, and rural areas.
EducationLean peopleRef: Sec. 10 & 12 (amending RCW 28A.410.250 & 28A.410.252)
Who Is Most Affected
Aspiring teachers—especially low-income, first-generation, and career-changers—gain clearer, more supported pathways into teaching with financial aid, mentored practice, and reduced certification confusion. This directly improves access and retention in the profession.
School districts benefit from better-prepared, more retained teachers—particularly in high-need areas—and reduced turnover costs. However, they bear added administrative and mentorship responsibilities without direct funding guarantees.
Mentor teachers receive stipends for co-teaching, but the 900/450-hour co-teaching requirement may increase workload without proportional compensation, especially in under-resourced districts.
Sovereign tribal governments gain formal authority over Indigenous language/culture certification—a significant affirmation of tribal sovereignty and self-determination in education.