Washington State School Certification

An Educational Staff Associate Certificate (ESA) is required by the State Board of Education for related service providers working in schools in Washington State.  Since occupational therapy is one of the related service providers available to students in special education, occupational therapists that provide services for students in public schools must obtain and maintain this certification. 

This certificate is needed whether a person works for an agency, hospital or clinic that contracts with a school district, whether the person is an individual that contracts with a district or whether the person is an individual that is an employee of a school district.  Contact Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) website - www.k12.wa.us - then click on Certification then on Educational Staff Associate for information and application. Information on general requirements and types of certificates can be found under “How do I become certified in Washington?” and information on certificate renewal is provided under “Currently or previously certified in Washington.”  

A 30 hour course about application of OT services in an educational environment (setting) is part of the certification process if an individual has not taken their OT coursework through a program that has been certified by OSPI as meeting the ESA course requirements as a component of their preparation program.  The content of the course is mandated by the State Board of Education and includes content such as history and philosophy of education, special education law, the special education process, working as a team and more. Information on course offerings is available at the OSPI ESA Certification website under “ESA Courses”.