Teacher Programs
Overview
The Washington State Educator Workforce Program (EWP) provides financial aid to attract and retain teachers to work in subjects or locations of high need known as shortage areas.
EWP includes options for current teachers, student teachers, paraprofessionals, and non-educators hoping to move into the teaching field. Most are conditional scholarships that encourage individuals to pursue teaching in subjects or locations of high need, also known as "Shortage Areas," in return for funding received.
Conditional scholarship participants must:
- Commit to teach at a Washington K-12 public common school for a specified amount of time.
- Complete and submit a signed Promissory Note.
- Repay any funding received—plus interest and fees, but adjusted for any service completed—if the participant fails to fulfill the teaching service obligation.
Components that may be implemented soon could provide financial aid for:
- Current teachers with federal loan repayment help in exchange for teaching in a shortage area.
- Current students during their student teaching assignment.
NOTE: Applicants may only apply for one conditional scholarship at a time. Applicants may apply for both a Student Teaching Grant and one of the conditional scholarships at the same time.
View the Quick Look Chart to compare basic information for each component.
Conditional Scholarships
Conditional scholarship means a loan that is forgiven in whole or in part in exchange for service as a certificated employee in an approved education program.
Educator Retooling Conditional Scholarship - Accepting Applications Now
The Educator Retooling Conditional Scholarship supports Washington State certified educators looking to add a shortage area endorsement to their certificate. Participants are awarded up to $3,000 per endorsement add-on. Participants must fulfill their service obligation to avoid paying back the award. Applications may be submitted on a rolling basis (there is no deadline.)
Minimum Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications – Educator Retooling Conditional Scholarship
Applicants must:
- Hold a current Washington teacher certificate (Residency, Professional, or Continuing) or an expired Washington teacher certificate issued after 2005.
- Pursue an additional endorsement in a shortage area.
- Take one of the following pathways to add the endorsement that must be completed in the equivalent of one full-time academic year:
- Complete an endorsement test only.
- Complete an add-on endorsement program at a college or university (and test).
- Attend an educator preparation program, approved by WSAC, to participate in state financial aid. (Check with the college or university or contact WSAC directly to find out if the program is approved.)
- Enroll in an eligible Washington state college or university.
Awarding Priorities
Awarding Priorities – Educator Retooling Conditional Scholarship
- Applicants who are veterans of the U.S. Armed forces or members of the National Guard who meet the Minimum Qualifications.
Service Obligation
Service Obligation – Educator Retooling Conditional Scholarship
To avoid repaying the conditional scholarship, participants must fulfill these service obligation requirements:
- Teach in a Washington State K-12 public common school after earning the add-on endorsement.
- The participant’s scholarship amount will be forgiven when they either:
- Serve as a certificated employee in an approved education program for two full-time school years for each year of conditional scholarship received: or
- Serve as a certificated employee in a shortage area in an approved education program for one full-time school year for each year of conditional scholarship received.
- Participants who do not fulfill their teach obligation will have to repay the award, with interest and other fees. (Details will be in the participant's promissory note.)
How to Apply
How to Apply – Educator Retooling Conditional Scholarship
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis—there is no deadline.
- Complete and submit the following required materials:
- Educator Retooling Online Application
- Administrator Letter of Support or Letter of Personal Statement (MSWord or PDF)
NOTE: If selected, participants will need to complete and submit a signed Promissory Note.
Pipeline for Paraeducators Conditional Scholarship - Accepting Applications Now
The Pipeline for Paraeducators Conditional Scholarship is designed to support paraeducators and Recruiting Washington Teachers alumni who wish to become teachers by providing financial aid for the completion of an Associate of Arts degree. Participants are eligible to receive a Pipeline for Paraeducators Conditional Scholarship for up to four academic years. Scholarship award amounts may vary depending upon financial need and funds available. The Pipeline for Paraeducators award amount is up to $4,000 per academic year. Participants are expected to continue to earn their certification and fulfill a teaching service obligation in exchange for receiving the scholarship. Participants must currently be enrolled to receive an award. Applications may be submitted on a rolling basis (there is no deadline.)
Minimum Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications – Pipeline for Paraeducators Conditional Scholarship
Applicants must:
- Not have earned a college degree.
- Provide documentation from their school district of one year of successful student interaction and leadership as a classified instructional employee or completion of two years of a Recruiting Washington Teachers program.
- Intend to pursue an initial teacher certificate with an endorsement in a shortage area via an approved teacher program.
- Be accepted into and maintain enrollment for no more than the equivalent of four full-time academic years at a community or technical college.
- File the current FAFSA or WASFA financial aid application.
Awarding Priorities
Awarding Priorities – Pipeline for Paraeducators Conditional Scholarship
- Applicants who are veterans of the U.S. Armed forces or members of the National Guard who meet the Minimum Qualifications.
Service Obligation
Service Obligation – Pipeline for Paraeducators Conditional Scholarship
To avoid repaying the conditional scholarship, participants must fulfill these service obligation requirements:
- Earn the Associate of Arts (AA) degree within four academic years.
- Pursue an initial teacher certificate with an endorsement in a shortage area via a PESB-approved teacher prep program.
- Teach in a Washington State K-12 public common school.
- The participant’s scholarship amount will be forgiven when they do either of the following:
- Serve as a certificated employee in an approved education program for two full-time school years for each year of conditional scholarship received.
- Serve as a certificated employee in a shortage area in an approved education program for one full-time school year for each year of conditional scholarship received.
- Participants who do not fulfill their teaching obligation will have to repay the award, with interest and other fees. (Details will be in the participant's promissory note.)
How to Apply
How to Apply – Pipeline for Paraeducators Conditional Scholarship
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis—there is no deadline.
- Complete and submit the following materials:
- Pipeline for Paraeducators Online Application
- Administrator Letter of Support (MSWord or PDF)
- File the current FAFSA or WASFA (must submit within 10 days of submitting WSAC application)
NOTE: If selected, participants will need to complete and submit a signed Promissory Note and be enrolled in the institution selected. Payments are sent to the institution after WSAC has received a completed Promissory Note.
Teacher Shortage Conditional Scholarship: Application will open in spring 2025 for fall 2025 awards.
The Teacher Shortage Conditional Scholarship is designed to provide financial aid to encourage persons to become teachers and to retain these teachers in shortage areas. The program provides funding of up to $8,000 per year for up to four years, toward earning a Washington Residency Teacher Certificate. Award amounts may vary depending upon financial need and funds available.
Minimum Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications – Teacher Shortage Conditional Scholarship
Applicants must:
- Complete the program application (application currently closed).
- Be accepted into, and maintain enrollment in, a PESB-approved teacher preparation program leading to an initial teacher certificate. Generally, the applicant will be enrolled as a junior or senior in undergraduate studies or graduate school.
- Intend to pursue an initial teacher certificate with an endorsement in a shortage area.
- File the current FAFSA or WASFA financial aid application.
- Have unmet financial need.
Awarding Priorities
Awarding Priorities – Teacher Shortage Conditional Scholarship
- Applicants who are veterans of the U.S. Armed forces or members of the National Guard who meet the Minimum Qualifications.
- Applicants who are from underrepresented groups.
Service Obligation
Service Obligation – Teacher Shortage Conditional Scholarship
To avoid repaying the conditional scholarship, participants must fulfill these service obligation requirements:
- Teach in a Washington State K-12 public common school after earning the add-on endorsement.
- The participant’s scholarship amount will be forgiven when they do either of the following:
- Serve as a certificated employee in an approved education program for two full-time school years for each year of conditional scholarship received.
- Serve as a certificated employee in a shortage area in an approved education program for one full-time school year for each year of conditional scholarship received.
- Participants who do not fulfill their teaching obligation will have to repay the award, with interest and other fees. (Details will be in the participant's promissory note.)
How to Apply
How to Apply – Teacher Shortage Conditional Scholarship
- Complete the program application—now open.
- You also need to have completed the current FAFSA or WASFA financial aid application.
- Most recent application cycle was for the 2024-25 academic year. Recipients of this cycle will receive their awards starting fall term of the 2024-25 academic year.
Alternative Routes Conditional Scholarship - Awards Made by Program Providers
The Alternative Routes Conditional Scholarship program is designed to provide financial aid to encourage people to become teachers through alternative route teacher certification programs and to retain these teachers in shortage areas. The program provides funding of up to $8,000 per year for up to two years, toward earning a Washington Residency Teacher Certificate. Scholarship award amounts may vary depending upon financial need and funds available.
Alternative route programs are partnerships between Washington professional educator standards board-approved preparation programs, Washington school districts, and other partners as appropriate. Currently, scholarships are designated to alternative route providers that have been awarded block grants through the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB).
Minimum Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications – Alternative Routes Conditional Scholarship
An applicant must be accepted into and maintain enrollment in an Alternative Route teacher certification program and intend to pursue an initial teacher’s certificate with an endorsement in a shortage area.
Awarding Priorities
Awarding Priorities – Alternative Routes Conditional Scholarship
- None at this time.
Service Obligation
Service Obligation – Alternative Routes Conditional Scholarship
To avoid repaying the conditional scholarship, participants must fulfill these service obligation requirements:
- Teach in a Washington State K-12 public common school after earning an alternative route teaching certificate.
- The participant’s scholarship amount will be forgiven when they either:
- Serve as a certificated employee in an approved education program for two full-time school years for each year of conditional scholarship received: or
- Serve as a certificated employee in a shortage area in an approved education program for one full-time school year for each year of conditional scholarship received.
- Participants who do not fulfill their teaching obligation will have to repay the award, with interest and other fees. (Details will be in the participant's promissory note.)
How to Apply
How to Apply – Alternative Routes Conditional Scholarship
Participants are selected by alternative route providers that have been awarded block grants through the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB). There is not a WSAC application process. Currently scholarships are awarded by providers who have a PESB Alternative Route block grant.
Grant Aid
Grant means financial aid that is intended for a specific purpose that is not a loan.
Student Teaching Grant: Application will open in spring 2025 for fall 2025 awards.
The Student Teaching Grant is intended to provide additional funds to student teachers at Title I public common schools in Washington. This is a grant that does not require a service obligation or promissory note.
Minimum Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications – Student Teaching Grant
- Complete the program application (application is currently closed).
- Enrolled in a PESB-approved teacher preparation program leading to full residency certification.
- Be student teaching at a Title I public common school.
- Demonstrate financial need through the FAFSA or WASFA, meeting the following criteria:
- Family income at or below the amounts specified on the current Washington College Grant Eligibility Chart.
- Have unmet financial need after considering other state and federal grant aid received. - Not owe a repayment to any state grant or scholarship, nor be in default on a state student loan.
All candidates who meet these minimum qualifications are encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Student Teaching Grant Application
- Complete the program application—now open.
- You also need to have completed the current FAFSA or WASFA financial aid application.
- Most recent application cycle was for the 2024-25 academic year. Recipients of this cycle will receive their awards starting fall term of the 2024-25 academic year. Awards will not be disbursed until awardee has been placed to student teach at a Title I school.