English Language Learner (ELL) and Bilingual Education (BE) Endorsement Program
ELL/BE Endorsement Program for Certified Teachers
Program Information
This 25 credit Western Washington University program leads to a P-12 endorsement in English Language Learner or Bilingual Education based on Washington State P-12 Endorsement Competencies. It is open to teachers who hold a valid Washington State teacher's certificate and or are currently enrolled in a Western teaching program. It is offered at two sites--Bellingham and Renton. The program provides preparation in all areas of the multilingual education curriculum. Successful completion of the program and passing scores on the WEST-E ELL or WEST-E BE exams results in Western’s recommendation for the P-12 ELL or BE Endorsement. Students interested in the Bilingual Education endorsement must also take and receive Advanced-Mid ratings on the ACTFL Oral and Writing Proficiency exams.
Admission and Retention
Admission to the Woodring College of Education Multilingual Education Endorsement Program is required before a student may begin taking courses in this program, unless prior arrangements have been made.
Requirements include:
- Washington State Teaching Certificate OR
- Enrolled in a WWU program leading to teacher certification at the end of the program
Funding Opportunities
The Peace Project Scholarship
About:
Certificated teachers are invited to join the PEACE Project! Through a National Professional Development Grant from the US Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition, WWU’s Multilingual Education program is able to offer scholarships for one-year, cohorted programs leading to the ELL/Bilingual Education endorsement. The PEACE Project Scholarship covers up to the full cost of resident, undergraduate tuition for the WWU coursework leading to the ELL and/or Bilingual Education endorsement.
We currently offer two opportunities to join a PEACE Cohort:
- Cohort 4 begins in Winter 2026 (January 2026-December 2026). Coordinated through our Bellingham site, teachers will have online, synchronous options for courses. Detailed information about course schedule can be found here.
- Cohort 5 is scheduled to begin in Summer 2026 (June 2026-June 2027). This is a primarily face-to-face route for teachers in the following districts: Highline, Kent, Auburn, Federal Way, and Renton.
Eligibility:
To be eligible, you must be a current certificated teacher.
Applying:
We are currently accepting applications for Cohort 4 of the PEACE Program. The deadline to apply is November 7, 2025. Please follow the following link for application instructions:
Interested in Cohort 5? Reach out today to be added to our mailing list.
Questions?
For questions about this scholarship, please email Caleb Zilmer zilmerc@wwu.edu.
Contact Information:
Caleb Zilmer zilmerc@wwu.edu