Teacher Education Program Earns Full Accreditation

State Approval Recognizes Program & Strengthens Region’s Education Workforce

2025 BASTE Grads at Commencement

Clark College is proud to announce that its Bachelor of Applied Science in Teacher Education (BASTE) program has been fully accredited by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) of Washington state. The board approved the accreditation at its Nov. 13 meeting.

PESB is the state body responsible for reviewing and approving teacher preparation programs in Washington. Full accreditation affirms that Clark’s BASTE program meets all statewide standards for preparing high-quality educators. Because the program has been engaged in the accreditation process since before its first cohort began, graduates from all cohorts—past, current, and future—qualify for teacher certification.

"This achievement marks the culmination of a long journey and represents an incredible milestone for Clark College and our students,” said Dr. Donald Ludwig, division chair of Behavioral Sciences and Clark’s Baccalaureate Leadership Council representative. “It stands as a testament to years of vision, perseverance, and collaboration.”

The Bachelor of Applied Science in Teacher Education (BASTE) is a two-year program that leads to teacher certification for preschool through eighth grade and offers endorsement options in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Bilingual Education, Special Education, and Early Childhood Special Education. The program provides a seamless pathway for students who have completed an associate of applied science degree and want to continue into a teacher education and certification program.

The program was intentionally designed to support Grow Your Own Teacher initiatives, which ensure that the teacher workforce reflects the demographics of the school district.

Clark College began exploring the need for a BASTE program in 2019 by reviewing models from other institutions, analyzing regional teacher shortages, and consulting with school districts. The college then moved through a multi-stage approval process with its Board of Trustees, the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), and PESB.

During this process, Clark submitted an initial notification of intent and a pre-proposal, which describes how the program design and methods uniquely fill the needs of its community. The final stages of the process required a full program proposal that detailed specific program requirements. Each step goes through a detailed review before receiving final approval and full accreditation.

Washington is experiencing significant teacher shortages in several key endorsement areas. Four of Clark’s program endorsements—Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Special Education, and Early Childhood Special Education—are shortage areas both statewide and within Clark County, according to PESB. The need for bilingual teachers is also growing, with 15.1% of Washington students identified as English Language Learners in 2024-25—an increase from the previous year. Two of Clark County's largest school districts reported ELL enrollment above 18%, mirroring statewide trends. Locally, special education and bilingual teachers are the most challenging positions to fill, but BASTE’s endorsement offerings address these shortages head-on.

“Having worked in education for my entire career, I know that people choose to become educators not to make a lot of money, but because they are passionate about helping students, impacting lives, and making a difference in their community,” said Clark College President Dr. Karin Edwards. “It is gratifying to consider how deeply our BASTE-trained teachers will impact the lives of their students, their students’ families, and their communities over their teaching careers.”

By design, the program prepares graduates to meet the workforce needs of Clark County. Ongoing collaboration with local school districts allows students to complete their teacher residencies within local classrooms, supporting a smooth transition into teaching positions after graduation.

The BASTE program’s first cohort of five students graduated in June 2024. The second cohort tripled, with 17 graduates in June 2025. A new cohort begins every fall term, and this year, Clark welcomed 24 students to the program—one shy of the maximum allowed per cohort. Those interested in learning more can visit https://www.clark.edu/academics/programs/public-service-society-and-education/baste/