Washington Revised Code Title 28A. Common School Provisions § 28A.410.045. First peoples' language, culture, and oral tribal traditions teacher certification program--Established--Rules

(a) Only a participating sovereign tribal government may certify individuals who meet the tribe's criteria for certification as a teacher in the Washington state first peoples' language, culture, and oral tribal traditions teacher certification program. Tribal law enforcement agencies and the Washington state patrol shall enter into government-to-government negotiations regarding the exchange of background information on applicants for certification. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall not authorize or accept a certificate or endorsement in Washington state first peoples' language, culture, and oral tribal traditions without certification from a participating sovereign tribal government and without conducting a record check of an individual applying for certification as required under RCW 28A.410.010;

(b) For each teacher to be certified in the program, the participating sovereign tribal government shall submit information and documentation necessary for the issuance of a state certificate, as defined by rule, to the office of the superintendent of public instruction;

(c) A Washington state first peoples' language, culture, and oral tribal traditions teacher certificate serves as a subject area endorsement in first peoples' language, culture, and oral tribal traditions. The holder of a Washington state first peoples' language, culture, and oral tribal traditions teacher certificate who does not also hold an initial, residency, continuing, or professional teaching certificate authorized by the professional educator standards board may be assigned to teach only the languages, cultures, and oral tribal traditions designated on the certificate and no other subject;

(d) In order to teach first peoples' language, culture, and oral tribal traditions, teachers must hold certificates from both the office of the superintendent of public instruction and from the sovereign tribal government; and

(e) The holder of a Washington state first peoples' language, culture, and oral tribal traditions teacher certificate meets Washington state's definition of a highly qualified teacher under the no child left behind act of 2001 (P.L. 107-110) for the purposes of teaching first peoples' language, culture, and oral tribal traditions, subject to approval by the United States department of education.