WEST-B · WEST-E · NES
The WEST is the suite of licensure tests every Washington teacher candidate must clear to earn a residency teaching certificate from the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB). It splits into the WEST-B basic skills test, the WEST-E endorsement tests, and the nationally-available National Evaluation Series (NES). A single failed subtest can block your student-teaching placement or hold up your certificate — and Washington districts cannot hire you for the classroom until the right WEST score sits in your file. This page breaks down each test, how it's delivered, and how to clear it the first time.
Pay Only After You Pass
No upfront fee — you settle only after your verified passing score. We advertise guaranteed results — 100% pass guaranteed or money back.
Three tiers of WEST — what each one covers
WEST-B
Three subtests — Reading (095), Mathematics (096), and Writing (097) — totaling 170 multiple-choice questions plus two written Writing responses. Proves the literacy and numeracy floor every candidate needs before student teaching.
WEST-E
Washington-specific content tests, most around 110 multiple-choice questions, tied to the endorsement you want on your certificate — Elementary Education, Special Education, Mathematics, and more.
NES
Nationally-available content tests Washington accepts in place of certain WEST-E endorsements — same 100–300 scale and 240 pass mark, with a free-retake benefit after three unsuccessful attempts.
At a test center you can take all three WEST-B subtests in one appointment of up to five hours, or split them across separate sessions. For remote OnVUE testing, each WEST-B subtest is booked and billed as its own session. The Writing subtest pairs 50 multiple-choice items with two constructed-response writing assignments.
Every WEST-B subtest and every WEST-E and NES content test is reported on a scaled score from 100 to 300, and 240 is the fixed passing score. Each subtest is judged independently, so you must reach 240 on each one — there is no compensatory averaging across subtests, and a strong subtest cannot rescue a failed one.
The basic-skills subtests and a sample of endorsement content tests, with official codes
| Test / Subject | Code | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Reading (Basic Skills) | 095 | WEST-B |
| Mathematics (Basic Skills) | 096 | WEST-B |
| Writing (Basic Skills) | 097 | WEST-B |
| Special Education | 070 | WEST-E |
| Early Childhood Education | 101 | NES |
| English Language Arts | 301 | NES |
| Mathematics | 304 | NES |
| Biology | 305 | NES |
| Chemistry | 306 | NES |
Washington recognizes roughly three dozen WEST-E and NES endorsement areas across elementary, middle, and secondary fields, plus designated world languages. Always confirm the exact test code your endorsement requires on the official WEST registration site before you book — PESB updates accepted tests as the NES catalog expands.
Two ways to sit the WEST — and what to expect on test day
You sit the WEST in a quiet, monitored room at a Pearson VUE center across Washington and nationwide. Staff verify your government-issued ID, store your belongings, and watch the room on camera. The center route is where you can bundle all three WEST-B subtests into a single appointment for the $96 combined fee.
You take the WEST from a private room at home, monitored by a live Pearson VUE proctor through OnVUE. You run a system test, install the secure browser, complete an ID check and a 360° room scan, and stay on camera throughout. Remote WEST-B subtests are each booked as their own $32 session.
A valid, unexpired government photo ID with a name matching your WEST registration exactly. OnVUE captures your photo and ID before the proctor releases the exam.
A clear desk, no second monitor, no phone or notes within reach, and a webcam sweep of the room. No one else may enter the room while the session is live.
Stay in frame and on-camera the whole time. Reading aloud, leaving your seat, or a dropped connection can pause or void the OnVUE session, so a stable setup matters.
Required for Washington teacher certification
Where Washington candidates actually lose points
The real squeeze: the WEST rarely fails people on intelligence — it fails them on timing. A missed 240 on one subtest forces a 30-day wait, and that delay can collide with a program's student-teaching deadline or a district's hire-by date. The cost of a single retry is measured in months, not dollars, which is exactly the pressure point our help is built to remove.
The WEST sits between you and a student-teaching placement, an endorsement, or a Washington classroom job — and every failed subtest costs you a 30-day wait. Exam Assist pairs you with a vetted educator-licensure specialist and works on a pay-after-you-pass model, so the risk sits with us, not you. No upfront fee, guaranteed results: Exam Assist handles the sitting end to end, and you settle only after the verified result.
Tell us which WEST tests you need — WEST-B subtests, a WEST-E or NES endorsement code — plus your delivery method (center or OnVUE) and test date. Takes a couple of minutes over WhatsApp, Telegram, or Discord.
We review which subtests you still need to clear 240 and your timeline, then tell you plainly whether it's realistic — before any money is discussed. If it isn't a fit, we say so.
Exam Assist handles the sitting end to end. You're matched with a specialist who maps the work around your specific subtests and the OnVUE environment — discreetly and confidentially.
You only pay once your passing score is confirmed on your official WEST report. No verified result, nothing owed.
Support tailored to OnVUE remote sessions — system checks, room scans, and the live-proctor experience.
ServiceGuidance for at-home, remotely-monitored exams so a webcam-proctored WEST sitting goes smoothly.
BookStart a private, no-obligation conversation about your WEST-B, WEST-E, or NES tests.
See the full pay-after-you-pass arrangement and how matching works.
Straight answers about the WEST
Sibling educator-licensure tests on Exam Assist
The nationally-available content tests Washington accepts in place of many WEST-E endorsements — same Evaluation Systems delivery.
View exam PraxisETS's multi-subject elementary content test — the equivalent endorsement gate in the many states that use Praxis instead of WEST.
View exam Praxis CoreThe basic-skills test other states use as their WEST-B equivalent for entry into educator preparation programs.
View exam CSETCalifornia's subject-matter tests, also run by Evaluation Systems — the West-Coast neighbor of the WEST-E endorsement model.
View examGet expert WEST help with no upfront fee — you settle only after your verified passing score. Honest feasibility answer first, results-first arrangement always.