SEATTLE – Washington Mutual announced today that 354 teachers in 28 states received scholarship assistance from Washington Mutual to pursue National Board Certification – teaching’s top professional honor – have successfully attained the prestigious credential.

National Board Certification is a symbol of teaching excellence. A voluntary process established by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), certification is achieved through a rigorous performance-based assessment that takes nearly a year to complete. Including the Washington Mutual scholarship recipients, 7,886 teachers nationwide earned the credential this year. Altogether, this brings the total of number of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in the United States to 23,930.

“For students to meet ambitious academic standards, they must have superbly
prepared teachers,” said Washington Mutual Chairman, President and CEO Kerry Killinger, a long-time advocate for teachers and education. “For teachers to meet increasing demands, they must have opportunities to continue learning. National Board Certification is a great example of teachers taking personal initiative to enhance their skills.”

Washington Mutual’s scholarship assistance, which covered up to 50 percent of the National Board’s $2,300 certification fee, was awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and made available to K-12 public school teachers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Washington Mutual also provided support for programs to encourage teachers already certified by the National Board to engage in leadership roles, such as mentoring new teachers. Earlier this year, Washington Mutual provided an additional $1 million in scholarship and program support for teachers pursuing National Board Certification in 2003, nearly doubling last year’s funding. Washington Mutual has also partnered with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Stuart Foundation to provide small grants and other support for candidates in Washington state.

Increasingly, teachers are being financially compensated for successfully attaining National Board Certification. Legislative and policy action creating incentives and recognition has been enacted in 48 states and more than 400 local school districts. For example, in California, NBCTs receive a one-time $10,000 bonus and can earn an additional $20,000 for teaching four years in a low performing/low income school. The NBPTS web site (www.nbpts.org) maintains a comprehensive list of incentives by state.

NBPTS has engaged in an independent research agenda designed to examine the impact of the National Board Certification system and the effects of NBCTs on the quality of teaching and student achievement in America’s schools. The findings of this three-year initiative will be widely disseminated to other researchers and the public at large. A past survey of NBCTs found that 94 percent reported increased career satisfaction and 85 percent reported an increased desire to continue teaching, a critical finding as the nationwide teacher shortage worsens.

About NBPTS
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan and nongovernmental organization governed by a 63-member board of directors, the majority of whom are classroom teachers. For more information, please visit www.nbpts.org.

About Washington Mutual
With a history dating back to 1889, Washington Mutual (NYSE: WM) is a national financial services company that provides a diversified line of products and services to consumers and small- to mid-sized businesses. At September 30, 2002, Washington Mutual and its subsidiaries had assets of $261.10 billion. Washington Mutual currently operates more than 2,500 consumer banking, mortgage lending, commercial banking, consumer finance and financial services offices throughout the nation.

The company returns two percent of pretax profits to the communities it serves through grants and other assistance, with an emphasis on affordable housing and K-12 public education and teachers. This year, Washington Mutual’s education giving will total more than $15 million with 50 percent dedicated to teachers specifically. For more information, visit www.wamu.com.

Washington Mutual, Inc.

Washington Mutual, Inc.

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