Bureau of Education & Research

What BER is

Bureau of Education & Research (BER) is a professional development company for K-12 teachers and other school staff in the United States and Canada, with its office at 3000 Northup Way in Bellevue, Washington. The homepage describes BER as "the leading provider of professional development and PD training resources for teachers and other educators". It runs four kinds of training: live instructor-led seminars and conferences (in person and live online), recorded versions of those events that can be taken online at any time, on-demand online courses, and on-site PD where a school or district picks the topics and presenters and BER delivers in person or live online. The footer also lists Train-the-Trainer events.

This entry focuses on the on-demand online courses, the part of BER that works like a course library, and on the credit that comes with them.

How the online courses work

The online courses page sets out the format plainly:

• "Start whenever you'd like. You have up to 90 days to complete your course."
• "You'll view videos of highly practical model strategies."
• "Self-directed; work at your own pace."
• "Each course requires approximately five to six hours to complete."
• "Earn up to four optional graduate level professional development credits and CEUs."

BER says each course is "designed to give you a wealth of practical ideas, strategies and activities that you can use immediately with your own students", and states there are "Over 100 courses Available". A demo course lets teachers preview a BER online course before buying, and an FAQ covers common questions. The store runs on LearningCart, which the footer names as its e-commerce LMS, with a cart and learner login.

What the catalog covers

Courses are grouped by topic and almost every title names its grade band, so a teacher can find one that matches the classroom in front of them. Some examples:

• Classroom management and discipline: Dealing Effectively with Disruptive Students (K-12), Restorative Discipline (K-12), Practical Behavior Management Strategies for the Inclusion Classroom (K-6), Starting the Year with Proactive Classroom Management Strategies (K-2, 3-6 and 6-12 versions) and Motivating the Unmotivated (3-12).

• Literacy: Practical Applications of the Science of Reading (K-2), guided reading at developing and fluent levels, comprehension strategies, early intervention for struggling readers, literacy centers, six-trait writing models, vocabulary (6-12), and three dyslexia courses.

• Mathematics: Guided Math (K-2 and 3-6), mastery of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts, problem-solving strategies, growth mindset in math, strategies from Singapore, and math for English language learners.

• Catching up: courses for students who have fallen behind in math, reading, writing or English language arts, and for English learners and students with disabilities who have fallen behind.

• Special education: Accelerate Progress for Students with IEPs (K-12), co-teaching in inclusive classrooms, executive function skills, support for students with Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism, and courses for resource teachers and paraprofessionals.

• Specialists: speech-language therapy courses for SLPs (phonological disorder, language processing disorder, language disorder versus difference for English learners, caseload to workload), school-based occupational therapy, and three school nurse courses covering medical emergencies and mental health.

• Other areas: gifted education and differentiation, English language learners, preschool and kindergarten, science and the Next Generation Science Standards, project-based STEM, makerspaces and media literacy for school libraries, physical education, social studies, world languages including Spanish, and block scheduling (6-12).

• Differentiation and motivation: Differentiated Instruction: Increasing Student Success While Decreasing Teacher Prep Time (K-6), tiered assignments and student choice (K-2), differentiation across all content areas (6-12), plus Motivation, Mindset and Grit (K-12), a mindfulness course aimed at confidence and fewer disruptive behaviors (K-12), and strategies for "I Don't Care!" and underperforming students (3-12).

• English language learners: courses on fluency in reading, writing and speaking (K-8), helping learners exit an ELL program (K-8), read-aloud, shared reading and word work (K-5), and accelerating ELL students' success (K-6).

• World languages and social studies: 101 Best Strategies for Teaching World Languages (4-12), a course on keeping target language use at 90%+ in the world language classroom (6-12), and 101 Best Strategies for Teaching Social Studies (6-12).

The newest additions include two courses on using AI tools, one for English language learners and one for special education, both labeled 2026.

Credit: CEUs, clock hours and graduate credit

The courses page promises "State CEUs/Clock Hours" and graduate credit: "Earn Graduate level PD Credits through University of Massachusetts Global." For specialists it adds "Earn CEUs from AOTA, ASHA and the California Board of Registered Nursing", with separate menu sections for AOTA, ASHA and nursing CEU availability, and a STEM section marked for Washington State STEM clock hours. Graduate credit is optional, up to four credits per course as the page states. The site has a CEUs and University Credit page for the details.

Prices, groups and contact

The pages shown do not print individual course prices. For groups, BER says its courses are "Ideal for small and large groups! We offer affordable pricing based on your group's needs." The menu also links to a Guarantee page and a Group Discounts page.

Customer service runs on weekdays from 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific time by phone or e-mail, and BER is on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, Pinterest and LinkedIn. A mailing list sends updates on upcoming events, and an inclement weather page tells registrants whether an in-person event is affected.

What teachers say

The homepage quotes two educators. Barbara Stone, a teacher, says: "I have taught for 30 years and I always go away from a BER seminar with new ideas." Pam Gibson, an EC teacher, says: "Every BER seminar I have attended has far surpassed my expectations. Information is always practical and teacher friendly."

Who it suits

BER fits K-12 classroom teachers who want a short, practical course on a specific problem, such as a disruptive class, struggling readers or students with IEPs, and who need state CEUs, clock hours or graduate credit to show for it. The 90-day window and five-to-six-hour length suit teachers fitting PD around a school year. Speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and school nurses get specialist courses with CEUs from their own professional bodies. Districts can combine group pricing for the online courses with on-site or live events for a whole staff. The courses are built for US and Canadian classrooms, so teachers elsewhere will find the credit options less useful.