The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has placed on hold the teaching credential of a retired fourth-grade instructor from Tumwater, following a workplace alcohol screening that recorded a 0.185 blood-alcohol concentration.

Sean Colgan, who spent more than a decade teaching at Peter G. Schmidt Elementary, entered into a formal suspension agreement with OSPI’s Office of Professional Practices on July 20, 2026. Under its terms, he acknowledged engaging in behavior deemed unprofessional under state education regulations and agreed to a minimum one-year hold on his certification.

Colgan originally received his Washington Education Certificate in February 1996, with the credential number 343574J. His tenure with the Tumwater School District spanned at least 13 academic years, from 2012–13 through 2024–25.

OSPI launched its review after receiving multiple reports from district leadership, including two formal complaints from Superintendent Kevin Bogatin—one in late October 2024 and another nearly six months later in April 2025—pointing to possible intoxicant exposure during school hours or events.

Documented concerns stretch back over a decade. As far back as November 2012, a colleague at Schmidt Elementary noted Colgan’s apparent intoxication after observing him on campus two days prior. More than a decade later, in February 2023, staff again raised alarms, citing similar observations on February 9 of that year.

During a meeting with then-Interim Superintendent Dr. Carole Meyer, Colgan addressed those concerns along with his instructional effectiveness and reportedly inappropriate communications with his building leader. Initially cooperative, he consented to a substance use assessment through the district’s Employee Assistance Program, though he later declined participation in a voluntary evaluation at a follow-up session.

This led to a formal expectation letter requiring him to complete the EAP screening and maintain sobriety during all school-related activities. By March 2023, EAP officials confirmed he had finished the referral phase and was advised to begin treatment. Yet just weeks later, he received a verbal warning for failing to comply with the assessment timeline.

Later that year, on October 11, 2024, Colgan assisted at a high school football concession stand while reportedly under the influence. He told administrators six days afterward that he had consumed two glasses of wine before heading to the event. In response, he was asked to avoid alcohol before work or district functions.

He signed a Last Chance Agreement with the district in November 2024, but less than half a year after that, on April 21, 2025, he was seen displaying signs of intoxication while on campus. At 8:30 a.m., administrators escorted him to a nearby medical center for a breathalyzer test, which yielded the 0.185 reading that ultimately triggered OSPI’s certification hold.

The clinic records indicate that the educator initially declined to submit to a breathalyzer test before finally agreeing to the procedure. At 10:11 a.m., the device registered a blood-alcohol concentration of .185.

The teacher tendered his resignation to the school district the following day. He entered an in-patient facility for substance use treatment on April 28, 2025, and was released from care on May 26, 2025. A representative from the Office of Professional Practices interviewed him in June.

In its legal conclusions, the Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction (OSPI) ruled that the educator engaged in unprofessional conduct under Washington Administrative Code 181-87-055. The basis for this finding was that he was under the influence of alcohol at a school or school-sponsored event after his employer had previously expressed concerns about how substance use was impacting his job performance and advised him to seek treatment.

The administrative order also establishes, with clear and convincing evidence, that the educator committed acts of unprofessional conduct in violation of Washington Administrative Code 181-86-170.

The educator is prohibited from applying for the reinstatement of his teaching certificate for a minimum of one year following the order's effective date.

To regain his certification, he must complete an in-person stress management course that has received prior approval from OSPI. Additionally, he must successfully fulfill any conditions set by the Thurston County District Court stemming from his criminal prosecution for driving under the influence.

The reinstatement process also requires the submission of a new application accompanied by a Character and Fitness Supplement. The educator must undergo fingerprint-based criminal background checks through both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Washington State Patrol. These checks must reveal no disqualifying criminal convictions that occurred after the final suspension order was issued.

The educator is responsible for paying all expenses associated with complying with the terms of the order.