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The latest information on upcoming events, deadlines, and other news related to the Professional Educator Standards Board and the Paraeducator Board.

Paraeducator Board October 2018 Newsletter

The Paraeducator Board sends out a bi-monthly email newsletter updating subscribers on Board news, which you can subscribe to at the bottom of this page.

To view the most recent publication, please follow this link to read the October newsletter.

Changes to limited certificates

What is a limited certificate?

Limited certificates provide flexibility in the Washington state educator certification system. With a limited certificate, educators who have not met full certification requirements may practice in classrooms and schools if certain conditions are met. Limited certificates can be an entry point to the profession. Individuals pursuing alternative routes to certification can teach with a limited certificate while they are completing their programs.

The limited certificate work group reviewed policy in WAC, with a goal of maintaining flexibility, adding cohesiveness to the system, and streamlining the system to reduce confusion. Meeting materials can be found on the limited certificate work group page. The work group presented their recommendations to the Board in May 2018, made initial consideration of the WAC amendments in July 2018, and approved the proposed amendment in September 2018. The amended WAC language is available (document).

What are the changes?

  • Previously, there were seven types of limited certificates. The WAC amendment includes only four types. However, educators who qualified for one of the previous certificates would continue to qualify for one of the new certificates.
  • The emergency certificate will no longer be available, but districts will be able to request a conditional certificate for those same individuals.
  • The emergency substitute certificate will continue to be available, and will have a two year validity period.
  • Certificates are valid for the period determined at the time the certificate was issued.
  • The validity period of a certificate currently held by an individual would not suddenly be cut short because of this policy change.

Learn more at our informational webinar

Certificate details:

The Conditional Certificate

Roles:

The conditional certificate is available for teachers in all endorsement areas. Specific provisions exist for:

The conditional certificate is also available for Education staff associates (ESAs) in the following roles. Individuals must meet applicable specific provisions. For details, please see information on the conditional ESA certificates below.

  • School counselor
  • School nurse
  • School psychologist
  • School social worker
  • School speech language pathologist or audiologist

For administrators, a conditional certificate is available in the role of principal to individuals meeting certain requirements.

Requirements for districts requesting a conditional certificate:

Mentors are required for holders of conditional certificates in all roles, and the district must develop a written plan of support within twenty working days from the commencement of the assignment.

School board approval continues to be required for conditional certificates.

When requesting a conditional certificate, districts will verify that one or more of the following criteria have been met:

  • The individual has extensive experience, unusual distinction, or exceptional talent in the subject matter to be taught or in the certificate role; or
  • No person with regular certification in the area is available; or
  • The individual holds a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university; or
  • The individual is enrolled in an educator preparation program specific to the certificate role for which they are applying; or
  • Circumstances warrant.

When requesting a conditional certificate, districts will verify that all of the following criteria have been met:

  • The district, educational service district, or approved private school has determined that the individual is competent for the assignment; and
  • After specific inclusion on the agenda and a formal vote, the school board or educational service district board has authorized the conditional certificate; and
  • The individual is being certificated for a specific assignment and responsibility in a specified activity/field; and
  • The individual will be delegated primary responsibility for planning, conducting, and evaluating instructional activities; and
  • The individual will not be serving in a paraeducator role; and
  • The individual will be oriented and prepared for the assignment. In addition, prior to service, the individual will be apprised of any legal liability, the responsibilities of a professional educator, the lines of authority, and the duration of the assignment; and
  • The individual will be assigned a mentor within twenty working days from the commencement of the assignment; and
  • A written plan of support will be developed within twenty working days from the commencement of the assignment.
Requirements for individuals holding a conditional certificate:

Individuals will be required to complete 50 clock hours, or the equivalent in credits or Professional Growth Plans (PGPs) (document), subsequent to the issuance, and prior to the reissuance, of the certificate.

Degree requirements:

  • No change in policy for conditional teacher certificates: bachelor’s degrees are not required. The exception is the special education teacher certificate, which still requires a bachelor’s degree or higher.
  • A bachelor’s degree and enrollment in a program is required for a conditional principal certificate. Previously, it was an emergency principal’s certificate, and required a master’s degree and enrollment in a program.
Validity period:

Conditional certificates have a validity period of two years.

  • The exception is the the conditional certificate for special education teachers, who are eligible for a two-year conditional certificate, followed by a three-year reissuance. .
Reissuance:

No change in policy in reissuances for conditional certificates—they may be reissued at district request as long as the original requirements for the issuance of the certificate are met.

  • Special education conditional certificate may be reissued once. The individual may hold the certificate for five years total with a 2 year first issuance followed by a 3 year reissuance.
    (Previously was five years total with a 2 year conditional + 1 year conditional + 1 year emergency + 1 year emergency.)
  • SLP conditional certificates may be reissued twice. The individual may hold the certificate for six years total with a 2 year issuance + 2 year reissuance + 2 year reissuance.
    (Previously was six years total with a 2 year conditional + 2 year conditional + 1 year emergency + 1 year emergency)
Previous policy New policy
Special Education

Five years total:

Conditional: 2+1

Emergency: 1+1

Five years total:

Conditional: 2+3
SLP: School speech language pathologist or audiologist

Six years total:

Conditional: 2+2

Emergency 1+1

Six years total:

Conditional: 2+2+2
Specific roles:

Special Education Teacher conditional certificate:

  • Requires a bachelor’s degree or higher.
  • Requires enrollment in an approved teacher preparation program resulting in a residency teacher certificate endorsed in special education.
  • An individual with full certification and endorsed in special education shall be assigned as a mentor to the special education teacher serving on a conditional certificate for the duration of the conditional certificate.
  • Special education conditional certificate may be reissued once. The individual may hold the certificate for five years total with a 2 year first issuance followed by a 3 year reissuance.
    • The special education conditional certificate may only be reissued upon verification by the preparation program provider that the individual is completing satisfactory progress in a residency teacher certificate program leading to a special education endorsement.

Traffic Safety Education conditional certificate:

  • The applicant qualifies to instruct in the traffic safety program pursuant to WAC 392-153-021.
  • Written plans of support and mentors are not required for holders of conditional certificates in the role of traffic safety education teacher.

Nonimmigrant exchange teacher:

  • A conditional certificate in the role of teacher may be issued to an individual admitted to the United States for the purpose of serving as an exchange teacher.
  • The individual must be eligible to serve as a teacher in the elementary or secondary schools in their country of nationality or last residence.
  • This conditional certificate may be reissued while the individual is being sponsored by a school district in an exchange and visiting teacher program.
  • Holders of conditional certificates in the role of nonimmigrant exchange teacher are not required to complete fifty continuing education credit hours.

Principal:

  • The applicant holds a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
  • The candidate for conditional certification as a principal shall be enrolled in a program resulting in the issuance of a residency principal certificate, in accordance with Washington requirements for certification.

The Emergency Substitute Certificate

The only change to policy regarding emergency substitute certificates is in regards to validity period.

Previously, emergency substitute certificates had a validity period of three years. Now, in order to align with the validity periods of other limited certificates, emergency substitute certificates will have a validity period of two years.

Role:

Teacher

Requirements for districts requesting an emergency substitute certificate:

A district may request the emergency substitute certificate if it has, “exhausted or reasonably anticipates it will exhaust its list of qualified substitutes under WAC 181-79A-232.”

Requirements for individuals holding an emergency substitute certificate:

No change in policy for emergency substitute teacher certificates: bachelor’s degrees are not required.

Validity period:

Two years.

Reissuance:

May be reissued.

The Substitute Certificate

The “lifetime” substitute certificate is requested by the individual certificate holder, not by the district. As such, it is not a limited certificate. The substitute certificate was removed from the list of limited certificates and placed in its own section, WAC 181-79a-232. Policy provisions for this certificate were not changed.

Roles:

Teacher, administrator, ESA.

Requirements for individuals requesting a substitute certificate:

Individuals must meet one or more of the following:

  • Hold or have held a regular state of Washington educator certificate; or
  • Have completed a state approved educator preparation programs, and a bachelor’s degree or higher; or
  • Meet out-of-state certification requirements in WAC 181-79A-257; or
  • Hold or have held a continuing CTE teacher certificate.
Validity period:

Valid for life.

The Transitional Certificate

There were no policy changes to the transitional certificate.

The transitional certificate allows holders of expired continuing certificates to serve in the role while they are completing the requirements to renew their certificates.

Roles:

Teachers, administrators, and ESAs with expired continuing certificates.

Request requirements:

Issued upon request of the school district.

Requirements for individuals holding a transitional certificate:

Must complete the requirements for continuing certificate renewal within two years of the date the holder was issued the transitional certificate.

Validity period:

Two years.

Reissuance:

May not be reissued.

The Intern Substitute Certificate

There were no policy changes to the intern substitute certificate.

The intent of the intern substitute certificate is to provide the intern the opportunity to serve as a substitute when the cooperating teacher is absent. This provides the intern with experience while allowing for consistency in instruction for the students.

Role:

Teacher.

Holders of the intern substitute certificate may serve as a substitute teacher only in the classroom(s) to which the individual is assigned as a student teacher or intern.

Request requirements:

Requested by the district and approved by the preparation program provider.

Validity period:

One year.

Reissuance:

May be reissued upon request by the district and approval by the preparation program provider.

The Conditional ESA Certificates

Previously, both conditional and emergency certificates were available for certain ESA roles. Individuals who qualified for one of these previous certificates would be eligible for the conditional certificate under the revised WAC.

Overall provisions for the ESA limited certificates did not change other than a name change from “emergency certificate” to “conditional certificate.” SLP limited certificates were previously available for a total of six years in a series of 2 year + 2 year + 1 year + 1 year conditional and emergency certificates, and now are still available for a total of six years in a series of  2 year + 2 year + 2 year conditional certificates.

A work group regarding the ESA certificates is currently meeting this year, and will be reviewing the ESA limited certificates.

Conditional ESA certificates are subject to the overall provisions of the conditional certificate. Information regarding the ESA conditional certificates is found below:

School counselor
  • The applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university, and be enrolled in a state-approved preparation program for the role, in accordance with Washington requirements for certification.
School psychologist
  • The applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university, and be enrolled in a state-approved preparation program for school psychologists.
  • In addition, the candidate shall have completed all course work for the required master’s degree, and shall be participating in the required internship.
School nurse
  • The applicant possesses a state of Washington license for a registered nurse.
School social worker
  • The applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
  • The applicant must be enrolled in a master’s degree program in social work or social welfare.
School speech language pathologist or audiologist

The individual may hold the certificate for six years total with a 2 year issuance + 2 year reissuance + 2 year reissuance.

  • First issuance: The applicant has completed a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
  • Reissuance: The conditional certification as a school speech language pathologist or audiologist may be reissued if the candidate is enrolled in a master’s degree program resulting in issuance of an initial ESA certificate in accordance with Washington requirements for certification.
  • Reissuance: The school speech language pathologist or audiologist conditional certificate may be reissued a second time upon verification by the degree provider that the individual is completing satisfactory progress in a master’s degree program resulting in issuance of an initial school speech language pathologist or audiologist certificate in accordance with Washington requirements for certification.

Questions?

Questions regarding individual certificate status and potential next steps should be directed to the OSPI Certification Office at (360) 725-6400 or cert@k12.wa.us. PESB can respond to policy inquiries: contact PESB staff Maren Johnson at Maren.Johnson@k12.wa.us.

Changes to CTE certificates

In 2018, the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) worked with the OSPI CTE office to convene a work group to examine CTE certification. The WAC amendments reflect recommendations from the work group.

  • In May 2018, the board heard recommendations from the work group.
  • In July 2018, the board made initial consideration of the WAC language.
  • In September 2018, the board adopted the proposed WAC amendments.

Learn more at one of our informational webinars

What were the main changes?

  • Holders of initial and continuing CTE certificates expiring June 30, 2019, will need to have completed 100 clock hours or the equivalent in the five years prior to the expiration date of the certificate.
  • No change in expiration dates for certificates currently held by educators.
  • The probationary CTE certificate will no longer be available, but districts will be able to request a conditional CTE certificate for those same individuals.
  • Holders of the conditional CTE certificate will need to complete 50 clock hours or the credit equivalent subsequent to the issuance, but prior to the reissuance, of the certificate.
    • The 50 clock hours or credit equivalent must be aligned to CTE competencies.
    • The 50 clock hours or credit equivalent may be completed in a program.

Areas of CTE certification policy change include:

Initial and continuing CTE certificates

One overall recommendation from the work group was to align CTE certification renewal requirements, and requirements to move from an initial to a continuing CTE certificate, with the rest of the certification system.

CTE teachers, CTE directors, and CTE career guidance specialists, holding initial or continuing certificates, may renew their certificates in five-year intervals with:

  • 100 clock hours or the equivalent in college credit;
  • Or, by completing four annual Professional Growth Plans (PGPs during the five-year validity date of the certificate;
  • Or, by combining completed PGPs (document) with clock hours for a total of 100 hours. (e.g. 3 PGPs + 25 CH = 100 CH);
  • Or, a valid NBPTS National Board certificate in any area.

Holders of the initial and continuing CTE teacher certificates must complete the STEM certificate renewal requirement.
Holders of continuing CTE teacher and CTE director certificates must complete the TPEP certificate renewal requirement.

To move from an initial to a continuing certificate, CTE teachers, CTE directors, and CTE career guidance specialists must accrue two years experience in the CTE area; and, 150 clock hours or a valid National Board certificate in any area.

A graphic showing the flow of earning and renewing an initial CTE certificate and earning a continuing CTE certificate and its renewal. The text for the initial CTE certificate reads: valid for five years. Renewal of initial: 100 clock hours or four PGPs or combine clock hours and PGPs. Each PGP worth 25 hours. AND STEM cert renewal requirements. To obtain a continuing CTE certificate: two years FTE teaching experience in CTE area required and 150 clock hours, or a valid National Board certificate in any area. The renewal of the continuing CTE certificate reads: valid for five years. 100 clock hours, or PGPs, or combine clock hour and PGPs. Each PGP worth 25 clock hours. Or a National Board certificate in any area and STEM and TPEP certificate renewal requirements.

The limited CTE certificates

The work group discussed the overlap between the conditional and probationary certificates: individuals often moved from a conditional to a probationary back to a conditional; individuals on a probationary also qualified for a conditional; and individuals enrolled in a program may have a conditional, a probationary, or no certificate.

The work group recommended merging the two certificates, and the board adopted WAC merging the certificates.

Key points:
  • The probationary CTE certificate will no longer be available, but districts will be able to request a conditional CTE certificate for those same individuals.
  • The conditional CTE certificate will have a validity period of two years.
  • Individuals holding the CTE conditional certificate will be required to complete 50 clock hours or the credit equivalent subsequent to the issuance, but prior to the reissuance, of the certificate. The must relate to designated CTE competencies.
Professional Development requirement:

Individuals are required to complete 50 clock hours or the credit equivalent subsequent to the issuance, and prior to the reissuance, of the conditional certificate. The district will verify that this continuing education credit hour requirement has been met. The continuing education credit hours must relate to these competencies:

  1. Issues related to legal liability;
  2. The responsibilities of career and technical education educators;
  3. The lines of authority in the employing school district and/or building;
  4. Career and technical education methods, including those described in RCW 28A.700.010, WAC 181-77-041(1)(b), and WAC 181-77A-165;
  5. General and specific safety.

This continuing education credit hour requirement may be completed through credit hours earned while enrolled in a program.

District request requirements:

Districts will affirm that one or more of the following are the case when requesting the conditional CTE certificate. The conditional certificate may be issued only to:

  1. Persons qualified and experienced in the knowledge and occupational skills of the career and technical education program to be certified; or
  2. Persons who meet the occupational experience requirements for career and technical education certification; or
  3. Persons enrolled in a career and technical education preparation program as verified by an approved career and technical education program provider; or
  4. Persons who will be employed in new and emerging occupations as identified by the professional educator standards board and/or its designee.

The local career and technical education administrator or superintendent will verify that all of the following criteria have been met when requesting the conditional career and technical education certificate:

  1. No person with CTE certification in the field is available as verified by the local CTE administrator or superintendent; and
  2. The individual is being certified for a limited assignment and responsibility in a specified career and technical education program area; and
  3. Personnel so certificated will be oriented and prepared for the specific assignment and will be apprised of any legal liability, the lines of authority and the duration of the assignment; and
  4. The CTE administrator and local program advisory committee will indicate the basis on which he/she has determined that the individual is competent for the assignment; and
  5. A written training plan is on file with the employing district. The career and technical education administrator and the candidate will mutually develop this plan. The plan must be approved by the local school district CTE program advisory committee to which the candidate is assigned.

The plan will provide for the career and technical education instructor to develop competencies in the following:

  1. Issues related to legal liability;
  2. The responsibilities of career and technical education educators;
  3. The lines of authority in the employing school district and/or building;
  4. Career and technical education methods, including those described in RCW 28A.700.010, WAC 181-77-041(1)(b), and WAC 181-77A-165;
  5. General and specific safety.

Questions?

PESB September newsletter: agency updates and reminders

Our September newsletter includes information and updates on the new testing barriers report, the micro-credential pilot grant kick off convening, scholarship money available for paraeducators, and we congratulate Robert Hand on being named Washington’s 2019 teacher of the year. Read the newsletter.

BULLETIN NO. 001-18: Reporting total number of paraeducators who meet employment requirements

( X ) Action Required Due date: October 1, 2018
( X ) Informational
  TO:
  • Educational Service District Superintendents
  • School District Superintendents
  • School District Business Managers
  • School District Human Resource Directors
FROM: Alexandra Manuel, Executive Director, PESB
RE: Reporting the total number of paraeducators who meet employment requirements
CONTACT: Jack Busbee, Program Manager, Paraeducator Board
360-725-6377, jack.busbee@k12.wa.us

PURPOSE/ BACKGROUND

The 2018 Legislature passed into law SSB 6388 revising requirements for paraeducator employment in Washington State. In addition, the Legislature requested school districts report the number of paraeducators who meet these requirements.

By October 1, 2018, a school district that does not receive funding under Title I of the Federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 must report to the Paraeducator Board with the following information about instructional paraeducators hired by the school district for the 2018–19  school year, as of September 1, 2018: The total number of instructional paraeducators and the number who meet the minimum employment requirements provided in RCW 28A.413.040.

An instructional paraeducator is defined (WAC 179-01-020) as:

A classified public school or school district employee who works under the supervision of a certificated or licensed staff member, from grades kindergarten to grade 12, to support and assist in providing instructional and other services to students and their families, including library assistants, and excluding bus monitors, lunchroom aides, and community service aides.

Districts are advised to review the paraeducator minimum employment requirement flyer.

In addition, as a reminder, when school districts report to Personnel Reporting (S-275) on their instructional paraeducators, they must use Duty Code 91 and Activity Code 27.

 

REPORTING

For the purposes of this request by the Legislature, districts must report the number of paraeducators in their school district by using the following online survey. Reports must be submitted by October 1, 2018.

 

INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE

For questions regarding this bulletin, please contact Jack Busbee, Program Manager, at 360-725-6377 or email jack.busbee@k12.wa.us. The PESB main number is 360-725-6275.

This bulletin is also available on the PESB News page of the PESB website.

Alexandra Manuel
Executive Director
Professional Educator Standards Board

CR: jb