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Paraeducator FCS Workgroup and Questions

Answers to your Paraeducator Fundamental Course of Study (FCS) questions.

What are the FCS requirements for the 2024-25 school year?

PESB’s Paraeducator Training Program Overview video specifically covers the FCS at the 1:23 mark of the video and applies to the 2024-25 school year.

Where can I talk to staff for specific questions related to FCS?

Every week staff hold virtual office hours to help answer all questions related to paraeducator training and support.

Administrators: Tuesdays at 3 p.m.

Paraeducators: Wednesdays at 3 p.m.

Are changes coming for the FCS because of Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1277?

The Paraeducator Board will be working to 1) update rules (WAC) related to the implementation of the FCS and 2) develop guidance for districts to support the provision of the FCS.

Current facilitation of that work is being done by an FCS workgroup which will present its feedback and thoughts at the January 2025 Board Meeting.

Where can I find more about the workgroup?

PESB has a FCS Workgroup webpage.

(FP 918) Paraeducator Training Reimbursement

District Leaders,

The due date for 2023-24 Form Package  (FP) 918—Paraeducator Training Reimbursement has been extended to Tuesday, October 1, 2024. If submitted by that time, district reimbursement will occur on the October apportionment.

If you have already submitted FP 918 and do not need to make any further edits, you can disregard this message. 

Review Status

FP Submitted (nothing needed at this time):

  • If your FP status is “Review Initiated” OR “Revision Initiated” you have submitted, and there is nothing you need to do unless you are directly notified.

FP started, but not submitted:

  • If your FP status reads as “Peer review” or “Submitted for Peer Review”, your FP is NOT submitted, and is still awaiting internal district processing.
  • FP 918 cannot be processed after October 1, 2024, if it remains in the “Peer Review” or “Submitted for Peer Review” status.

EGMS Account Information

As with other state grants, this Funding Package is now in the new Education Grant Management System (EGMS). Once logged in, how-to guides are available on our website to help you navigate the new system.

The administrator contact in your district can create sub-accounts as needed. To learn who in your district has access to EGMS, follow this link: District Contact List.

Support and Resources

District Leaders: Tuesdays at 3 PM

Questions

Alejandra Cruz-Martinez, Educator Workforce Coordinator

Alejandra.Cruz-Martinez@k12.wa.us

Thank you for your attention to this important update. Due to a high volume of inquiries, email response times may be longer than usual. We appreciate your understanding and patience during this time.

School psychologist scope of practice

It has been brought to our attention that uncertified and unqualified people are participating in activities that require school psychologist ESA certification.

Per NASP, school psychologists are trained to provide mental health services in the learning context. Services include mental health screening, assessment, behavioral supports, counseling, referrals, suicide risk assessment, and threat assessments.

School psychologists provide critical consultation to families, teachers, and administrators to help them best meet the needs of students at home and at school.

One of the key roles that certificated school psychologists play in Washington schools is the administration, coordination, interpretation, and application of student assessments, especially as related to students served under Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), under federal IDEA and state personnel qualifications guidelines (WAC 392-172A-02090).

PESB requires this role as part of school teams who are evaluating students, and ensures that school psychologists certified in the state of Washington have the content knowledge, skills, and background to provide these assessments for students.

It has come to our attention that some districts are using uncertified and unqualified staff to administer, coordinate, and interpret assessments for students who may be under consideration for an IEP, or who have an IEP.  For example, these individuals may be teachers on special assignment, and titled as assessment technicians or assessment coordinators.

Additionally, some districts have been utilizing staff trained by Heritage University and the associated Psychology Assistant Training program or related professional development courses to perform these roles.

While such courses purport to train school staff as “technical specialists of cognitive assessment,” this program is not approved to lead to school psychologist certification and completion of this program by itself is not sufficient to authorize these roles.

PESB cautions LEAs that:

  • Having staff members who do not hold school psychologist ESA certification perform these roles is not permitted by WAC 181-82-125.
  • Having non-certificated staff performing these roles for students with IEPs may be out of compliance with federal IDEA guidelines and regulations.

Please contact PESB if you have questions at pesb@k12.wa.us.

Sincerely,

Erica Hernandez-Scott signature

Dr. Erica Hernandez-Scott

Executive Director, PESB

Resources:

Details about Paraeducator Training Reimbursement (918 funds)

The location for submitting the required information for the Paraeducator Training Reimbursement (918 funds) has changed. The new system for managing this reimbursement is known as the Education Grant Management System, or EGMS. An announcement will be made when the 918 funding package is available in the system, along with EGMS training materials. The previous iGrants system is no longer available for 918 funds.

If you are not claiming reimbursement for any reason, you will have the option to explain why in the required submission.

Other items of note:

  • All training for the 2023-24 school year needs to be submitted by September 20. If submitted at that time, district reimbursement will occur on the October apportionment.
  • If a district chooses to submit by August 16 it would receive the reimbursement on the September apportionment. 
  • The type of information you have always been collecting (ie. the number of paraeducators, hours they were trained, etc.) is the same information you will input in the new EGMS system.

Questions:

Main Contacts for 918:

Tristan Wiley, Program Manager, Paraeducator Operations and Policy Tristan.Wiley@k12.wa.us 

Alejandra Cruz-Martinez, Educator Workforce Coordinator Alejandra.Cruz-Martinez@k12.wa.us

PESB Listening Session for Adapted PE Specialty Endorsement Proposed Essential Learnings

Last week, the Professional Educators Standards Board (PESB) added Adapted Physical Education (Adapted PE) specialty endorsement to the Washington state system.

PESB, in collaboration with the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) & Pacific Lutheran University (PLU), is conducting a listening session October 10, to gather community and stakeholder feedback on the proposed essential learnings for the Adapted PE specialty endorsement, as well as who may earn this specialty endorsement.

In November, the Board will vote on whether to approve the proposed essential learning for this specialty endorsement, as well as which educators may earn this specialty endorsement.

Virtual Listening Session │October 10 │ 4:00 – 5:30 p.m

Registration

New Paraeducator Minimum Employment Requirements

Effective July 23, 2023, there will be changes to paraeducator minimum employment requirements. Previous legislation had specifically allowed for only one assessment to meet the requirement. That has now changed.

HB 1015 passed during the last legislative session, granting the Paraeducator Board the authority to approve the assessments, and set the passing scores, that will meet minimum employment requirements for paraeducators in Washington.

New Requirements

At the May board meeting, the Paraeducator Board selected the following assessments and passing scores to meet the minimum employment requirements:

Effective beginning July 23, 2023:

ETS ParaPro assessment: 455 (from 461 current)

Pearson Paraprofessional assessment: 220 (that score is equivalent to the 50 out of 72 scorable multiple choice questions set by the Board)

The Master Teacher Inc. Paraeducator Online Training Program: 65%

Key Points

  • The Board was also granted authority to create its own assessment and will be exploring that option in the 2023-24 school year.
  • PESB staff are working with ETS to contact ParaPro assessment takers who scored 455-460, dating back to July 2019, to notify them that they will meet minimum employment requirements come July 23rd.
  • Pearson’s Paraprofessional assessment will not be available for implementation at the effective date.
  • There are two components to The Master Teacher Inc. Paraeducator Online Training Program: a knowledge and an instructional component. Candidates must earn 65% on each to meet the passing score threshold for the assessment.

Questions and more information

PESB staff will host a webinar on June 15th at 2 p.m. to discuss this topic and answer your questions. Registration is required.

A recording of the webinar will be made available on the PESB YouTube channel.