The Paraeducator Certificate Program offers statewide standards-based training for all paraeducators and supports a career growth ladder for those who wish to advance their career as a paraeducator or pursue a teaching profession. To ensure students have access to highly-trained paraeducators who can support their learning needs, paraeducators must have ongoing professional development and training.
Agency staff of the Paraeducator Board published an updated Fundamental Course of Study (FCS) Implementation Guide.
Training requirements
District requirements
- Meet paraeducator minimum employment requirements
- Annually, districts must provide 4 days (28 hours) of training on the FCS for all newly hired paraeducators who have not had any previous training (7 hours must be delivered in person), and 2 days (14 hours) of training toward the general certificate for all paraeducators until they have it completed (70 hours).
District reimbursement
To receive paraeducator training reimbursement during the 2023-24 school year, districts must complete EGMS package 918 by September 20, 2024.
Training deadlines
Fundamental Course of Study
For the 2021-22 school year, school districts must train all paraeducators who have not completed the FCS on two days of the FCS by September 1, 2022.
- *Newly employed paraeducators hired on or before September 1, 2021:
- Districts must provide two days of training on the FCS by September 30, 2021.
- Paraeducators hired after September 1, 2021:
- For districts with 10,000 or more students, two days of training on the FCS must be provided within four months of the date of hire.
- For districts with fewer than 10,000 students, two days of training on the FCS must be provided by September 1, 2022.
For the 2022-23 school year, school districts must train all newly hired paraeducators on the FCS (four days) by September 1, 2023.
For paraeducators hired on or before September 1, districts must provide the first two days of FCS training by September 30. Districts must provide the second two days of training within six months of the paraeducator’s date of hire.
For paraeducators hired after September 1:
- In districts with 10,000 or more students, districts must provide the first two days of FCS training within four months of the date of hire, and the second two days within six months of the date of hire, or by September 1
- For districts with fewer than 10,000 students, districts must provide four days of training by September 1
*The 2022-23 school year deadlines also apply to all subsequent school years.
General certificate
- For the 2021-22 school year, school districts must provide two days of training on the general certificate to all paraeducators who have completed the FCS by September 1, 2022.
- For the 2022-23 school year, school districts must provide two days of training on the general certificate to all paraeducators who have completed the FCS by September 1, 2023.
Implementing the program
Establish partnerships
- Reach out to other districts, Educational Support Districts (ESDs), unions, community colleges, and others to identify areas of opportunity for collaboration and explore the possibility of coordinated efforts that extend and include paraeducator training.
Resources folder – this online folder contains a variety of materials to help your district navigate implementing the certificate program. In it, you will find:
- Toolkit (doc) – This toolkit will assist school district staff who are responsible for implementing the required training. Educational Support Districts, unions, community colleges, or any partners involved in supporting the professional development of paraeducators in Washington may also find the toolkit useful. We will add to, and update, this resource as appropriate.
- FCS curriculum
- Standards of practice for paraeducators
- Course outlines for the FCS and English Language Learner (ELL) and Special Education subject matter certificates
- Clock hour forms for the FCS and subject matter certificates
- FAQ document
- Paraeducator program reports
- Materials from the pilot sites
Training resources
Free online courses
Take advantage of the opportunity during the current school closures to facilitate training with these online resources.
- Fundamental Course of Study: while seven of the 28 hours of FCS training must be conducted in person, the remaining 21 hours can, if the district chooses, be completed online.
- Paraeducators: what we do matters – 13 modules that can count for 13 hours of FCS training. Districts interested in providing these modules must review the crosswalk document. Paraeducators must communicate and coordinate with their district before starting this course on their own.
- View the crosswalk document.
- Subject matter certificates
- English Language Learner (ELL) subject matter certificate online course – completion of all five modules in this course meets the 20-hour training requirement for the ELL subject matter certificate. A paraeducator can complete this training before finishing their FCS, but cannot earn the certificate until after completing the FCS.
- Special education subject matter certificate online course – completion of all four modules in this course meets the 20-hour training requirement for the special education subject matter certificate. A paraeducator can complete this training before finishing their FCS, but cannot earn the certificate until after completing the FCS.
FCS curriculum
The FCS curriculum is designed for school districts and other providers who are implementing the training. This is not independent online training, and paraeducators cannot complete this training without a facilitator.
The curriculum includes presentations, facilitator guides, and handouts, and is intended to be used for in-person FCS training. The curriculum provides a strong foundational starting point for districts to provide training, however, many units require customizing the content with district-specific information (e.g., mission and vision statements). These areas of needed customization are clearly marked throughout the materials.
This curriculum was developed with the partnership of many school district leaders, with both their time and content guidance. Using the curriculum is optional. Districts are still welcome to use their own training materials.
View the FCS curriculum (folder).
Funding strategies
We encourage districts to seek all opportunities to provide additional training days to paraeducators where they have the resources and capacity to do so. This section will provide ideas and strategies for identifying funding opportunities beyond the state reimbursement model.
Review bargaining agreements
Your district and union may have already bargained professional development opportunities for paraeducators or classified staff. Review the agreement to determine if training opportunities exist and if they may be applied towards the certificate program.
Using Federal Title Funds to Strengthen the Paraeducator Workforce
Title funds can offer creative opportunities to increase paraeducator participation, professional growth, and quality assurance across districts. When used strategically, these funds can help districts build sustainable pipelines, support certification pathways, and ensure all paraeducators meet and exceed state standards.
Note: The amount of funding available under each Title program varies from district to district depending on federal allocations, district size, and program priorities.
Title I, Part A
Districts may use Title I, Part A funds to support paraeducators in meeting qualification requirements — including completion of the Fundamental Course of Study (FCS) — in both Schoolwide Programs (SWP) and Targeted Assistance Schools (TAS).
- Schoolwide Programs (SWP):
Funds may be used flexibly to support paraeducators as long as the activity is reasonable, necessary, and aligned with the school’s SWP or School Improvement Plan (SIP). - Targeted Assistance Schools (TAS):
Paraeducators working with Title I, Part A students must meet the same qualification standards as all other paraeducators. Title I, Part A funds can support paraeducators in earning those qualifications only if the support directly aligns with TAS program requirements.
If a paraeducator serves both Title I (Tier 2/3) and non-Title I (Tier 1) students, only the proportional time spent supporting Title I students — including related training time — may be charged to Title I, Part A.
Funding Tip: In SWP schools, districts can use these funds more flexibly to cover costs like release time, coaching, or stipends tied to paraeducator development.
Resource: Title I, Part A Fiscal Handbook
Contact: Title1a@k12.wa.us
Title II, Part A
Title II, Part A funds are focused on improving teacher and principal quality. These funds can be a powerful lever for strengthening paraeducator pipelines and professional learning systems as a means to support teacher effectiveness.
- Title II, Part A funds cannot be used for the FCS, since it is a state-required training.
- Funds may be used for the Advanced Certificate training.
- Title II, Part A funds may cover the cost of the ETS ParaPro Assessment.
- Funds may also support paraeducators who participate in joint professional learning with teachers, including:
- Substitute coverage if training occurs during work hours, or
- Stipends if training occurs outside regular work hours.
- Tuition reimbursement is allowable for paraeducators enrolled in a state-approved teacher preparation program, and may include:
- Tuition and course fees for required coursework,
- Textbooks or instructional materials necessary for the program,
- Release time or substitute coverage or stipends to attend classes, practicum, or student teaching, and
- Per diem travel reimbursement for required practicum or field experiences.
Funding Tip: Districts can creatively use Title IIA funds to connect paraeducators and teachers in shared professional learning — promoting teamwork, retention, and instructional alignment.
Resource: Allowable Uses of Title II, Part A Funds
Contact: Title2A@k12.wa.us
Title III, Part A
The FCS is not an allowable expense under Title IIIA.
However, districts may use Title III funds to support paraeducators who are earning the English Language Learner (ELL) subject-matter certificate or participating in professional development designed to improve instruction and services for multilingual learners.
If a paraeducator uses the ELL Subject Matter Certificate to satisfy General Certificate requirements for paraeducators — which are reimbursed by the state at 14 hours per year for five years (up to 70 total hours) — it’s important to note that the ELL Subject Matter Certificate is 20 hours in total.
In this case, the remaining 6 hours beyond the state’s 14-hour reimbursement threshold must be covered by the paraeducator or district.
Title IIIA funds may be used to cover those remaining 6 hours, if this scenario applies, as long as the expense aligns with allowable Title III uses.
Funding Tip: Pairing Title IIIA funds with local funds can create seamless support for bilingual paraeducators pursuing the ELL subject matter certificate, helping districts close small reimbursement gaps while strengthening multilingual education teams.
Contact: MultilingualEd@k12.wa.us
Consider using LAP funds
Learning Assistance Programs (LAP) allows professional development for educators working with LAP students.
- Learn more about LAP funds.
- Contact: LAP@k12.wa.us
District general operation dollars to support training
Districts should look into their general operations budget to determine if funds were allocated to support and provide training for classified staff.
Additional pathways
- Apprenticeship program
- Community colleges: EDUC 101 class
- Conditional scholarships
