Course approval

Providers wanting to offer a new ESA professional transitions to public schools course must submit a course proposal to the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB). Courses require re-approval every five years, and will remain approved until June 30 of the year they are scheduled for re-approval.

Course outcomes

Courses will be a minimum of fifteen hours, and must support candidates in meeting the following outcomes:

• Demonstrate an understanding of school and special education laws and policies (national, state, and local) and their application to decision-making processes in the educational setting;
• Understand and demonstrate knowledge of working within the culture of the schools, creating an environment that fosters safety, health, and learning for the students;
• Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate resources in the school setting;
• Demonstrate knowledge of collaboration with team members which may include parents, teachers, administrators, and others to support learning outcomes for all students;
• Demonstrate knowledge of how to support the outcomes for all students through strategies such as scientifically based practices, collaborative teaming, and ethical decision making;
• Use professional standards to inform professional growth planning;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the use of human, community, and technological resources.

Approval process for new courses

1. Complete the ESA professional transition to public schools course proposal form and submit it to PESB at least 60 days before the PESB Board meeting at which they would like your proposal to be considered.
   • A separate proposal form must be completed for each course that you are applying to offer.
2. PESB convenes a staff review team to review the course proposal form and completes a course review rubric.
3. The review team provides you with feedback, and an overall recommendation of the course proposal.
   • If the review team recommends approval of the course proposal, the recommendation is presented at the board meeting, listed as a consent agenda item. The Board always has the option to take an item off the consent agenda.
   • If the review team does not recommend approval of the course proposal, you have the option to either present at the board meeting on the full agenda, or
     revise the course proposal and re-submit it for a subsequent board meeting.

Due dates

Course proposal forms are due at least 60 days in advance of the PESB meeting to which you wish to bring your proposal for consideration. For upcoming proposal due dates, see below.

Re-approval process

The re-approval process will be completed every five years, and follow the same steps as the approval process. Providers must submit a separate proposal form for re-approval to PESB for each course offered prior to June 30 of the school year indicated.

Resources

• Professional Transitions to Public Schools course proposal (document)
• Professional Transitions to Public Schools review rubric (document)

Providers wanting to offer a new suicide training prevention course must submit a course proposal to the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB). Courses require re-approval every five years. Courses will remain approved until June 30 of the year they are scheduled for re-approval.

Course standards

PESB uses the Department of Health (DOH) course standards for the three-hour suicide prevention training course content, which include:

• Content must be based on current empirical research and known best practices.
• Training must reflect sensitivity and relevance to the cultures and backgrounds of the relevant client or patient populations.
• A minimum of seventy minutes of the course must address screening for suicide risk. Content must include:
  • When and how to screen a client or patient for acute and chronic suicide risk and protective factors against suicide;
  • Appropriate screening tools, tailored for specific ages and populations if applicable; and
  • Strategies for screening and appropriate use of information gained through screening.
• A minimum of thirty minutes of the course must address referral. Content must include:
  • How to identify and select an appropriate resource;
  • Best practices for connecting a client or patient to a referral; and
  • Continuity of care when making referrals

Course approval process

1. Complete the suicide prevention training course proposal form and submit it to PESB at least 60 days before the PESB board meeting at which you would like your proposal to be considered.
   • A separate proposal form must be completed for each course you are applying to offer.
2. PESB convenes a staff review team to review course proposal and completes rubric.
3. The review team will provide feedback, and an overall recommendation of the course proposal. Feedback and recommendation will be included in board meeting materials alongside with the proposal form.
   • If the review team recommends the course proposal, the recommendation is presented at the board meeting as a consent agenda item. The board always has the option to take an item off the consent agenda.
   • If the review team does not recommend the course proposal, you have the option to either present at the upcoming board meeting on full agenda, or
     revise the course proposal and re-submit it for a subsequent board meeting.

Due dates

Course proposal forms are due at least 60 days in advance of the PESB meeting to which you wish to bring your proposal for consideration. For upcoming proposal due dates, see below.

Re-approval process

Re-approval process will be completed every five years, and follow the same steps as the approval process.

Courses remain approved through June 30 of the school year indicated, meaning providers will want to apply well in advance of that date. We encourage providers to apply for re-approval in the fall of the school year indicated. Please submit a separate course proposal form for each course listed below.

Resources

Suicide Prevention Training course proposal (document)
Suicide Prevention Training review rubric (document)