What is a professional growth plan?
Professional Growth Plans (PGPs) are job-embedded, self-directed professional development. In a PGP, educators set their own goals, align them to certification standards, design an action plan, and collect evidence documenting their growth towards achieving their goals. Educators then reflect on the process. There is no cost to an educator for a PGP. Clock hours earned through a Professional Growth Plan may be eligible for salary advancement.
Why PGPs?
Earn clock hours at no cost for work you are already doing.
- Why PGPs? – a one-page flyer for educators on the PGP process.
- PGP forms and support materials – for certificate renewal and educator preparation program completion
- PGP FAQ – Find more information
- Certification standards and benchmarks – for individual roles
Imagine these scenarios
- A teacher creates and implements student growth goals for her focused evaluation – and now receives clock hours for her work at no cost.
- Two teachers, a principal, and a counselor at a rural school collaborate on a year long initiative to improve school climate. They are hours from a major town, but with PGPs, these educators can acquire clock hours for activities right in their local school.
- A science teacher attends a week long marine biology seminar on the Oregon coast. With a PGP, this teacher can use their out-of-state learning experiences to earn Washington state clock hours.
How do I complete a Professional Growth Plan?
- Complete the PGP template for certificate renewal – PESB form 1697 (document).
- Attach evidence from your focused evaluation, PLC, project, or other learning experience.
- Have a certificated educator in Washington state review and sign.
- Turn in the verification form (PDF) according to your district procedures for consideration for salary advancement and record in OSPI e-certification for certificate renewal.
Who may complete a PGP? Teachers, administrators, paraeducators, and ESAs.
Cost: $0.00
Materials: PGP forms and support materials.
What is a PGP for? Clock hours from PGPs are eligible for use in salary advancement, and may be used for renewal of residency, professional, and continuing certificates. Clock hours from PGPs may also be used in the paraeducator certificate program.
PGP clock hours: PGPs are equivalent to 25 clock hours. PGPs completed prior to June 30, 2018, are equivalent to 30 clock hours.
When may a PGP be completed? Only one PGP may be completed each year. PGPs are completed between July 1 of one year and June 30 of the next. Completion of a PGP includes review by a Washington certificated educator.
PGPs for program completion are part of Washington State’s educator preparation programs.
Certification and PGPs
Professional Growth Plans play a significant role in obtaining and renewing an educator credential. The OSPI’s certification office provides information for individuals with questions about their own licensure.
Find information on certification renewal, by role:
- Teacher
- Administrator
- Paraeducator
- Educational Staff Associate
- Career Technical Educator
- Guidance for the STEM and suicide prevention training certificate renewal requirements.
Resources
- This folder contains resources on PGPs and STEM. Materials can be adapted for presentations on these topics.
