 At the September meeting, members from the Professional Educator Standards Board and the Paraeducator Board held their annual half-day joint convening where agency staff were able to share progress and updates on their work. Both Boards look forward to another year of hard work and commitment towards educator quality, workforce development and policy innovation.
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.
A work group of education stakeholders met this year to review the outdated policies around limited certificates and offer recommendations to the Board. At the September meeting, the following changes were approved:
- There are now four types of limited certificates, were previously, there
were seven. 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.
- The validity period of a
certificate currently held by an individual would not suddenly be cut
short because of this policy change.
Join our webinar
We are offering an informational webinar regarding policy updates to the limited certificates.
More information on limited certificates can be found on our website.
This past year, we worked with the OSPI career and technical education (CTE) office to convene a work group to examine CTE
certification. The work group presented recommendation to the Board and the following changes were adopted at the September meeting:
- 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. Educators may complete professional growth plans (PGPs) as part of this requirement.
- Initial and continuing certificates for CTE teachers, administrators, and career guidance specialists will now have five-year validity periods, and may be renewed with 100 clock hours or the equivalent in credit or PGPs.
- 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.
Join one of our webinars
We are offering two information webinars regarding policy updates to the CTE certificates.
More information on CTE certification can be found on our website.
- November 29-30, 2018 at Heathman Lodge in Vancouver
- January 10-11, 2019 at ESD 113 in Tumwater
- March 21-22, 2019 at Seattle Airport Marriott in SeaTac
- May 16-17, 2019 at the Hampton Inn in Richland
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