PARAEDUCATOR BOARD NEWSLETTER
FROM THE NOVEMBER BOARD MEETING
The Board recently held its November 28 meeting in Vancouver, WA and approved many important policies.
A reminder that background information and presentation materials for this meeting are on our website.
At this meeting, the Board:
- Received initial consideration for new rules regarding paraeducator certificate renewal and attainment. Members expressed their support for the rules put forward. Board members anticipate voting on formal adoption of these rules at the January 2019 meeting. See presentation materials.
- Received an update from the Office of Certification (OSPI) regarding the adaption of E-cert for paraeducators. A lot of progress has been made and it is nearly ready for deployment. Visuals of the software are available in the meeting materials folder.
- Approved the process to review equivalency between the ETS ParaPro Assessment and other assessments with the same framework. In addition, the Board approved the GACE Paraprofessional Assessment as equivalent to the ETS ParaPro. See presentation materials..
- Discussed the Board's 2019 Legislative Priorities, which include funding the Paraeducator Certificate Program, increasing spending on growing our own educator pathways, and eliminating testing barriers. Visit our website to learn more.
Annotated actions provide Board response to agenda items. Official minutes will be reviewed at the next Board meeting, January 9.
UPCOMING WEBINAR
A lot has taken place regarding paraeducators over the last year, and there are more changes to come. PESB will host a webinar in early 2019 to present on employment requirements, standards of practice, and the upcoming Paraeducator Certificate Program. If you would like to be notified of the date and time, please complete this form. This webinar is open to all educators and stakeholders.
PARAEDUCATOR PILOT MIDTERM REPORT
Since the beginning of the 2018-19 school year, four school districts and two ESDs, making up over 150 paraeducators, have been piloting the Paraeducator Certificate Program. In January, the Paraeducator Board will publish a midterm report, which will include lessons learned on its implementation. This will be a great resource for anybody interested in learning more about the program and how to provide training to all paraeducators.
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR PARAEDUCATORS TO RECEIVE AA DEGREE
The Pipeline for Paraeducators Conditional Loan Scholarship provides funding for paraeducators interested in earning their residency teaching certificate. To qualify, candidates must:
- Have a minimum of three years of classroom experience
- Not have a college degree
The scholarship awards candidates with up to $4,000 towards earning their Associate of Arts (AA) degree from a Washington community or technical college. Those awarded will be required to complete their AA within two years of award date, making them eligible to enroll in an Alternative Route 1 program to earn certification, and teach for a minimum of two years in a subject matter shortage area.
The next deadline to submit your application is December 11th.
For more information on the requirements and responsibilities of candidates, please visit our website.
JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Did you know that PESB and the Paraeducator Board are on social media? Follow along for daily updates, milestones reached, reminders and resources.
You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
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