PARAEDUCATOR BOARD NEWSLETTER
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE JANUARY BOARD MEETING?
January 9
On January 9, the Paraeducator Board received a variety of presentations, and approved many important policies, including:
That evening, the Paraeducator Board, the Professional Educator Standards Board, and the State Board of Education participated in a special joint meeting where members were able to discuss alignment of goals and priorities, advancing equity in education, and identified opportunities for continued collaboration and partnership.
January 10
 On January 10, the Paraeducator Board and Professional Educator Standards Board held a joint meeting where members received presentations and updates on an upcoming educator shortage report, clock hours for certification, and a newly created educator pathways advisory council. Both Boards listened to a panel of students from the Recruiting Washington Teacher (RWT) and RWT-Bilingual Educators Initiative programs. Students shared their experience in the programs and provided members with opportunities to ask questions.
Learn more
- For background information and presentation materials, visit our website.
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Annotated actions provide Board response to agenda items. Official minutes will be reviewed at the next Board meeting, March 19-20.
WEBINAR WILL SHARE IMPORTANT UPDATES ON THE PARAEDUCATOR CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Beginning school year 2019-2020, all experienced and newly hired paraeducators will be required to complete district led training, called the Fundamental Course of Study. This training is part of a new statewide system supporting professionalizing the paraeducator career.
We will host an informational webinar on February 13 from 12:00-1:30 p.m. to present on the new paraeducator employment requirements, the upcoming Paraeducator Certificate Program, and the Legislative ask to fund this professional development. This is a great opportunity to get a head start on what you need to know, learn, and do for successful implementation of the program.
We welcome all audience members, but we highly encourage the attendance of school district leaders who will be in charge of implementation.
Register online to attend.
PARAEDUCATOR PILOT MIDTERM REPORT
The paraeducator pilot is a yearlong trial of the new Paraeducator Certificate Program. During school year 2018-19 four school districts and two ESDs have been participating in the pilot, making up over 150 paraeducators who are receiving training on the Fundamental Course of Study and the Subject Matter Certificates.
This month, the Paraeducator Board published a midterm report, which includes progress of the pilot, lessons learned from awardees, and recommendations for next steps on statewide implementation.
This is a great resource for stakeholders interested in learning more about the program, and for recommendations on how to implement the training.
Read the report online.
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 March 5th.
For more information on the requirements and responsibilities of candidates, please visit our website.
NEW WEBSITE DESIGN
The website for the Professional Educator Standards Board and Paraeducator Board has been redesigned, and we want your feedback.
Let us know what you think. Can you easily find information on the Paraeducator Certificate Program, the Paraeducator Board, or whatever you are looking for?
Provide your feedback.
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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