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September 9, 2019
The Professional Educator Standards Board and the Paraeducator Board will begin their upcoming strategic planning process focusing on the agency's future goals, mission, vision, and strategies to continue supporting state education policy. These planning sessions will take place during board meetings over the next several months. We look forward to engaging with stakeholders, and collecting critical feedback to help inform this work. To see board meeting details, please visit our website.
This Fall, we will be offering a variety of webinars on PGPs, the STEM requirement, and changes in certification policy. These webinars will provide information, changes to policy, deadlines and timelines around certification requirements, and provide attendees the opportunity to ask questions.
Beginning September 1, 2019, candidates for certification seeking one of the following endorsements are required to pair it with a second endorsement:
- Bilingual education
- English language learner (ELL)
- Special education (SPED)
- Early childhood special education
- Science
For the bilingual education, ELL, SPED, and early childhood SPED endorsements, the second endorsement cannot be special education, early childhood special education, bilingual education, English language learner, or traffic safety.
For the science endorsement, only teachers who have completed requirements for an endorsement in biology, chemistry, earth and space science, or physics are eligible to add science.
Governor Inslee has appointed longtime educator and principal, Tenesha Fremstad, as the newest member to join the Professional Educator Standards Board. Her four-year term began on July 16, and she will be joining us in September for her first meeting. See our website for meeting information.
As a new member of the board, Tenesha most looks forward to “being part of a team to foster and bring ideas to support teaching, instruction, culture, and diversity.” She believes the work of the board “supports the culture of learning where teachers and administrators perform at optimal levels to provide the best resources and learning for all students to excel.”
The Paraeducator Certificate Program offers statewide standards-based training for all paraeducators, and supports a career growth ladder for those who wish to advance their career as a paraeducator or pursue a teaching profession.
A new toolkit is now available to assist school district staff who are responsible for implementing the required training. Educational Support Districts (ESDs), unions, community colleges, or any partners involved in supporting the professional development of paraeducators in Washington may also find the toolkit useful. We will add to, and update, this resource as appropriate.
Educational staff associates (ESAs) play a vital role in serving our students. At the July 2019 board meeting, PESB approved several changes to ESA certification policy.
Clock hours are a unit of currency for continuing education. They can be used to obtain and renew certificates for Washington teachers, administrators, educational staff associates (ESAs), and are now used in the paraeducator certificate program.
PESB convened a work group in 2019 to review Washington clock hour policy. At the July 2019 board meeting, PESB approved changes to clock hour policy based on the workgroup’s recommendations. Recommendations focused on flexibility and access, streamlining the system, and accountability.
The Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) is offering up to six $15,000 grants to support educator learning through professional growth plans (PGPs). Each grantee will be required to support at least 20 educators completing PGPs in a learning community. Grant applicants must describe how they will include equity in identifying participants and designing their local grant structure.
rofessional growth plans (PGPs) and clock hour courses are a great way for educators to continue their professional learning and promote best practices. We are gathering positive PGP and clock hour stories to highlight first-hand educator experiences of success.Your stories will be used to promote professional learning throughout Washington. Do you have a story you would like to share? Share it with us!
Story submissions end September 17, 2019. We appreciate your input.
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