Career guidance specialists must meet the following requirements in addition to those set forth in WAC 181-79A-150 (1) and (2) and 181-79A-155:

(1) Probationary certificate.

(a) Beginning July 1, 2018, a candidate is eligible for the probationary career guidance specialist certification if meeting one or more of the following:

(i) Completion of three years of experience as a certificated career and technical education administrator, career and technical education instructor, or career and technical education counselor, at the initial or continuing certificate level; or

(ii) Hold a valid educational staff associate - Counselor certificate as provided in WAC 181-79A-221; or

(iii) Provide documentation of six thousand hours of occupational experience of which two thousand hours shall have been in the last ten years, dealing with employment, personnel or with placement and evaluation of workers, or experience providing career guidance, employment or career counseling services.

(b) Such a certificate may be issued upon recommendation by the employing school district according to the following:

(i) The candidate shall have developed a written training plan in cooperation with the career and technical education administrator. The plan must be approved by a local career and technical education advisory committee.

(ii) The plan shall develop procedures and timelines for the candidate to meet the requirements for the initial certificate.

(c) The probationary certificate is valid for two years and is renewable one time for two additional years upon recommendation of the employing district if the individual has completed the procedures outlined for the first year in the written training plan and has made additional progress in meeting the requirements for the initial certificate.

(2) Initial certificate.

(a) The initial career guidance specialist certificate is valid for five years.

(b) Candidates must meet the eligibility requirements for the probationary certificate outlined in this section.

(c) Candidates for the initial certificate shall demonstrate competence through a course of study from a state approved program provider or state approved continuing education provider in the general standards for career guidance specialist which include, but are not limited to, knowledge and skills in the following areas as approved by the professional educator standards board:

(i) Individual and group career guidance skills;

(ii) Individual and group career development assessment;

(iii) Information and resources in providing career guidance;

(iv) Career guidance program planning, implementation, and management;

(v) Diverse populations;

(vi) Student leadership development;

(vii) Ethical/legal issues;

(viii) Technology;

(ix) History and philosophy of career and technical education.

(d) In order to teach worksite learning and career choices courses, candidates must successfully complete requirements per WAC 181-77A-180.

(3) Initial certificate renewal.

(a) Candidates for renewal of the initial career guidance specialist certificate must complete at least ten quarter hours of college credit, one hundred continuing education credit hours, or four professional growth plans since the initial certificate was issued or renewed. At least two quarter credits or fifteen continuing education credit hours must be related to the knowledge and skills areas listed in subsection (2)(c) of this section. Individuals completing fewer than four annual professional growth plans must complete the necessary continuing education credit hours needed to be the equivalent of one hundred continuing education credit hours.

Application for renewals shall not be submitted earlier than twelve months prior to the expiration date of the current certificate.

Expired certificates may be renewed with completion of one hundred continuing education credit hours within the previous five years from the date of the renewal application, or by completing four professional growth plans. Individuals completing fewer than four annual professional growth plans must complete the necessary continuing education credit hours needed to be the equivalent of one hundred continuing education credit hours.

An expired certificate may be renewed by presenting evidence to the superintendent of public instruction of completing the continuing education credit hours or professional growth plan requirement within the five years prior to the date of the renewal application.

(b) The initial renewal certificate is valid for five years.

(4) Continuing certificate.

(a) Candidates for the continuing career guidance specialist certificate shall have in addition to the requirements for the initial certificate at least fifteen quarter hours of college credit or one hundred fifty continuing education credit hours completed subsequent to the issuance of the initial certificate; or hold a valid national board certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in any certificate area.

(b) Candidates for the continuing certificate shall provide as a condition for the issuance of a continuing certificate documentation of two years full-time equivalency (FTE) as a career guidance specialist with an authorized employer (i.e., school district(s) or skills center(s)).

(c) The continuing career guidance specialist certificate is valid for five years.

(5) Continuing certificate renewal. The continuing career guidance specialist certificate shall be renewed with the completion of ten quarter hours of college credit, the equivalent of one hundred continuing education credit hours, or four professional growth plans prior to the lapse date of the first issuance of the continuing certificate and during each five-year period between subsequent lapse dates. At least four quarter credits or thirty continuing education credit hours must be related to the knowledge and skills areas listed in subsection (2)(c) of this section. Individuals completing fewer than four annual professional growth plans must complete the necessary continuing education credit hours needed to be the equivalent of one hundred continuing education credit hours.

Application for renewals shall not be submitted earlier than twelve months prior to the expiration date of the current certificate.

Expired certificates may be renewed with completion of one hundred continuing education credit hours within the previous five years from the date of the renewal application, or by completing four professional growth plans. Individuals completing fewer than four annual professional growth plans must complete the necessary continuing education credit hours needed to be the equivalent of one hundred continuing education credit hours.

An expired certificate may be renewed by presenting evidence to the superintendent of public instruction of completing the continuing education credit hours or professional growth plan requirement within the five years prior to the date of the renewal application.

(6) Certificates issued under previous standards.

(a) Any person with a valid one-year occupational information specialist, or career and technical education counselor, certificate issued prior to July 1, 2018, under previous standards of the professional educator standards board may apply for the initial career guidance specialist certificate, and will be considered to have met the requirements to obtain an initial career guidance specialist certificate in subsection (2) of this section.

Holders of expired one-year occupational information specialist, or one-year career and technical education counselor certificates, may apply for the initial career guidance specialist certificate, and will be considered to have met the requirements to obtain an initial career guidance specialist certificate with completion of one hundred continuing education credit hours within the previous five years from the date of the renewal application.

These holders of expired one-year certificates must present evidence to the superintendent of public instruction of completing the continuing education credit hours within the five years prior to the date of the renewal application.

(b) Any person with a valid three-year or five-year occupational information specialist, or career and technical education counselor, certificate issued prior to July 1, 2018, under previous standards of the professional educator standards board may apply for the continuing career guidance specialist certificate by the expiration date of the original certificate held, and will be considered to have met the requirements to obtain a continuing career guidance specialist certificate in subsection (4) of this section.

Holders of expired three-year or five-year occupational information specialist, or three-year or five-year career and technical education counselor certificates, may apply for the initial career guidance specialist certificate, and will be considered to have met the requirements to obtain an initial career guidance specialist certificate with completion of one hundred continuing education credit hours within the previous five years from the date of the renewal application.

These holders of expired three-year or five-year certificates must present evidence to the superintendent of public instruction of completing the continuing education credit hours within the five years prior to the date of the renewal application.

(c) Upon issuance of the probationary initial or continuing career guidance specialist certificate, individuals addressed in this subsection will be subject to certificate renewal requirements of this section.