Candidates for school nurse, school occupational therapist, school physical therapist and school speech-language pathologist or audiologist, school social worker, school behavior analyst, and school orientation and mobility specialist certification shall apply directly to the professional certification office. Such candidates shall complete the following requirements, in addition to those set forth in WAC 181-79A-150, except for a state-approved educator preparation program.

(1) Degree. Candidates who hold a master's degree or higher are not required to obtain a role-specific master's degree if the candidate provides satisfactory evidence to the superintendent of public instruction that they have completed all course work requirements relevant to the role-specific master's degree.

(2) Professional transitions to public schools. Candidates for the initial certificate for the roles under this section must complete the professional transitions to public schools coursework under WAC 181-79A-224.

(3) Experience. Candidates for the professional certificate for the roles under this section must complete two years full-time equivalency (FTE) in the role in Washington with a school district, state-approved private school, state tribal compact school, state authorized charter school, or state agency that provides educational services for students.

(4) School nurse.

(a) Initial.

(i) The candidate shall hold a valid ((department of health)) license as a registered nurse (RN) ((in Washington state))under chapter 18.79 or 18.80 RCW.

(ii) The candidate shall hold a baccalaureate degree or higher in nursing from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

(b) Professional.

(i) The candidate shall have completed the requirements for the initial certificate as a school nurse and have completed ((one hundred fifty))150 continuing education credit hours related to education, nursing, or other health sciences since the first issuance of the initial certificate.

(ii) The candidate shall hold a valid ((department of health)) license as a registered nurse (RN) ((in Washington state))under chapter 18.79 or 18.80 RCW.

(iii) The candidate shall have completed suicide prevention training under RCW 28A.410.226, 43.70.442, and as described in WAC 181-79A-244.

(5) School occupational therapist.

(a) Initial.

(i) The candidate shall hold a valid department of health license as an occupational therapist in Washington state.

(ii) The candidate shall hold a baccalaureate degree or higher from an American Occupational Therapy Association approved program in occupational therapy.

(b) Professional.

(i) The candidate shall have completed the requirements for the initial certificate as a school occupational therapist and have completed ((one hundred fifty))150 continuing education credit hours related to occupational therapy, other health sciences, or education since the first issuance of the initial certificate.

(ii) The candidate shall hold a valid department of health license as an occupational therapist in Washington state.

(6) School physical therapist.

(a) Initial.

(i) The candidate shall hold a valid department of health license as a physical therapist in Washington state.

(ii) The candidate shall hold a baccalaureate degree or higher from an American Physical Therapy Association accredited program in physical therapy.

(b) Professional. The candidate shall have completed the requirements for the initial certificate as a school physical therapist and have completed ((one hundred fifty))150 continuing education credit hours related to physical therapy, other health sciences, or education since the first issuance of the initial certificate.

(7) School speech-language pathologist or audiologist.

(a) Initial. The candidate shall have completed all course work (except special project or thesis) for a master's degree or higher from a college or university program accredited by the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA). If the degree program requires a written comprehensive exam relevant to the role, the candidate must successfully complete it. If the degree program does not require a written comprehensive exam relevant to the role, the candidate may present verification from ASHA of a passing score on a national exam in speech pathology or audiology, or a passing score on an exam approved by the professional educator standards board.

(b) Professional.

(i) The candidate shall hold a master's degree or higher.

(ii) The candidate shall have completed the requirements for the initial certificate as a speech language pathologist or audiologist and have completed ((one hundred fifty))150 continuing education credit hours related to speech language pathology, audiology, other health sciences, or education since the first issuance of the initial certificate.

(8) School social worker.

(a) Initial. The candidate shall hold a masters degree or higher in social work or social welfare from an accredited institution of higher learning.

(b) Professional.

(i) The candidate shall have completed the requirements for the initial certificate as a school social worker and have completed ((one hundred fifty))150 continuing education credit hours related to the role of the school social worker or education since the first issuance of the initial certificate.

(ii) The candidate shall have completed suicide prevention training under RCW 28A.410.226, 43.70.442, and as described in WAC 181-79A-244.

(9) Behavior analyst.

(a) Initial.

(i) Candidates must hold a valid board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) certificate from the behavior analyst certification board (BACB), or other national certificate as approved by the professional educator standards board.

(ii) Candidates must hold a master's degree or higher in any area.

(iii) Candidates must have achieved a passing score on the board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) exam from the behavior analyst certification board (BACB), or other assessment as approved by the professional educator standards board.

(b) Professional.

(ii) The candidate shall have completed the requirements for the initial certificate as a behavior analyst and have completed ((one hundred fifty))150 continuing education credit hours related to the role of the school behavior analyst or education since the first issuance of the initial certificate.

(10) Orientation and mobility specialist.

(a) Initial.

(i) Candidates must hold a valid certified orientation and mobility specialist (COMS) certificate from the academy for certification of vision rehabilitation and education professionals (ACVREP), valid national orientation and mobility certification (NOMC) from the national blindness professional certification board (NBPCB), or other valid national certificate as approved by the professional educator standards board.

(ii) Candidates must hold a baccalaureate degree or higher in any area.

(b) Professional.

(ii) The candidate shall have completed the requirements for the initial certificate as an orientation and mobility specialist and have completed ((one hundred fifty))150 continuing education credit hours related to the role or to education since the first issuance of the initial certificate.

Certificate renewal requirements include the following:

(1) Equity-based school practices. Applications for renewal dated July 1, 2023, and beyond, for the certificate types and roles as indicated in (a) and (b) of this subsection, must demonstrate completion of professional learning focused on equity based school practices aligned with the cultural competency, diversity, equity, and inclusion (CCDEI) standards under WAC 181-85-204.

(a) Completion of at least 15 continuing education credit hours of professional learning in equity-based school practices is required for renewal of residency, professional, initial, and continuing teacher and CTE teacher certificates.

(b) Completion of at least 10 continuing education credit hours of professional learning in equity-based school practices is required for renewal of residency, professional, initial, and continuing principal, program administrator, superintendent, and CTE director certificates.

(c) Individuals holding at least one valid, expiration dated administrator certificate under (b) of this subsection are only required to meet the equity-based school practices requirement for administrators when renewing or reinstating a teacher certificate under (a) of this subsection.

(d) Holders of a valid National Board Certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) meet the equity-based school practices requirement by maintaining a valid National Board Certificate.

(e) A professional growth plan with at least one goal aligned to the standards in this subsection meets the equity-based school practices requirement.

(2) National Professional Standards for Education Leaders. Applications for renewal dated July 1, 2023, and beyond, for holders of residency, professional, initial, and continuing certificates in the role of principal, program administrator, superintendent and CTE director, must demonstrate completion of 10 continuing education credit hours of professional learning focused on the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA) Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL). A professional growth plan with at least one goal aligned to the PSEL standards meets the certificate renewal requirement in this subsection.

(3) Providers for professional learning in equity-based school practices and National Professional Standards for Education Leaders. Professional learning under subsections (1) and (2) of this section must be provided by one or more of the following organizations. These organizations may only provide the professional learning for as long as they maintain status as a Washington state approved in-service education agency under chapter 181-85 WAC.

(a) Association of Washington school principals;

(b) Office of the superintendent of public instruction;

(d) Washington education association;

(e) Washington state educational service districts; or

(f) Washington state school districts, tribal compact schools, approved charter schools, Washington school for the deaf, Washington school for the blind.

(4) Government-to-government relationships with federally recognized tribes.

(a) Applications for renewal dated July 1, 2023, and beyond, for holders of residency, professional, initial, and continuing certificates in the role of principal, program administrator, superintendent and CTE director, must demonstrate completion of five continuing education credit hours of professional learning focused on government-to-government relationships with federally recognized tribes.

(b) Professional learning related to government-to-government relationships with federally recognized tribes must be provided by one or more subject matter experts approved by the governor's office on Indian affairs in collaboration with the tribal leaders congress on education and the office of native education in the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

(c) Completion of a professional growth plan (PGP) may not be used to meet the requirement for professional learning in government-to-government relationships.

(5) Science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) integration. Applications for certificate renewal must demonstrate completion of at least 15 continuing education credit hours, or at least one goal from an annual professional growth plan, emphasizing the integration of science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics instruction under RCW 28A.410.2212.

(a) This renewal requirement applies to teachers in the following areas: Elementary education; early childhood education; middle level mathematics and science; secondary mathematics; secondary science; the designated sciences; and career and technical education. Specific endorsements in these endorsement areas are as published by the professional educator standards board.

(b) Holders of a valid National Board Certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) meet this requirement by maintaining a valid National Board Certificate.

(6) Suicide prevention training requirement. Renewal of certificates, and issuance of professional certificates, for school counselors, school psychologists, school nurses, and school social workers requires completion of suicide prevention training under RCW 28A.410.226, 43.70.442, and as described in this section.

Approved trainings meeting this suicide prevention training requirement will be as published by the professional educator standards board. The training program must be at least three hours in length. The professional educator standards board will consider these training programs as continuing education credit hours.

(7) Washington state department of health licenses.

(a) Holding a valid department of health license as a physical therapist in Washington state is a requirement for renewal of school physical therapist educational staff associate (ESA) certificate.

(b) Holding a valid department of health license as an occupational therapist in Washington state is required for renewal of school occupational therapist ESA certificates.

(c) Holding a valid ((department of health)) license as a registered nurse (RN) ((in Washington state))under chapter 18.79 or 18.80 RCW is a requirement for renewal of school nurse ESA certificates.

(8) National certificates related to educational staff associate roles.

(a) Holding a valid Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certificate from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), or other national certificate as approved by the professional educator standards board, is a requirement for renewal of School Behavior Analyst ESA certificates.

(b) Holding a valid Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) Certificate from Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP), or, a valid National Orientation and Mobility Certification (NOMC) from the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB), is a requirement for renewal of school Orientation and Mobility Specialist ESA Certificates.

(9) Continuing education role requirements. Except as otherwise required in Title 181 WAC, continuing education for the following roles must relate to the described areas.

(a) CTE teacher. Continuing education credit hours for renewal of CTE teacher certificates must relate to career and technical education methods, including those described in RCW 28A.700.010 and WAC 181-77A-165, or to the subject matter certified to teach.

(b) CTE director. Continuing education credit hours for renewal of CTE director certificates must relate to career and technical education, or supervisory or managerial subjects.

(i) American School Counseling Association (ASCA) Professional Standards and Competencies; or

(ii) School Counselor Standards published by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).

(d) School psychologist. Continuing education credit hours for renewal certificates must relate to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Professional Practices.