Original Notice.
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 24-18-033.
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: WAC 181-79A-244 Certificate renewal requirements.
Hearing Location(s): On November 14 2024, at 8 a.m., at The Heathman Lodge, Vancouver, Washington. Exact meeting location and a link to listen to the meeting virtually will be available several weeks prior to the meeting. More information regarding this can be found on our website https://www.pesb.wa.gov/about-us/board-meetings/.
Date of Intended Adoption: November 14, 2024.
Submit Written Comments to: Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB), P.O. Box 47236, 600 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98504-7236, email pesb@k12.wa.us, by 8 a.m., Monday, November 11, 2024.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact PESB, phone 360-725-6275, email pesb.k12.wa.us, by Thursday, October 31, 2024.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: To finish updating certificate renewal requirements to align with recent legislation.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: In 2024, state legislators identified a need for a more in-depth and expanded clock hour provider approval and review process and directed PESB to take on that work. PESB board members initially reviewed the majority of the WAC changes related to that work at the July 2024 PESB board meeting. There was one remaining section of the WAC that needed to be updated regarding clock hours but was unable to be initially considered in July by the PESB board due to the WAC already being opened for additional changes related to other PESB work. This rule will continue to help PESB establish the systems needed to carry out the legislative direction provided in the bill.
Rule is necessitated by federal law, 50 U.S.C. 4025a.
Name of Proponent: PESB, governmental.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Michael Nguyen, P.O. Box 47236, 600 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98504-7236, 360-489-4471; Implementation: Jeffrey Youde, P.O. Box 47236, 600 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98504-7236, 360-870-0143; and Enforcement: Erica Hernandez-Scott, P.O. Box 47236, 600 Washington Street S.E., Olympia, WA 98504-7236, 360-890-2443.
This rule proposal, or portions of the proposal, is exempt from requirements of the Regulatory Fairness Act because the proposal:
Is fully exempt.
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;
(c) Professional educator standards board-approved administrator or teacher preparation program providers;
(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; or
(g) Other organizations approved by the Washington professional educator standards board.
(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 license as a physical therapist under chapter
18.74 RCW is a requirement for renewal of school physical therapist educational staff associate (ESA) certificate.
(b) Holding a valid license as an occupational therapist under chapter
18.59 RCW is required for renewal of school occupational therapist ESA certificates.
(c) Holding a valid license as a registered nurse (RN) 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.
(c) School counselor. Continuing education credit hours for renewal must relate to:
(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.