(1) Eligibility period. Individuals are eligible for the continuing education credit hours described in this section for up to seven years following the completion date of the indicated activity.

(2) Professional growth team.

(a) A professional growth team for the purpose of certificate renewal means a team comprised of the individual renewing the certificate and a minimum of one colleague, who holds a valid Washington state educator certificate under Title 181 WAC, or paraeducator certificate under Title 179 WAC, chosen by the individual.

(b) For consultation and collaboration, members of a professional growth team, excluding the candidate, are eligible for the equivalent of three continuing education credit hours. The team member may not receive more than the equivalent of six continuing education credit hours, as defined by this section, during the period beginning July 1st of one year and ending June 30th of the following year.

(3) School accreditation site visit team. A person holding a valid educational certificate under RCW 28A.410.010 is eligible for the equivalent of ten continuing education credit hours for serving on a school accreditation site visit team. The person may not receive more than the equivalent of twenty continuing education credit hours during a calendar year period.

(4) Mentors and field experience supervisors.

Individuals officially designated as a mentor or field experience supervisor by a PESB approved educator preparation program, college or university, school district, educational service district, approved private school, tribal compact school, approved charter school, a state agency providing educational services to students, or the superintendent of public instruction, who hold a valid educational certificate under RCW 28A.410.010, are eligible for the equivalent of thirty continuing education credit hours for service. The service must be as a mentor or field experience supervisor for teachers, administrators, educational staff associates, paraeducators, or interns or candidates in these roles. The individual may not receive more than the equivalent of thirty continuing education credit hours under this subsection during a school year period.

(5) National board certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS):

(a) Individuals who submitted at least one component of an initial NBPTS national board certification process in 2017 or earlier, and who hold a valid educational certificate under RCW 28A.410.010, are eligible for the equivalent of forty-five continuing education credit hours for submission of a complete portfolio of four components of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification process. Completion of a national board certification process shall be defined as published by the professional educator standards board. Upon achieving national board certification, the individual is eligible for the equivalent of an additional forty-five continuing education credit hours for a total of ninety continuing education credit hours per national board certificate. Beginning January 1, 2022, all individuals submitting complete components as part of an initial NBPTS national board certification process are eligible for continuing education credit hours as described in (b) of this subsection.

(b) Individuals who first submitted a component of an initial NBPTS national board certification process in 2018 or later, and who hold a valid educational certificate under RCW 28A.410.010, are eligible for the equivalent of fifty continuing education credit hours per submission of a complete national board component, for a total of two hundred continuing education credit hours per submission of a complete national board certification portfolio. Completion of a national board component shall be defined as published by the professional educator standards board.

(c) Individuals who submit a complete NBPTS national board renewal portfolio in 2018 or later, and who hold a valid educational certificate under RCW 28A.410.010, are eligible for the equivalent of two hundred continuing education credit hours. Completion of a national board renewal portfolio shall be defined as published by the professional educator standards board.

(d) Individuals who submit a complete NBPTS national board maintenance of certification portfolio, for a national board certificate with a five-year validity period, and who hold a valid educational certificate under RCW 28A.410.010, are eligible for the equivalent of one hundred continuing education credit hours. Completion of a national board maintenance of certification portfolio shall be defined as published by the professional educator standards board.

(6) External assessment for professional certification. Teachers who achieve the professional certification through the external assessment under WAC 181-79A-206 are eligible for the equivalent of one hundred fifty continuing education credit hours.

(7) First peoples' language, culture, and oral tribal traditions. In-service training or continuing education in first peoples' language, culture, and oral tribal traditions provided by a sovereign tribal government participating in the Washington state first peoples' language, culture, and oral tribal traditions teacher certification program authorized under RCW 28A.410.045 shall be considered approved in-service training or approved continuing education under this section.

(8) Scorers for the Washington teacher performance assessment. Individuals who serve as scorers for the Washington teacher performance assessment are eligible for the equivalent of ten continuing education credit hours for each four assessments scored. However, an individual may not receive more than the equivalent of twenty continuing education credit hours during a calendar year period. Additionally, individuals who receive initial training as scorers for the Washington teacher performance assessment are eligible for the equivalent of ten continuing education credit hours.

(9) Scorers for the Washington ProTeach Portfolio assessment. Individuals who serve as scorers for the Washington ProTeach Portfolio assessment are eligible for the equivalent of ten continuing education credit hours for completing one full scoring session during a calendar year. An individual may not receive more than the equivalent of twenty continuing education credit hours during a calendar year period. Individuals who receive initial training as scorers for the Washington ProTeach Portfolio assessment are eligible for the equivalent of ten additional continuing education credit hours. Continuing education credit hours under this subsection are available through December 31, 2027.

(10) Professional growth plans.

(a) Educator individualized professional growth plan means the document which identifies the formalized learning opportunities and professional development activities that relate to the specific competencies, knowledge, skills and experiences needed to meet one or more of the following:

(i) Professional role standards under WAC 181-85-203, or paraeducator standards of practice under chapter 179-07 WAC;

(ii) Cultural competency, diversity, equity, and inclusion (CCDEI) standards under RCW 28A.410.260. Until the CCDEI standards are adopted by the board, the professional growth plan must be aligned to the cultural competency standards published by the board; or

(iii) Social emotional learning standards, benchmarks, and indicators under RCW 28A.410.270.

(b) Only one professional growth plan may be completed each year. Professional growth plans will be completed during the period beginning July 1st of one year and ending June 30th of the following year. Completion of the professional growth plan will include review by the professional growth team, as defined in subsection (2) of this section.

(c) Individuals may apply their focused evaluation professional growth activities from the evaluation system towards the professional growth plan for certificate renewal under RCW 28A.405.100 (12)(c)(vi).

(d) Until June 30, 2018, individuals who complete the requirements of the annual professional growth plan are eligible for thirty continuing education credit hours. Beginning July 1, 2018, individuals who complete an annual professional growth plan are eligible for twenty-five continuing education credit hours.

(e) For educators holding multiple certificates as described in Title 179 or 181 WAC, a professional growth plan for teacher, administrator, education staff associate, or paraeducator shall meet the requirements of a professional growth plan for all certificates held by an individual.

(11) Paraeducator certificates.

(a) Individuals who complete the paraeducator fundamental course of study as described in chapter 179-09 WAC are eligible for the number of continuing education credit hours completed up to twenty-eight continuing education credit hours unless they are issued these continuing education credit hours by a state approved in-service education agency.

(b) Individuals who complete the course work for the English language learner subject matter certificate as described in chapter 179-13 WAC are eligible for the number of continuing education credit hours completed up to twenty continuing education credit hours unless they are issued these continuing education credit hours by a state approved in-service education agency.

(c) Individuals who complete the course work for the special education subject matter certificate as described in chapter 179-15 WAC are eligible for the number of continuing education credit hours completed up to twenty continuing education credit hours unless they are issued these continuing education credit hours by a state approved in-service education agency.

(12) Government-to-government relationships with federally recognized tribes. Individuals who complete the professional learning on government-to-government relationships with federally recognized tribes as described under WAC 181-79A-244 are eligible for the number of continuing education credit hours completed up to five continuing education credit hours every five years unless they are issued these continuing education credit hours by a state approved in-service education agency.

PDFWAC 181-85-033

Activity-based continuing education credit hours.