PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR

[Filed July 28, 2025, 12:51 p.m., effective August 28, 2025]

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

Purpose: The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards were updated, so updates to the professional educator standards board program standards are necessary additions to the new standards adopted by CACREP.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 181-78A-225.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapter 28A.410 RCW.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 25-13-028 on July 24, 2025 [June 6, 2025].

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Date Adopted: July 24, 2025.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 24-24-096, filed 12/3/24, effective 1/3/25)

WAC 181-78A-225Acceptance of alternative standards and additions to national standards for school counselor and school psychologist preparation programs.

(1) For a given program, the professional educator standards board may allow the substitution of alternative national standards for program approval standards for school counselor and school psychologist program approval, if they are deemed by the board to be equivalent to the board-adopted national standards for the role (WAC 181-78A-220 (2) through (5)).

(2) The professional educator standards board has deemed necessary the following additions to the standards adopted by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP):

WAC 181-78A-232 (1)(a) and (2)(d); 181-78A-233 (2)(c) and (3)(c); ((181-78A-234 (2)(c) and (d);)) 181-78A-235 (1)(b), (2)(b) ((and (d))), and (3)(b) and (c)((; and 181-78A-236 (1)(a), (2)(c) and (f), and (4)(a))).

(3) The professional educator standards board has deemed necessary the following additions to the standards adopted by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP):

WAC 181-78A-232 (2)(d); 181-78A-233 (2)(c); 181-78A-234 (1)(a) and (b), (2)(a), (c), and (d); 181-78A-235 (1)(b), (2)(a), (b), and (d), (3)(b) and (c); 181-78A-236 (2)(c) and (f); and 181-78A-237 (1)(b).

(4) The professional educator standards board may allow the substitution of national standards (e.g., the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) teacher education standards) for program approval with any additions deemed necessary by the professional educator standards board. National standards may also be approved for programs in specific endorsement areas if they are deemed to be equivalent to state standards.