Paraeducator certificate program

The Washington State Legislature recognizes that all instructional paraeducators need and deserve professional development opportunities and training to support successful academic outcomes for our students. Through a legislative directive (HB1115, 2017), the Paraeducator Certificate Program was created to meet this demand. The program includes new state standards of practice and professional development training to advance the skills and knowledge of paraeducators and to reduce the opportunity gap in education. 

There are five (5) components to the program:

• Fundamental Course of Study (FCS)

• General Certificate

• Subject Matter Certificate - EL

• Subject Matter Certificate - SpEd

• Advanced Certificate

Of those, FCS and general certificate are required, if funded. 

All instructional paraeducators will be required to complete this training for continued employment, regardless of education level or previous training.

(A paraeducator is defined as a “classified public school or school district employee who works under the supervision of a certificated or licensed staff member, from grades kindergarten to grade 12, to support and assist in providing instructional and other services to students and their families, including library assistants, and excluding bus monitors, lunchroom aides, and community service aides. Paraeducators are not considered certificated instructional staff.)

For a quick guide, please view this video. 

The Paraeducator Certificate Program begins with the Fundamental Course of Study (FCS), a 28-hour training that focuses on the new paraeducator standards of practice. 

Training Deadlines (2021-2022)

• Paraeducators hired on or before September 1, 2021 - Two days (14 hours) of training on the FCS by September 30, 2021.

• Paraeducators hired after September 1, 2021 - Two days (14 hours) of training on the FCS within FOUR MONTHS of the date of hire.

• Paraeducators hired after September 1, 2022 - Two days (14 hours) of training on the FCS within FOUR MONTHS of the date of hire, and the remaining two days (14 hours) within SIX MONTHS of the date of hire. 

Upon completion of the 28 hours, submission of the final clock hour form must be made to OSPI as an upload as part of an application or emailed to OSPI at cert@k12.wa.us 

All ASD paraeducators have access to PSESD's Canvas site to complete their FCS hours. 

As a reminder, you are still required to complete seven (7) hours of in-person training. 

To self-enroll, please register at: https://waesd.instructure.com/enroll/D9BPWP

Use your district e-mail. 

If funded by the Legislature, school districts are responsible for ensuring all employed paraeducators meet the requirements of the FCS and General Paraeducator Certificate (up to the funded amount). Following the completion of the 28 hours of FCS, a paraeducator must complete an additional 70 hours to earn the General Certificate. 

Currently, the State is funding fourteen (14) hours each school year.

General Certificate parameters are:

• Clock hours issued by an approved OSPI provider.

• Inform a paraeducator's practice.

• Hours funded completed before the end of the school year.