WSR 17-08-036
EMERGENCY RULES
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR
STANDARDS BOARD
[Filed March 29, 2017, 11:19 a.m., effective March 29, 2017, 11:19 a.m.]
Effective Date of Rule: Immediately upon filing.
Purpose: Repeals WAC 181-78A-507 and amends WAC 181-78A-540 to remove regulations governing administration and principal profession certification programs. Also amends WAC 181-79A-211 and 181-79A-2510 to address certificate holder issues relating to the deregulation of the programs.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 181-78A-507; and amending WAC 181-78A-540, 181-79A-211, and 181-79A-2510.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 28A.410.210.
Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest.
Reasons for this Finding: Existing principals and administrator in education are facing expiration at the same time that the programs for obtaining the professional certification are closing. Permanent rules to deregulate these programs is under process.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 1; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: March 29, 2017.
David Brenna
Senior Policy Analyst
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 13-14-026, filed 6/25/13, effective 7/26/13)
WAC 181-78A-540 Approval standard—Knowledge and skills.
(((1) Principal/program administrator. A successful candidate for the principal/program administrator professional certificate shall demonstrate the knowledge and skills at the professional certificate benchmark levels for the six standards pursuant to WAC 181-78A-270 (2)(b).
(2))) Educational staff associate - School counselor or school psychologist. A successful candidate for the ESA professional certificate shall demonstrate the knowledge and skills at the professional certificate benchmark levels for the standards in the specific ESA role pursuant to WAC 181-78A-270 (5), (7), or (9).
REPEALER
The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:
WAC 181-78A-507
Overview—Principal/program administrator professional certificate programs.
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 13-11-081, filed 5/17/13, effective 6/17/13)
WAC 181-79A-211 Academic and experience requirements for certificationAdministrators.
Candidates for the respective administrative certificate shall complete the following requirements in addition to those set forth in WAC 181-79A-150 and 181-79A-213.
(1) Superintendent.
(a) Initial.
(i) The candidate shall hold an approved master's degree and have completed subsequent to the baccalaureate degree at least forty-five quarter credit hours (thirty semester credit hours) of graduate level course work in education.
(ii) The candidate shall hold a valid teacher, educational staff associate, program administrator or principal certificate; excluding certificates issued under WAC 181-79A-231, or comparable out-of-state certificates.
(b) Continuing.
(i) The candidate shall hold an approved master's degree and have completed subsequent to the baccalaureate degree at least sixty quarter credit hours (forty semester credit hours) of graduate level course work in education or shall hold a doctorate in education.
(ii) The candidate shall hold a valid teacher, educational staff associate, program administrator or principal certificate; excluding certificates issued under WAC 181-79A-231, or comparable out-of-state certificates.
(iii) Candidates applying for continuing superintendent's certificate shall provide documentation of one hundred eighty days or full-time equivalent or more employment in the respective role with an authorized employeri.e., school district, educational service district, state agency, college or university, private school, or private school systemand at least thirty days of such employment with the same employer.
(2) Principal.
(a) Residency.
(i) The candidate shall hold an approved master's degree.
(ii) The candidate shall have completed an approved program for the preparation of principals.
(iii) The candidate shall have three years of documented successful school-based experience in an instructional role with students; provided, candidates who were enrolled in an approved principal program prior to July 1, 2013, are not subject to the three-year minimum experience requirement.
(iv) The candidate shall hold or have held:
(A) A valid teacher's certificate, excluding certificates issued under WAC 181-79A-231; or
(B) A valid education staff associate certificate, excluding certificates issued under WAC 181-79A-231.
(v) Persons whose teacher of educational staff associate certificates were revoked, suspended or surrendered are not eligible for principals certificates.
(b) Continuing.
(i) The candidate shall hold a valid initial principal's certificate, an approved master's degree and shall have completed at least fifteen quarter (ten semester) credit hours of graduate course work offered by a college or university with a state approved principal program or one hundred fifty clock hours of study, which meet the state continuing education clock hour criteria pursuant to chapter 181-85 WAC, or a combination of credits and clock hours equivalent to the above. Such study shall:
(A) Be based on the principal performance domains included in WAC 181-78A-270 (2)(a) or (b);
(B) Be taken subsequent to the issuance of the initial principal's certificate; and
(C) Be determined in consultation with and approved by the candidate's employer or the administrator of a state approved principal preparation program.
(ii) Provided, That a candidate who held a valid initial principal's certificate on August 31, 1998, may meet the academic requirement for the continuing certificate described in WAC 181-79A-211 (2)(c)(i), if the candidate meets requirements for and applies for the continuing certificate by the expiration date on that initial certificate.
(iii) The candidate must meet requirements for a principal's certificate pursuant to WAC 181-79A-150(4).
(iv) Candidates applying for the continuing principal's certificate shall provide documentation of three contracted school years of full-time employment as a principal or assistant principal.
(c) Professional certificate.
(i) The candidate shall have completed an approved professional certificate program by September 2018.
(ii) The candidate shall have documentation of three contracted school years of employment as a principal or assistant principal.
(3) Program administrator.
(a) Initial.
The candidate shall hold an approved master's degree and have completed subsequent to the baccalaureate degree at least twenty-four quarter credit hours (sixteen semester credit hours) of graduate level course work in education.
(b) Residency certificate.
The candidate shall hold an approved master's degree and have completed an approved program for the preparation of program administrators.
(c) Continuing.
(i) The candidate shall hold a valid initial program administrator's certificate, an approved master's degree and have completed subsequent to the baccalaureate degree at least thirty quarter credit hours (twenty semester credit hours) of graduate level course work in education or shall hold a doctorate in education.
(ii) Candidates applying for continuing program administrator's certificate shall provide documentation of one hundred eighty days or full-time equivalent or more employment in the respective role with an authorized employeri.e., school district, educational service district, state agency, college or university, private school, or private school systemand at least thirty days of such employment with the same employer.
(d) Professional certificate.
The candidate shall have completed an approved professional certificate program by September 2018.
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 16-07-103, filed 3/18/16, effective 4/18/16)
WAC 181-79A-2510 Principal and program administrator residency and professional certificationRenewal and reinstatement.
(1) Principals/program administrators may renew their residency certificate in one of the following ways:
(((a) Individuals who hold, or have held, a residency certificate and who qualify for enrollment in a professional educator standards board approved professional certificate program pursuant to WAC 181-78A-507 and 181-79A-145 may have the certificate renewed for one additional two-year period upon verification by the professional certificate program administrator that the candidate is enrolled in a state approved professional certificate program.
(b))) Individuals who hold, or have held, residency certificates who are not in the role of principal or program administrator may have their residency certificates renewed for an additional five-year period by the completion of fifteen quarter credits (ten semester credits) of college credit course work from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or completion of one hundred fifty continuing education credit hours, directly related to the current performance-based leadership standards as defined in WAC 181-78A-270 (2)(b) from a regionally accredited institution of higher education taken since the issuance of the residency certificate.
(2) Professional certificate. A professional certificate may be renewed for additional five-year periods for individuals in the role as a principal, assistant principal, or program administrator in a public school or approved private school by completion of four professional growth plans developed annually since the certificate was issued, in collaboration with the professional growth team as defined in WAC 181-79A-030.
(a) Individuals may apply their focused evaluation professional growth activities of the evaluation system toward the professional growth plan for certificate renewal.
(b) Individuals who complete the requirements of the annual professional growth plan to renew their professional certificate shall receive the equivalent of thirty hours of continuing education credit hours.
(c) The professional growth plans must document formalized learning opportunities and professional development activities that relate to the standards and "career level" benchmarks defined in WAC 181-78A-540(1).
(d) Provided, as per RCW 28A.410.278(2) beginning September 1, 2016, in-service training, continuing education, or professional growth plans shall incorporate professional development on the revised teacher and principal evaluation systems under RCW 28A.405.100 as a requirement for renewal of continuing or professional level certificates. Certificates with a renewal date of June 30, 2019, and beyond for all principals and program administrators must document completion of at least fifteen clock hours, or at least one goal from an annual professional growth plan, related to knowledge and competency of the teacher and principal evaluation criteria or system.
(e) Provided, any educator holding a professional certificate which requires completion of four PGPs in five years, may renew the professional certificate for one time only by completing one hundred fifty continuing education credit hours as defined in chapter 181-85 WAC, or with completion of fifteen quarter credit hours related to job responsibilities, in lieu of completion of four professional growth plans. Individuals with valid certificates must show completion of the hours as described in this section since the professional certificate was issued. Individuals with an expired professional certificate must complete the hours as described in this section within the five years prior to the date of the renewal application: Provided, That this section is no longer in effect after June 30, 2020.
(f) For educators holding multiple certificates as described in WAC 181-79A-251, 181-79A-2510, 181-79A-2511, or 181-79A-2512 of this chapter, or in chapter 181-85 WAC, a professional growth plan for teacher, administrator, or education staff associate shall meet the requirement for all certificates held by an individual which is affected by this section.
(g) The one-time renewal option of using clock hours or credits in lieu of professional growth plans as required applies to any/all professional certificates an educator may hold, and is only available to the individual one time. This section is no longer in effect after June 30, 2020.