In addition to the general standards required by WAC 131-16-080, the district board of trustees shall establish that candidates for appointment meet or exceed the following standards in their areas of specialization:

(1) Teaching personnel.

(a) Professional teaching personnel performing services for which advanced degrees are commonly available shall hold the equivalent of a master's degree in the field of their educational service from an accredited college or university or a bachelor's degree and professional expertise in the field of their educational service; or

(b) Professional teaching personnel in professional-technical fields for which bachelor's or master's degrees are not commonly available shall be particularly qualified to provide instruction in their area of specialization as demonstrated by possession of the following:

(i) Sufficient broad and comprehensive training;

(ii) Industry recognized certification when available; and

(iii) Two years relevant work experience and/or relevant, current teaching experience that particularly qualifies them to provide instruction in their area of specialization.

(c) In extraordinary cases, the requirements in (a) and (b) of this subsection may be waived by the college president. For personnel under waiver, a professional development plan must be developed to meet criteria under (a) or (b) of this subsection. This plan must be completed during the initial certification process.

(d) Part-time professional-technical teaching personnel must meet minimum qualifications as defined by (a), (b), or (c) of this subsection and have verification on file. This record must be on file for each part-time instructor during each quarter of teaching employment.

(2) Other instructional personnel.

All other professional-technical instructional personnel, including teachers' aides, lab assistants, and tutors, who do not meet the work experience and educational requirements specified above, may be employed either on a full-time or part-time basis. Such individuals shall possess appropriate technical skills and knowledge in the specific program area assigned; and such individuals shall work under the direct supervision of, or in direct coordination with, an appropriately qualified professional. Each college district shall maintain job descriptions for each position in this category.

(3) Chief professional-technical administrator.

The chief professional-technical administrator shall have:

(a) Earned an advanced degree, masters or doctorate, in a professional-technical area or have equivalent administrative expertise as demonstrated by successful performance of broad administrative responsibilities; and

(b) Been employed as a full-time professional-technical instructor or have the equivalent experience in business or industry or other public agencies; and

(c) Supervisory/administrative experience.

The chief professional-technical administrator must understand and have the ability to assess professional-technical faculty's ability to provide student instruction, supervise learning environments and implement curriculum, outcomes, and assessments. The chief professional-technical administrator must keep a copy of his/her current certificate in his/her personnel file.

(4) Other professional-technical administrators.

Other administrators who oversee professional-technical programs, must demonstrate to the employing agency a commitment to and understanding of professional-technical education, and their ability to use the professional-technical faculty skills standards to guide and support the professional development of the professional-technical instructors they supervise.