Staff Training
Training opportunities for employees are available in various formats. You can access online training through the sources listed below including a variety of courses that are not required but may help build skills and knowledge. In addition, the District provides in-person training on many topics ranging from technical to Right Response. Visit the pdEnroller link below to see what is available for employees to access.
Links to online resources for staff:
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The Atomic Learning "Hoonuit" (please note that these are not approved clock hour courses)
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PdEnroller (pdEnroller is the system used for course offerings and tracking completions of the District courses)
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WEA Professional Development Offerings (Not MISD sponsored; for MIEA Members only)
Paraeducator Resources
- Paraeducator Fundamental Course of Study (FCS)
- Logging Your FCS & Clock Hours with OSPI
- Paraeducator Certificate/Clock Hours
Paraeducator Fundamental Course of Study (FCS)
Fundamental Course of Study Standards & Certification
All paraeducators hired are required to complete the "Fundamental Course of Study". This 28 hours of training (13 hours asychronous online training and 15 hours of live training) must be completed during the employee's first year as a paraeducator. All paraeducators, regardless of tenure and possessing teacher certification, are required by OSPI to complete the Fundamental Course of Study.
Training Overview
The training for the Fundamental Course of Study is provided via in-person training and some online coursework.
Online Training - Paraeducators: What We Do Matters (all 13 modules must be completed and certificate submitted to Human Resources) Complete within 4 months of your start date or by July 31st, whichever is earlier.
Live training - In addition to the online training, all new paraeducators are required to attend live training for 15 hours which will be scheduled on non-paid, non-work days before the start of the school year and periodically throughout the school year to make up a missed training.
FAQ
Q: Will I be paid for this training time?
Yes, paraeducators will submit timecards to be paid for this time. Please only do training during the work week, not on the weekends or holidays and not to work in excess of 40 hours per week.
Q: Is this training in addition to our optional training & technology training hours?
Yes, these training hours are in addition. You may use optional training hours for the online training modules if you wish to do more than the modules outlined above.
- All paras hired during the school year must complete the FCS training by July 31st.
Q: What happens if I miss the in-person training?
The district will provide one make up opportunity for in-person training when possible.
Paraeducator Certificate
The school year following completion of the Fundamental Course of Study, the District will provide 14 state approved clock hours to paraeducators each school year, which will go towards the requirements for the Paraeducator Certificate. These courses must be state approved clock hours and coordinated with the supervisor in the paraeducator's school. Paraeducators will be offered these opportunities throughout the year and they may also use non-district approved clock hour providers such as WEA, OSPI or college coursework to count for 14 clock hours. The clock hour trainings are generally provided during non-work, non-paid time and the time spent in the clock hour trainings is submitted via timesheet in Time & Attendance.
This information is provided as a service to District paraeducators. The ability to attend, the payment of fees and the topics covered by a particular training should be discussed with your supervisor prior to registration.
Logging Your FCS & Clock Hours with OSPI
How DO paraeducators track their training?
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Certification Office (OSPI) has adapted “e-cert”, an online tool to track the completion of clock hours, to include paraeducators. It is the responsibility of the paraeducator, with the assistance of the school district, to file completion of the Fundamental Course of Study and training to meet the certificates through e-cert.
Mercer Island School District tracks your FCS and clock hour training completions done through the District through pdEnroller after completion of your FCS. All other clock hour trainings provided by Mercer Island will be automatically logged to e-Cert if your account is linked with pdEnroller.
How do paraeducators create an EDS account?
OSPI’s certification office has created a manual to help paraeducators create an EDS account and file in e-cert the completion of the FCS, and for the subject matter, general and advanced certificates.
What is the necessary documentation needed for e-cert?
When you complete your FCS, the District will issue you a FCS Clock Hour Form. Paraeducators can either email the completed form to cert@k12.wa.us or mail in a physical copy. Paraeducators can also wait to upload FCS documentation when they file for the general certificate.
What is the necessary documentation needed for e-cert?
When you complete your FCS the District will issue you a FCS Clock Hour Form. Paraeducators can either email the completed form to cert@k12.wa.us or mail in a physical copy. When a paraeducator does clock hour courses, they log those to their EDS "ecert" account.
Paraeducator Certificate/Clock Hours
GENERAL PARAEDUCATOR CERTIFICATE
Once the FCS is complete, the next required component is the general certificate. The general certificate is the only required certificate, if funded, of the program. The certificate is not required for paraeducators with a teaching certificate. The District will provide opportunities to earn up to 14 hours of approved clock hour training each year it is funded. The training must be done through an approved state clock hour provider and the District is an approved clock hour provider. These courses must be state approved clock hours and coordinated with the supervisor in the paraeducator's school. Paraeducators will be offered these opportunities throughout the year and may also use non-District approved clock hour providers such as WEA, OSPI or college coursework to count for 14 clock hours. The clock hour trainings are generally provided during non-work, non-paid time and the time spent in the clock hour trainings is submitted via timesheet in Time & Attendance. Consult with your building supervisor to determine what training being offered in your building may be appropriate to attend for the 14 para clock hours each year.
HOW TO EARN THE CERTIFICATE
To earn the general certificate, a paraeducator must complete 70 clock hours of professional development focused on improving their instructional practice. In order for training to count towards the general certificate, it must be completed after July 1, 2019 AND be state approved clock hours. Examples of training opportunities you and your supervisor could identify are: teacher professional development, building and/or department staff meetings with training around instructional practice topics, Right Response, etc.
REQUIREMENTS
For the current school year, there is funding for two days (14 hours) of training on the certificate program. If a paraeducator has completed all 28 hours of their FCS the previous year, the employee will be provided opportunity to earn 14 hours of clock hour approved training which will go towards their paraeducator certification.
Training requirements for the general certificate can include any clock hour training that will assist the instructional practice of a paraeducator. The general certificate uses the same standards of practice as the FCS. This gives districts and paraeducators the opportunity to create and take clock hour training that will apply to specific roles and interests.
Three-year requirement
Due to consistent partial funding, the Paraeducator Board has removed the requirement that requires paraeducators to complete the general certificate within three years of completing the FCS (WAC). Paraeducators must complete training requirements as funded by the Legislature, and for the amount funded.
“Embedding” the subject matter certificates
Paraeducators who complete hours towards an ELL or Special Education subject matter certificate may use (“embed”) those hours towards earning the general certificate. Find more information on the subject matter certificates.
For example, if a paraeducator completes the ELL subject matter certificate, which is 20 hours of training, they may allocate those hours towards the general. In doing so, instead of 70 hours a paraeducator will only have to complete 50 hours of training, rather than 70, to meet the general certificate. If a paraeducator completes both subject matter certificates (a total of 40 hours), they may allocate both certificates towards the general certificate. In doing so, a paraeducator will only have to complete an additional 30 hours of training to meet the general.
Embedding the certificates is an excellent opportunity to meet the required hours and receive focused training in a subject area. Certificate embedding can only be used to fulfill the general certificate, and cannot be used to earn the advanced certificate.
College credit
Paraeducators enrolled in college courses can use their college credits towards their general certificate. Any credit taken on or after July 1, 2019 can count towards their general certificate.
Paraeducators will enter credits in their e-cert account towards the general certificate the same way they enter clock hours. In the e-cert panel labeled “educator professional development hours”, there is a drop-down menu where educators can choose credits or clock hours. Paraeducators should maintain transcripts showing credits earned in the same way they maintain their clock hour forms.
TRACKING
It is the responsibility of a paraeducator, with the help of their district, to track their general certificate training in e-cert. Paraeducators should record clock hours as they earn them in e-cert. They should upload or send documentation of clock hours or equivalents in the form of transcripts or in-service registration forms. School district administrators will be able to view a list of all the paraeducators in their district who have completed the FCS. Please note that Mercer Island uses the pdEnroller system which will automatically transfer PD through the District to the employee's e-cert account.
Once a paraeducator completes their general certificate, it will cost them $74 to receive the certificate. Because this is a lifetime certificate, this will be a one time cost.
NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION
- Initial National Board Certification - District Support
- National Board Maintenance of Certification - District Support
- Links to National Board Certification Information
Initial National Board Certification - District Support
To learn about the benefits of National Board Certification, visit the NBPTS website at www.nbpts.org
District Supports
There is a budgeted amount of money set aside each year to fund the tuition for teachers seeking National Board Certification. The district will reimburse a total of $950, which is half of the total cost, toward the National Board Certificate for each teacher who successfully passes.
Additional costs that a teacher would incur will need to be at the teacher’s own expense:
- National Board yearly fee (not to be reimbursed)
- Upfront cost of portfolio ($950 will be reimbursed after a passing score is obtained)
- Use of your release time for preparation
- The district will provide a substitute for ONE day during the duration of the process years 1-3, to be used for either assessment or preparation.
- Any resubmission fees for entries that did not pass
The district will make every effort to support teachers with other non-financial issues, such as access to technology.
How to initiate the process
Complete the National Board Agreement Initial form and provide it to your principal for their signature. Send the completed form to the Director, HR. The form will be held by HR until completion of the process of reimbursement.
When the receipts for reimbursement have been received with the copy of the new certificate, the payment for reimbursement will be submitted to the business office for payment.
National Board Maintenance of Certification - District Support
District Supports for National Board Maintenance of Certificate
There is a budgeted amount of money set aside each year to fund the tuition for teachers seeking National Board Maintenance of Certification. As a reward for ongoing work in the Mercer Island School District, the district will reimburse the full cost of the process upon receipt of a passing score.
Additional costs that teachers would incur will need to be at the teacher’s own expense:
- National Board yearly fee ($75 reimbursed for one year)
- Upfront cost of portfolio ($495 will be reimbursed after a passing score is obtained)
- Use of release time for preparation
- The district will provide a substitute for ONE day during the duration of the maintenance process to be used for preparation.
- Any resubmission fees for entries that did not pass
The district will make every effort to support teachers with other non-financial issues, such as access to technology.
To initiate this process
Complete the National Board Maintenance of Certification form and provide it to your principal for their signature. Send the completed form to the Director, HR. The form will be held by HR until completion of the process of reimbursement.
When the receipts for reimbursement have been received with the copy of the new certificate, the payment will be submitted to the business office for payment.
Links to National Board Certification Information
- National Board's website at www.nbpts.org
- Washington state specific NBPTS information can be found at www.nbpts.org/support/in-your-state/wa/
- OSPI's National Board Certification information: ospi.k12.wa.us/certification/national-board-certified-teachers