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A COMMITMENT TO ACTION

The Professional Educator Standards Board and the Paraeducator Board are committed to developing policies, programs, and standards that lead to our vision of an equity-minded educator workforce that facilitates learning for each and every student. In the coming days, weeks, and years you will see and hear us deepening our work with the Cultural Competency, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Standards, Social Emotional Learning, and the John McCoy (lulilaš) Since Time Immemorial Curriculum, as well as large-scale transformation of the educational system. We will ensure that educators in Washington State have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to advance the profession and democracy by serving educators, students, and families. Hope for the future must be rooted in the actions we take today and every day thereafter.

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HEALING WITH AND AMONG COMMUNITY

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Healing may not be so much about getting better, as about letting go of everything that isn't you—all of the expectations, all of the beliefs—and becoming who you are.

Rachel Naomi Remen

As we all gather today to begin the work of PESB, let’s acknowledge that no matter where we are Zooming in from, we are on the traditional land of Native Americans. Their ancestors were the original inhabitants of the land we are occupying today. As we proceed with our work, let’s make sure that our deliberations and recommendations benefit their descendants equitably.

We would like to start our meeting with a land acknowledgement, recognizing the indigenous people who have historically been moved from their homelands and territories. The United States seized more than 1.5 billion acres from Indigenous people between 1776 and 1887, but today, most of that land is held in trust by the government, severely restricting the rights of Native American people.

It is important to note on this map that you do not see the Duwamish, Wanapum, and Chinook tribes, who are not recognized by the U.S. federal government, but should be acknowledged, as they have had a long history in present-day Washington.

Recognizing the original inhabitants of the spaces we occupy through awareness-building and land acknowledgment practices is an important step toward advancing equity in education and beyond. Wherever you are virtually in Washington State, please take a few seconds to acknowledge the land that you are on as the traditional homeland of the Indigenous Peoples.

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COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS

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COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS

Honor the work of the past, the present, and the future
Respect the expertise of those in attendance and absent
Learn from shared experience and shared reflection on that experience
Deepen the meaning of and connection to the work of serving educators, students, families, and communities
Strengthen service to historically underserved communities and elevate diverse voices in our work
PESB is here to provide context, listen, and capture your feedback

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AGENDA [4:00 pm - 7:00 pm]

4:00 PM Welcome, Check-in, agenda

4:20 PM FCS- In person Exemption (Smaller Districts)

4:40 PM Breakout discussion #1 Reimbursement (20 min)

5:00 PM Share out (20min)

5:20 PM Payment Details

5:30 PM 10 min break

5:40 PM Recap of Prior Sessions (30 min)

6:10 PM Questions(20 min)

6:30 PM Closing and next steps

7:00 PM Adjourn

FCS WORKGROUP WEBPAGE

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NEW BEGINNINGS

New years begin at different times for different cultures. You don’t need a specific date for a new beginning. What new beginnings would you like to see for paraeducator training?

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MEETING FOUR:

Exemption of FCS & Preliminary Summary

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HOUSE BILL 1277

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Paraeducators hired before the beginning of the school year

First two days must be in person before the beginning of the school year
Second two days must occur within six months of the date of hire

Paraeducators hired after the beginning of the school year

Districts with 2000+ enrolled students

First two days must be in person within four months of the date of hire
Second two days must be provided within six months of the date of hire or by September 1st of the following year

Districts with 2000- enrolled students

FCS must be provided no later than September 1st of the following year

Two of the days provided in person unless the district has applied for and received an exemption

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MEETING FOUR: FOCUS & GOALS

GUIDING QUESTION

What should “COUNT” as an exemption for small districts?

What criteria should be used to be eligible for an exemption?

What could the application process look like?

What should be the timeline for districts to apply for exemptions?

What are we missing?

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PROPOSAL DISCUSSION

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What criteria should be used to be eligible for an exemption? What might the rubric look like?

What could the application process look like? What information must be gathered in the application process?

What should be the timeline for districts to apply for exemptions? Consider access to a form, the board approval process, and the notification of approval?

What are we missing? Where might there be blind spots?

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BREAKOUT DISCUSSIONS

Room 1: (facilitated by K.O.) [PADLET]

Room 2: (facilitated by Anna Corrine) [PADLET]

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Payment Information

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FCS WORKGROUP RECAP

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RECOMMENDATIONS

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Job-Oriented Curriculum: Revise the Fundamental Course of Study (FCS) to focus on practical, job-oriented skills, ensuring paraeducators are prepared to perform effectively from day one.

Centralized Training System: Establish a centralized system to house all FCS training materials, including both PESB-created content and district-specific resources, for easier access and consistent delivery.

Comprehensive Curriculum Overhaul:Revamp the entire FCS curriculum to better align with paraeducators' real-world responsibilities and career as being a paraeducator.

Extended Training Duration: Expand the "Paraeducator: What We Do Matters" training from 13 hours to 14 hours to allow for more comprehensive instruction and practice.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

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On-Demand Access to Modules: Make FCS modules available on-demand, enabling paraeducators to review and revisit content as needed for better retention and application.

Statewide and Local Content: Develop a blend of statewide content to ensure consistency while allowing districts the freedom to create customized modules to address local needs.

Flexible Training Options for Districts:Provide districts with flexibility to tailor training programs to their staff's unique needs while retaining statewide standards for core competencies.

Paraeducator Leadership and Mentorship: Introduce paraeducator-led training modules to leverage their expertise.Develop mentorship opportunities in collaboration with the Paraeducator on the Special Assignment (POSA) program to foster growth and peer support.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

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Paraeducator-Developed Modules: Encourage paraeducators to contribute to the creation of FCS content, ensuring materials reflect their firsthand experiences and insights.

Clear Reimbursement Guidelines: Provide clearer guidelines and expectations for the reimbursement process, ensuring districts and participants understand the requirements and timelines.

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POTENTIAL LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

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Flexible Reimbursement Model: Explore amending the reimbursement requirement to eliminate the current "all-or-nothing" model, allowing partial reimbursement based on completed components of the FCS.

Increased Flexibility for In-Person Instruction: Redefine the criteria for what qualifies as in-person instruction, allowing a wider range of formats and delivery methods to count toward the in-person FCS requirements.

Expanded Use of Reimbursement Dollars: Broaden the permissible uses for reimbursement funds, enabling districts to allocate resources to additional supports, materials, and innovative methods for delivering FCS.

Collect Data to determine feasibility of a Funded Mandate: Research exemplary districts for best practice of FCS implementation.

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TIMELINE

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SEPT 2024

OCT 2024-NOV 2024

DEC 2024-JAN 2025

MARCH 2025

MAY 2025

Final consideration WAC changes
Final consideration on report: Guidance for Districts

JULY 2025 ONWARD

Carry out workgroup meetings
Synthesize top findings as meetings progress

Final workgroup meeting
Present findings to Board
Initial presentation on potential WAC changes

Implementation of rule changes

Secondary consideration on WAC changes
Initial presentation on report: Guidance for Districts

Present to Board: Workgroup plans
Finalize recruitment of paraeducators
Hold Orientation to workgroup

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