• NOTE! If you hold a valid education certificate (Teacher, CTE, First People's Language/Culture, Educational Staff Associate (ESA) or Administrator), you do NOT need to complete the General Certificate program--you are considered to have met the requirement for 70 continuing education credit hours. Limited certificates are not eligible for this exemption.

• The General Certificate is an additional 70 clock hours of training beyond the FCS (the 28 hours completed for the FCS do NOT count towards the 70). The 70 hours must be completed within 5 years after completing the FCS (14 clock hours per year).

  o 1 Quarter College Credit= 10 Clock hours
  o 1 Semester College Credit= 15 Clock hours

• Any clock hours or credits earned (100 level or above) after July 1, 2019 can count towards the General Certificate.

• Paraeducators may complete the training modules during their contracted/paid time on early release Fridays or conference days as scheduled on the district calendar. Additional pay is available (up to 14 hours) if you are unable to complete the training during your regular work day.

• You can complete clock hours or credits for the General Certificate while you are completing the FCS. However, you may not apply for the General Certificate until you have completed the FCS.

• How can you complete the 70 hours? The following is a list of options, but any training that will assist the instructional practice of a paraeducator, and OFFERS CLOCK HOURS or COLLEGE CREDIT, can count.

  o Preferred: Participate in training that is offered by the Arlington School District or at your building. NOTE: any credits or clock hours completed after July 1, 2019 may count for the General Certificate! You must register for these classes in the ProDev system. Check with your building principal for training options at your building.

  o Complete online training for Special Education or ELL through the Paraeducator Standards Board. Scroll down to the appropriate location on the website. These trainings are free. Please note that while these courses can count for the General Certificate they also count for the Subject matter certificates (the District does NOT reimburse for the subject matter certificate fees).

  o Professional development opportunity for paraeducators to earn free clock hours that can count towards their General or Advanced Certificate. The training is being offered by OSPI in partnership with Glean Education. 

  o Complete other training through college courses or other clock hour provider that relates to improving the instructional practice of a paraeducator.

• Paraeducators are responsible for registering for the courses or training you are using to satisfy the 70 hours and meeting all attendance and evaluation requirements. You also need to keep the clock hour records and record your courses in e-Cert. Here is an instruction manual for e-cert.

• When you have completed the 70 hours, you need to apply for the General Certificate through e-Cert (see links in the previous bullet).

• The District will reimburse you the $74 fee for the General Certificate. You need to submit the Reimbursement Form and a copy of your receipt. PLEASE NOTE THE DISTRICT WILL NOT REIMBURSE FOR THE SUBJECT MATTER CERTIFICATES AS THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED.