The Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) has announced changes to clock hour rules effective immediately.
Flexibility and access
- The minimum time a clock hour course can be offered has been reduced from three hours to one hour.
- Continuing education units from accredited colleges or universities, whether in-state or out-of-state, will now be accepted as clock hours. Other non-credit bearing units, such as Professional
- Development Units (PDUs), will also be accepted.
- All educators who hold specific Department of Health (DOH) licenses, not just educational staff associates (ESAs), can use hours that satisfy the DOH licensure requirements as clock hours for continuing education.
- Continuing education hours (STARS hours) from the Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) will be accepted as clock hours.
Course approval
- Clock hours may not be issued retroactively. Providers may not provide blanket approval to all of another organization’s courses. Each course must be approved individually.
- Prior to offering a course, the provider’s clock hour committee must approve:
- Date of course
- Number of clock hours being offered
- Course objectives and program agenda
- Instructors and their qualifications
- Relation of course to clock hour standards
- Clock hours may not be offered to individuals serving as the instructor for a course where they are the only participant.
More information is available at the PESB website.