General Clock Hour Information

About pdNorthwest

pdNorthwest, a division of ESD 113,  is an approved provider for Washington State’s Continuing Education Clock Hours program.

pdNorthwest complies with the requirements of WAC: 181-79A-131. 181-85-045, 181-85-085, 181-85-033,181-85-200, and RCW 28A.415.040

Within pdNorthwest, an in-service training committee has the authority for approval of sessions for clock hours. Offerings for clock hours must be in-service opportunities which provide knowledge and skills for participants relative to students and professionals in schools and classrooms.

WACs

RCW 181-85-200 #5 specifies activities must relate to:

  • opportunities for participants to collect and analyze evidence related to student learning;
  • professional certificate standards; school and district improvement efforts;
  • K-12 frameworks and curriculum alignment;
  • research-based instructional strategies and assessment practices;
  • content of current or anticipated assignment;
  • advocacy for students and leadership, supervision, mentoring/coaching;
  • and/or building a collaborative learning community.

Minimum requirements for clock hour approval have been established by Washington State statute. According to these requirements, clock hour offerings must:

  • Be directly related to an assessed district need;
  • Have specific goals, objectives, and agenda included with the application;
  • Be one hour or more in length;
  • Be provided by a presenter who has the appropriate expertise in the subject area, field, or occupation and experience making presentations;
  • Have an evaluation plan to determine effectiveness of the presenter, the extent to which the objectives are met, the quality of the materials used, the adequacy of the facilities, and suggestions for improvement;
  • Be approved prior to offering the in-service.

Routine staff meetings for administrative purposes, professional association business meetings, social hours, independent study, and actual mealtimes are not included.

pdNorthwest will process clock hours on a half-hour basis only. For example if you attend a workshop and obtain 4.75 clock hours (4 hours and 45 minutes) we will only allow you 4.5 clock hours, we round down to the nearest half hour.