In order to satisfy the standards of regional and national accrediting organizations, and provide for a professional staff representing a wide range of educational and professional experience, the board of trustees of Community College District No. 20 do hereby adopt the following rules. Such personnel practices and standards shall be consistent with WAC 132T-05-020 and 132T-05-030.

Prior to employment of candidates to perform professional services in Washington state Community College District No. 20, the district board of trustees shall establish that the candidate possesses:

(1) Scholarship or technical skill that represents appropriate study or training in the proposed area of assignment,

(2) Expertise as a practitioner as evidenced by reports of former associates and supervisors,

(3) A demonstrable understanding and acceptance of the role to be played as a partner in an educational enterprise serving the best interests of the students,

(4) A demonstrable understanding and acceptance of the mission and character of the community college,

(5) The ability to perform his assigned duties in a manner consistent with the goals of the institution and the community college system, and

(6) Personal characteristics that contribute to his ability to promote the welfare of the students, the institution, and the state of Washington.

In addition to the general standards required by WAC 132T-05-020, the district board of trustees shall establish that candidates for appointment meet or exceed the following standards in their areas of specialization:

(1) Professional personnel performing services for which advanced degrees are normally available shall hold the equivalent of a master's degree in the field of their educational service from an accredited college or university or a bachelor's degree and extensive professional experience in the field of their educational service.

(2) Professional personnel in vocational fields or other specialized areas for which advanced degrees are not normally available shall have sufficiently broad and comprehensive training and work experience that particularly qualifies them to provide instruction in their area of specialization.

(3) Vocational education teaching personnel shall have recent work experience beyond the learning period as a fully qualified worker in the occupation to be taught. The minimum work experience shall be equal to the recognized learning period required to gain competence in the occupation, but in no case shall be less than two calendar years of full-time work or its equivalent. The learning period shall be the number of hours worked by full-time people during a two-year period in the occupation to be taught.

(a) Minimum work experience for apprenticeable occupations shall be equal to the learning period then currently registered with the state department of labor and industries.

(b) Minimum work experience in occupations requiring state licensing will be two calendar years subsequent to receipt of license, unless the occupation is also an apprenticeable trade.

(c) Minimum work experience for all other trades and occupations will be two calendar years of full-time employment or the equivalent which shall be the number of hours worked by full-time people during a two-year period in the occupation to be taught subsequent to the recognized learning period.

(d) Recent work experience shall be defined as employment full time for six months or the equivalent which shall be one-fourth of the hours defined as full-time equivalent in subsection (3) of this section in the occupation to be taught within the two years immediately preceding initial vocational certification.

(e) One year full-time employment shall mean that which is the standard for the occupation.

(4) All other vocational educational teaching personnel, including instructors of vocationally related courses, teachers' aides, lab assistants, and tutors, who do not meet the work experience and educational requirements specified above may be employed either on a full-time or part-time basis: Provided, That such individuals shall possess appropriate technical skills and knowledge in the specific program area assigned: Provided further, That such individuals shall work under the direct supervision of, or in direct coordination with, an appropriately certified professional. Community College District No. 20 shall maintain appropriate job descriptions for each position in this category.

(5) Vocational counselors shall meet the minimum work experience requirement by verifying work experience in one or more occupations other than professional education, which is cumulative to at least two years of full-time employment as defined in subsection (3) of this section. Vocational counselors shall be certified only if they have had preparation in vocational counseling, testing, and occupational information.

(6) General administrative personnel shall have advanced training or experience relevant to their assigned duties. The chief administrator shall hold an earned doctorate from an accredited university or have equivalent administrative expertise as demonstrated by successful performance of broad administrative responsibilities.

(7) Vocational administrative personnel, including the chief vocational education officer or other individual assigned to that responsibility (commonly referred to as the vocational director), and all other subordinate vocational education administrative personnel must have been employed as full-time vocational education instructors for at least three academic years or have equivalent teaching experience in industry or other public agencies, and they must have had at least two calendar years of accumulated experience in the capacity of a supervisor in education, business, industry, a public agency, or an equivalent volunteer community service. In addition, such individuals must have demonstrated to the employing agency a commitment to and understanding of vocational education. Industry and public agency experience will be evaluated at no more that a one-to-one basis.

(8) Persons employed prior to the effective date of this document shall comply with these standards unless they were qualified on the basis of standards which were in effect in the 1969 Washington state plan for vocational education. All persons shall comply with the provisions of WAC 132T-05-040 and 132T-05-050 regarding certification and renewal of certificates.

It shall be the responsibility of the president of Community College District No. 20 (Walla Walla Community College) to assure compliance with the following standards:

(1) The Community College District No. 20 will certify through the vocational director each instructor and vocational counselor and maintain documentation of such certification. The certificate and the documentation on file shall specify the function and/or the specific occupational area for which the individual is certified.

(2) Each full-time contracted professional shall have an individual improvement plan developed in consultation with and approved by the vocational director or designee. The vocational director shall maintain a file of all such plans.

(3) Part-time teaching personnel must have temporary certification and shall obtain a one-year certificate upon the accumulated completion of 45 quarter credits (or 45 credit equivalents) of teaching. Individual professional improvement plans shall be established and approved for part-time personnel upon the issuance of a one-year certificate.

(4) Part-time counselors shall obtain a one-year certificate upon completion of the equivalent of one full academic year of counseling responsibility. Individual professional improvement plans shall be established and approved upon issuance of a one-year certificate.

(5) Full-time professional personnel may not be employed on the basis of a temporary certificate for a period of more than one year.

(6) Certification under the above standards is a condition of continued employment for all vocational education personnel.

For the purposes of this section, equivalency shall mean in each case that the employee shall successfully complete the objectives outlined in the individual's improvement plan. In issuing certificates for vocational education personnel, the Community College District No. 20 shall utilize the following nomenclature and shall meet the standards set forth:

(1) Temporary certificate.

(a) Vocational instructors shall be issued a temporary certificate provided that such individuals shall be required to complete a minimum of fifteen contact hours of teaching orientation or the equivalent, to begin no later than the first day of employment. A temporary certificate is renewable only for part-time instructors who have not accumulated forty-five quarter credit hours, or equivalency, of teaching.

(b) Vocational counselors shall be issued a temporary certificate provided that such individuals have met the requirements set forth in WAC 132T-05-030.

(2) One-year certificate.

(a) Instructional personnel who have completed the minimum requirements for a temporary certificate and who, in addition, provide documentation of teaching competency as demonstrated by having satisfactorily completed a minimum of three credits in courses concentrated upon the elements of teaching, or the equivalent, shall be issued a one-year certificate. A one-year certificate may be renewed no more than once after initial issuance for each year of full time equivalent instruction, except that in the case of part-time instructors, a one-year certificate may be continued until the equivalent of one year of teaching (45 quarter credits) has been completed.

(b) Counselors shall be issued a one-year certificate upon completion of the minimum requirements for a temporary certificate provided that, in addition, they have completed a minimum of three professional improvement units in accordance with the individual improvement plan. A one-year certificate may be renewed no more than once after initial issuance for each year of full time equivalent counseling.

(3) Five-year certificate (initial).

(a) Instructional personnel shall be issued a five-year certificate upon completion of two years of teaching service, provided that, in addition to the one-year certificate requirements, documentation of competency as demonstrated by having satisfactorily completed a minimum of three credits in courses dealing with the techniques of occupational analysis, or equivalent, a minimum of three credits in courses concentrated upon the principles of vocational course organization or equivalent, and a minimum of three additional professional improvement units in accordance with the individual's improvement plan have been completed.

(b) Counseling personnel shall be issued a five-year certificate upon completion of two years of counseling service, provided that in addition to the one-year certificate requirements, documentation of competency as demonstrated by having satisfactorily completed a minimum of three credits in courses dealing with the techniques of occupational analysis, or equivalent, and a minimum of six additional professional improvement units in accordance with the individual's improvement plan have been completed.

(4) Five-year certificate (renewal). A five-year renewable certificate shall be renewed for professional personnel who have completed a minimum of fifteen professional improvement units during the previous five-year period in accordance with the individual's improvement plan. Professional improvement plans initiated after July 1, 1980 shall, if deemed appropriate, include work experience as defined in WAC 132T-05-060. No more than eight professional units in any one category as defined in WAC 132T-05-060 shall apply.

(5) The vocational director shall be responsible for the designation of approved course equivalents.

The following standards shall be used in the determination of professional improvement unit values for vocational certification by Community College District No. 20.

(1) Each forty hours of planned, preapproved paid work experience shall be equal to one professional improvement unit.

(2) One credit on the quarter system or two-thirds credit on the semester system earned in accredited programs at colleges or universities shall be equal to one professional improvement unit, provided it is in compliance with the professional improvement plan.

(3) Each accumulated twenty hours of preplanned participation in conferences and seminars shall be equal to one professional improvement unit, provided that such activities are in addition to those covered by the normal contractual obligations.

(4) Each day of preplanned experience in either domestic or foreign travel related to the individual's instructional area shall be equal to .20 of a professional improvement unit.

(5) Additional professional improvement units may be granted as approved in the individual improvement plan on the basis of independent research and development activities in excess of the normal contractual obligations of the instructor, counselor, or administrator.

(6) The vocational director shall be responsible for the approval of professional improvement plans, equivalencies, and units as stated in WAC 132T-05-040, 132T-05-050, and 132T-05-060.

The vocational instructor will have been trained as a safe worker and will hold a valid first-aid certificate which has been issued in compliance with standards for such certificates promulgated by Washington state department of labor and industries, or other appropriate regulatory agency.

(1) Definitions:

(a) "Vocational instructor," for the purposes of these standards, shall mean any individual who is vocationally certified under the state plan for vocational education and/or who is employed as an instructor in a vocational program approved under the state plan.

(b) "Vocational program," for the purposes of these regulations, shall meet the definition agreed upon in operating criteria of the commission for vocational education.

(2) Safety and occupational health standards. The preparation for vocational teaching for all persons shall include instruction in those safety and occupational health practices common to all occupations sufficient to insure those persons knowledge of an ability to instruct students in those practices at a level consistent with the safety and occupational health practices standards of this section.

(a) No person who receives training for vocational teaching after September 1, 1973, shall be employed by a local educational agency in a program approved under the state plan for more than ninety calendar days unless that person has met the safety and occupational health practices standards adopted by the commission for vocational education.

(i) The general safety and occupational health standards apply to all vocational personnel who teach or supervise a vocational class or program.

(ii) This standard can be satisfied by completing a fifteen-hour course in safety and occupational health taught by an accredited instructor or by passing an approved examination which covers the material contained in the fifteen-hour course.

(iii) Approved courses in safety and occupational health will include, but not be limited to, history, causes of accidents, classes and types of accidents, motivating safety, accident prevention, occupational health and industrial insurance.

(b) The safety and occupational health information needed for specific occupations may be satisfied by one of the following:

(i) Completion of a course as part of preservice training that is designed to provide the potential vocational instructor with the specific skills and knowledge of safety and occupational health pertinent to the occupation the individual is training to teach.

(ii) Completion of an in-service course that is designed to provide the vocational instructor with the specific skills and knowledge of safety and occupational health pertinent to the occupation the individual is training to teach.

(iii) Certification by the program advisory committee for the occupation that the vocational instructor does possess the specific skills and knowledge of safety and occupational health pertinent to the occupation the instructor is training to teach, together with visible evidence that this is an integral part of the instructional program.

(iv) Where the advisory committee determines that the vocational instructor has less than the necessary skills and knowledge, an advisory committee meeting or meetings devoted to such training as is needed will satisfy the requirement. Verification of training will be the advisory committee minutes which will include the name of the vocational instructor, the name(s) of the trainer(s), evidence of the qualifications of the trainer(s), and the content of the training.

(v) The meeting of personnel standards to teach in a vocational program will be accepted as evidence of the individual's ability to teach the appropriate specific safety and occupational health necessary for the occupational area being taught.

(3) First aid. The standards for safety and occupational health practices adopted by Walla Walla Community College shall, where applicable, include the requirement that certain individuals, in addition to other criteria, hold valid first-aid certificates issued by or equivalent to the standards of those issued by the Washington department of labor and industries.

(a) A valid first-aid certificate is required for vocational instructors in preparatory vocational programs whose instructional environment brings students into physical proximity with machinery, electrical circuits, biologicals, radioactive substances, chemicals, flammables, intense heat, gases under pressure, excavations, scaffolding and ladders, and other hazards.

(b) The determination of hazard shall be made by the safety supervisor and vocational director.

(c) Responsibility for insuring that appropriate staff have first-aid training will rest with the vocational director.

(d) The specific type of first-aid program required of vocational instructors will be determined by the representative advisory committee organized for the occupation for which the vocational instructor is providing training; however, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation instruction is required of all vocational instructors.

(4) Specifically excluded from conformance to this requirement are:

(a) Vocational counselors.

(b) Those instructors who teach related subjects to vocational students, i.e., mathematics, English or communication skills, etc., when these are taught in classrooms rather than shops and are part of a total vocational program that is under the supervision or direction of vocational instructor(s) possessing valid first-aid certificate(s).

(c) Physicians, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and others when their occupational competencies and training include first-aid knowledge equal to or superior to that represented by the first-aid certification being required under these regulations.

(d) Vocational instructors who teach ninety hours or less per school year and whose instruction is a part of a total vocational program that is under the supervision or direction of a vocational instructor(s) possessing valid first-aid certificate(s).

(5) Safety supervision. A safety supervisor shall be designated by the vocational director. The safety supervisor shall, among other things, possess an understanding of all safety and occupational health rules, regulations and requirements affecting the college or its employees; further, said supervisor shall assure that each employee demonstrates competency in all safety and occupational health rules, regulations that pertain to the employee, and assure that all safety and occupational health rules and regulations that pertain to the employee are being met. The safety supervisor shall meet all of the provisions for safety and occupational health that are mandated for vocational instructors.