The authority for this chapter is RCW 28A.413.060 which authorizes the paraeducator board to define the fundamental course of study on the state standards of practice, as defined in chapter 179-07 WAC.

The purpose of this chapter is to define the foundational training paraeducators must receive before the paraeducator begins to work with students and their families, or at minimum by the deadlines provided in RCW 28A.413.060.

The four-day fundamental course of study will consist of twenty-eight continuing education credit hours of training.

(1) School districts must implement this section only in school years for which state funding is appropriated specifically for the purposes of this section and only for the number of days that are funded by the appropriation.

(2)(a) School districts must provide a fundamental course of study on the state standards of practice, as defined by the board in WAC 179-09-050 of this chapter, to paraeducators who have not completed the course, either in the district or in another district within the state. At least one day of the fundamental course of study must be provided in person. School districts must use best efforts to provide the fundamental course of study before the paraeducator begins to work with students and their families, and at a minimum by the deadlines provided in subsection (3) of this section.

(b) Beginning March 1, 2020, through September 1, 2022, virtual learning environments that use synchronous learning with an instructor will meet the one day in-person training requirement of the fundamental course of study.

(3) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, school districts must provide the fundamental course of study required in subsection (2) of this section by the deadlines provided in (a) of this subsection:

(a)(i) For paraeducators hired on or before September 1st, the first two days of the fundamental course of study must be provided by September 30th of that year and the second two days of the fundamental course of study must be provided within six months of the date of hire, regardless of the size of the district; and

(ii) For paraeducators hired after September 1st:

(A) For districts with ten thousand or more students, the first two days of the fundamental course of study must be provided within four months of the date of hire and the second two days of the fundamental course of study must be provided within six months of the date of hire or by September 1st of the following year, whichever is sooner; and

(B) For districts with fewer than ten thousand students, no later than September 1st of the following year.

(b)(i) For paraeducators hired for the 2018-19 school year, by September 1, 2020; and

(ii) For paraeducators not hired for the 2018-19 school year, but hired for the 2019-20 school year, by September 1, 2021.

(4) School districts may collaborate with other school districts or educational service districts to meet the requirements of this section.

(5)(a) Providers of the fundamental course of study must provide to the paraeducator written documentation of each unit completed by a paraeducator. The documentation is as published by the professional educator standards board.

(b) Upon request, if such request is made within seven calendar years of unit completion, the provider shall provide the paraeducator with documentation of unit completion.

(6) The fundamental course of study must include the training competencies that align with the standards of practice in chapter 179-07 WAC.

(7) The paraeducator shall be responsible for completing filing requirements with the superintendent of public instruction, in accordance with WAC 179-01-020, the completion of the fundamental course of study.

Providers and facilitators must follow the current course outline as published by the professional educator standards board when delivering the fundamental course of study.