EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MESSAGE

Our Address has Changed:  WSPA  -  PO BOX 14459  -  Tumwater, WA  98511 (Please make sure to get this information to your business department and if they need a W-9, let me know)

The Law Conference was a huge success.  We had 185 attendees and 17 awesome sessions.  Next up will be the Classified Administrator Brown Bag Series in November.

No Member Requests this week

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• November 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29 - Fall 2022 Classified Administrator Brown Bag Series
• November 2, 2022 - S-275 Workshop (Virtual 10:00 am - 1:30 pm)
• S275 Flyer

NEW THIS WEEK FROM PESB:

Office Hours for Future of Para Assessments

In June, ETS notified the country that they would no longer be providing their internet based testing (iBT) option of the ETS ParaPro assessment — beginning on December 23, 2022.

PESB took immediate action and submitted a request to the Governor and legislature to expand the current assessment options.

This sudden change on behalf of ETS, combined with the way current legislation is written, leaves only two options to take this assessment, both of which come with challenges. 

First, is an online testing option with specific — and frequently limiting — technological hurdles related to proctoring. The remaining option is to travel to one of four Prometric sites for in-person testing (Fife, Mountlake Terrace, Spokane, and Yakima) which causes significant geographic, economic, and logistical burdens on would-be test takers.

The Paraeducator Board’s legislative request aims to open up options for assessments in order to allow more flexibility in developing new pathways to the paraeducator profession. PESB has submitted a request bill to the Governor's office and has been in constant contact with the chairs of the education committees.

Questions?

We understand that you may have questions, concerns, or just want to talk. Therefore, we have set up an office hour on Thursday, Oct. 20th at 4 p.m., in order to have that conversation with you.

Come by the virtual office hour to discuss: 

• what the agency is working on
• share and listen to ideas on navigating the change in testing after Dec. 23

Office Hours

Virtual Meeting Link  Meeting ID: 859 715 6347    Passcode: 021963

Hosts:

Liisa Preslan, Program Manager, Paraeducator Workforce and Development

Zack Turner, Legislative and Policy Liaison 

Funny for the week: "And just like that, POOF, weekend gone!"

Darrell Heisler

WSPA Executive Director