Upgrade from Initial to Professional ESA

This application is for those Educational Staff Associates (ESA) who hold or held an Initial or Residency ESA Certificate for the school social worker, school occupational therapist, school physical therapist, school orientation and mobility specialist, school nurse, school speech-language pathologist or audiologist, or school behavior analyst role and have completed the below requirements to upgrade their certificate.

The Professional ESA Certificate is for those who have completed the requisite schooling and work experience.

Requirements for School Social Workers

• Must have completed all requirements for the Initial ESA School Social Worker Certificate.
• Must have completed 150 continuing education credit hours related to education or the school social worker role since the first issuance of the Initial or Residency ESA Certificate. 
• Must have completed two years full-time equivalency (FTE) experience in the role in Washington with a school district, state-approved private school, state-tribal compact school, state-authorized charter school, or state agency that provides educational services for students (Form 4020F).
• Must attest to completion of a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students; For more information, see WAC 181-79A-200.
• Must attest to completion of a suicide prevention training approved by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) or Washington State Department of Health within the previous five years (Form 4020S). 

Requirements for School Occupational Therapists

• Must have completed all requirements for the Initial ESA School Occupational Therapist Certificate.
• Must have completed 150 continuing education credit hours related to occupational therapy, other health sciences, or education since the first issuance of the Initial ESA Certificate.
• Must have completed two years full-time equivalency (FTE) experience in the role in Washington with a school district, state-approved private school, state-tribal compact school, state-authorized charter school, or state agency that provides educational services for students (Form 4020F).
• Must attest to completion of a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students; For more information, see WAC 181-79A-200.
• Must hold a valid occupational therapist license issued by the Washington State Department of Health or Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact. 

Requirements for School Orientation and Mobility Specialists

• Must have completed all requirements for the Initial ESA School Orientation and Mobility Specialist Certificate. 
• Must have completed 150 continuing education credit hours related to orientation and mobility or education since the first issuance of the Initial ESA Certificate.
• Must have completed two years full-time equivalency (FTE) experience in the role in Washington with a school district, state-approved private school, state-tribal compact school, state-authorized charter school, or state agency that provides educational services for students (Form4020F).
• Must attest to completion of a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students; For more information, see WAC 181-79A-200. 
• Must hold a valid Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) certificate from the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP), or a valid National Orientation and Mobility Certification (NOMC) from the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB).

Requirements for School Physical Therapists

• Must have completed all requirements for the Initial ESA School Physical Therapist Certificate. 
• Must have completed 150 continuing education credit hours related to physical therapy, other health sciences, or education since the first issuance of the Initial ESA Certificate.
• Must have completed two years full-time equivalency (FTE) experience in the role in Washington with a school district, state-approved private school, state-tribal compact school, state-authorized charter school, or state agency that provides educational services for students (Form 4020F). 
• Must attest to completion of a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students; For more information, see WAC 181-79A-200.
• Must hold a valid physical therapist license issued by the Washington State Department of Health or the Physical Therapy Compact Commission. 

Requirements for School Nurses

• Must have completed all requirements for the Initial ESA School Nurse Certificate. 
• Must have completed 150 continuing education credit hours related to education, nursing, or other health sciences since the first issuance of the Initial ESA Certificate.
• Must have completed two years full-time (FTE) experience in the role in Washington with a school district, state-approved private school, state-tribal compact school, state-authorized charter school, or state agency that provides educational services for students (Form 4020F).
• Must attest to completion of a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students; For more information, see WAC 181-79A-200.
• Must attest to completion of a suicide prevention training approved by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) or Washington State Department of Health within the previous five years. (Form 4020S).
• Must hold a valid registered nurse license issued by the Washington State Department of Health or the Nurse Licensure Compact. 

Requirements for School Speech-Language Pathologists or Audiologists

• Must have completed all requirements for the Initial ESA  School Speech Language Pathologist or Audiologist Certificate. 
• Must hold a master's degree in speech-language pathology or audiology.
• Must have completed 150 continuing education credit hours related to speech-language pathology, audiology, other health sciences, or education since the issuance of the Initial ESA Certificate
• Must have completed two years full-time equivalency (FTE) experience in the role in Washington with a school district, state-approved private school, state-tribal compact school, state-authorized charter school, or state agency that provides educational services for students (Form 4020F).
• Must attest to completion of a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students; For more information, see WAC 181-79A-200. 
• Must have successfully completed a written comprehensive exam relevant to speech-language pathology or audiology.

*Exam Note: Applicant must have successfully completed a written comprehensive examination of the knowledge included in the coursework for the required master's degree. This exam shall be a proctored, written examination of an accredited institution of higher education, which may be verified by the institution on Form 4099E. If you did not complete such an exam as part of your program, you may submit a copy of your valid Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) in Speech Language Pathology or Audiology, issued by the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), or submit a copy of your score report of one of the following Praxis tests: 

• Praxis II SLP code 5331 | Passing score 162 
• Praxis II SLP code 5330 | Passing score 600 
• Praxis II SLP code 0330 | Passing score 600 
• Praxis II audiologist code 5343 | Passing score 162
• Praxis II audiologist code 5342 | Passing score 170
• Praxis II audiologist code 0340 | Passing score 170 
• Praxis II audiologist code 0342 | Passing score 170 

Requirements for School Behavior Analysts

• Must have completed all requirements for the Initial ESA School Behavior Analyst Certificate. 
• Must have completed 150 continuing education credit hours related to the behavior analyst role or education since the issuance of the Initial ESA Certificate.
• Must have completed two years full-time equivalency (FTE) experience in the role in Washington with a school district, state-approved private school, state-tribal compact school, state-authorized charter school, or state agency that provides educational services for students (Form 4020F).
• Must attest to completion of a course or coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress in students; For more information, see WAC 181-79A-200.
• Must hold a valid Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Certificate from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB)

Apply

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