Earn or renew a certificate
A paraeducator may complete professional growth plans (PGPs) to earn or renew a certificate as follows:
- Fundamental Course of Study (FCS): You cannot complete a PGP for the FCS.
- General paraeducator certificate: You can complete up to one PGP to help earn the general certificate.
- Subject matter certificate: You cannot complete a PGP to earn a subject matter certificate, but you may complete one PGP to renew your certificate.
- Advanced certificate: You can complete up to three PGPs to earn the advanced certificate, and one PGP to renew the certificate.
Learn more about the paraeducator certificate program.
Tracking PGPs in e-cert
Paraeducators are responsible for tracking their PGPs in the e-certification (e-cert) system and keeping all records associated with the PGP. The e-cert system is adapted for paraeducators.
View the paraeducator user guide for navigating e-cert.
Standards for PGP alignment
The following standards are used by in-service paraeducators to align their PGP for certificate renewal
- Cultural competency, diversity, equity, and inclusion (CCDEI) standards
- Or, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) standards, benchmarks, and indicators
- Or, Paraeducator standards of practice (general certificate)
- Or, Paraeducator standards of practice (advanced certificate)
Self-assessment forms
Educators are required to complete a self-assessment as the first step in the PGP planning process. Educators may use one of the PESB-created self-assessments (below), or another of their choosing. Forms will need to be downloaded and saved to a computer in order to access them.
- Cultural competency, diversity, equity and inclusion standards self-assessment
- Social Emotional Learning standards self-assessment
- Paraeducator self-assessment (general certificate)
- Paraeducator self-assessment (advanced certificate)
PGP samples
The PGP samples below are meant to be a guide for paraeducators when completing a PGP. Identifying information within each sample has been eliminated as much as possible. Although the standards that PGPs are aligned to have recently changed, the samples still demonstrate the alignment of goals to standards, professional growth activities, evidence collected, and reflections. In addition, you will find at least one PGP sample that does not meet expectations, and a corresponding rubric with comments added to help identify areas of strength or weakness.
- Meets expectations sample (document)
- Does not meet expectations sample (document) and corresponding rubric (document)
