THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR STANDARDS BOARD (PESB) Created in 2000, PESB ensures that Washington’s educator workforce is composed of highly effective, professional educators who meet the diverse needs of schools and districts. PESB works towards this vision by creating innovative policies that improve and support educator quality, workforce development, and diversity. Responsibilities: EDUCATOR QUALITY • Overseeing licensure and continuing education policy for all educator roles in the state. • Ensuring preparation programs create qualified professional educators by overseeing approval and review for all programs across the state. • Encouraging educators to participate in professional learning opportunities, including continuing education for certificate renewal, clock hours, professional growth plans, and optional second tier licensure. • Establishing minimum employment requirements for all Washington paraeducators. • Supporting paraeducators by designing and implementing professional standards of practice, a professional development certificate program, and pathways to become a teacher. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND DIVERSITY • Diversifying and expanding the educator workforce by ensuring access to the profession, supporting and overseeing programs and initiatives like Grow Your Own, Recruiting Washington Teachers, and Alternative Routes to Certification. • Responding to district workforce needs, including addressing shortage areas and supporting Human Resource (HR) offices in educator retention and recruitment. • Building a workforce that is culturally responsive. Cultural competency standards guide the development of cultural responsiveness in Washington’s educators. Competencies in civil rights, anti-bias, and teaching effectiveness in culturally diverse populations are included at each stage of the educator continuum. POLICY INNOVATION • Investigating barriers, inequities and disparities within the education system and offering recommendations for solutions based on research and stakeholder engagement. • Prioritizing an equity lens in all that we do by identifying innovative opportunities to improve policy on access, preparation effectiveness, continuing education, educator quality and educator diversity.