ETS and Washington PESB Partner to Streamline Paraeducator Certification
Event summary
- ETS's Praxis program and Washington PESB announced a statewide partnership on September 29, 2026, integrating ParaPathways to eliminate entry barriers for paraeducators.
- The ParaPathways model supports paraeducators through preparation, licensure, and skill development stages.
- Washington's paraeducators will have access to assessment preparation resources, ParaPathways Assessment, and ParaPathways Bridge, with vouchers removing financial barriers.
- The partnership aims to create a scalable pipeline for a diverse, locally rooted educator workforce in Washington.
The big picture
This partnership addresses critical shortages in the paraeducator workforce by integrating certification and classroom readiness, a trend increasingly seen in states looking to strengthen their education ecosystems. The move underscores the growing emphasis on standardized, scalable solutions for educator workforce development, particularly in roles critical to student support.
What we're watching
- Scalability
- Whether other states will adopt a similar integrated approach to paraeducator recruitment and certification.
- Workforce Impact
- How the elimination of financial barriers will affect the diversity and quality of Washington's paraeducator workforce.
- Regulatory Alignment
- The pace at which PESB and ETS can align ParaPathways with evolving state and federal education workforce standards.
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