Continuing Education
Clock Hours
You must complete the linked registration form for each clock hour event you are requesting clock hours for. You must have the sponsor of the event and Kayla Phillips' signature for the registration to be complete. Once you have received the signatures and completed the google form evaluation, submit the completed form the Human Resources.
All Approved Clock Hour Opportunity Details can be found linked here.
Evaluation Forms
The Evaluation form must be completed for each Clock Hour Event that you are registered for. There is a drop down menu in the google form to choose the event you are evaluating.
Procedure for Staff Attending a SWSD Clock Hour ("CH") Event:
- Attend an SWSD approved CH event.
- Complete the In service Registration Form (linked above, called Clock Hour Form ) Save this form - you'll need to get it signed by the event facilitator and Kayla Phillips (for events without an outside facilitator - like PLC's) for it to count toward your clock hours.
- Sign in at the event (if you don't see the sign in sheet, request it!!).
- Complete the online google evaluation form (link above) for each event you attend at SWSD for clock hour credit, after the event is completed. This is required to obtain Kayla Phillips' signature on your form!
- Print proof of completing the evaluation form for the SWSD clock hour event (proof is the email you received once you hit submit on your evaluation- evaluation link is at top of this page).
- Provide the completed Inservice Registration Form and the proof of completing the evaluation to Principal Kayla Phillips for signature.
- Deadline: All credits AND forms for certificated salary adjustment must be completed and turned in by October 1. If you are turning in more than one Inservice Registration Form for Clock Hours credit - please fill out a Clock Hours Cover Sheet and staple that to the SIGNED Inservice Registration Forms for submission.
Clock hours cannot be approved or accepted without all of these steps being completed due to State requirements.
Staff members are responsible for making sure they have signed in for the clock hour opportunity and following up with the clock hour sponsor that their attendance has been recorded. For zoom clock hour opportunities, the clock hour sponsor can download the Report of Attendance from the zoom meeting/webinar and provide as proof of attendance.
All Completed Clock Hour Attendance Forms should be given to Kayla Phillips to confirm attendance before signing the registration forms. The template can be copied in google sheets to be edited for the specific clock hour opportunity.
CLOCK HOUR ATTENDANCE TEMPLATE
Forms and Other Useful Links:
- Which Clock Hour Providers are approved by Washington State? https://www.k12.wa.us/educator-support/continuing-education-clock-hours/approved-providers
- Clock Hours Cover Sheet - Use when submitting more than one Inservice Registration Form
- Generic Sign In Sheets
- OSPI Clock Hour FAQs
- OSPI Clock Hour Tools
Clock Hour Proposal Forms: Know of a great speaker or event you want to bring to staff in our district?
- Procedure to Submit a Clock Hour Proposal If you are interested in presenting a clock hour opportunity to district staff this document walks you through the process from start to finish. Clock hours must be approved by the clock hours committee (in meeting minutes) BEFORE the class is scheduled to begin. Clock hours cannot be issued retroactively.
- Clock Hour Proposal Form This form must be completed by the facilitator/instructor and submitted to Human Resources/District Clock Hour Committee for approval at least 15 days prior to the first day of the workshop/course.
Certificated Salary Placement - Continuing Education and Clock Hour Frequently Asked Questions:
During the course of your employment with South Whidbey School District, it is important that your college credit totals remain up-to-date. As additional college credits are earned, employees should submit official, sealed transcripts. Credits are accepted only from accredited institutions.
An official clock hour transcript or copies of in-service registration forms with signatures will be accepted for out-of-district clock hour credits earned through state approved clock hour providers.
NOTE: A certificate of completion, letter, or certificate of achievement or professional development cannot be used to document approved clock hours, unless the individual holds an ESA certificate and a state health professions license that requires continuing education. (Department of Health License Information)
How will an individual know if they are taking a course that is approved by PESB?
- Individuals should check with the agency or organization sponsoring the course or refer to the provider list on the website.
- Only the agency offering the course knows whether it has gone through the internal process of having any particular workshop or course approved for clock hours
- Any advertisements or literature should be clearly marked as a "Washington State Clock Hour Provider". Please double check.
- Most out-of-state organizations have not been approved to offer state of Washington clock hours
- Many organizations offer contact hours, continuing education units (CEUs), or similar credit. Individuals need to check carefully that they are being offered clock hours--not contact hours, CEUs, or similar credit. Contact hours, CEUs, etc., CANNOT be accepted as clock hours. Only state of Washington approved clock hours can be used toward certification renewal
Your documentation will be reviewed. Any identified changes that impact your salary lane change will be retroactive to the first working day in September or your start date for the current school year.
Deadline: All credits for certificated salary schedule adjustment must be completed by October 1.
Documentation of Academic Credits:
Academic credits are primarily those credits earned from a regionally accredited institution that were earned AFTER the date of your BA degree. If you have more than one BA degree, credits are counted AFTER the date of the first BA degree. Again, all credits must be recorded from an official sealed transcript – NOT a copy. Therefore, it is imperative that you submit your official sealed transcripts as soon as possible.
By state law we convert all credits to quarter hours for the purpose of recording and determining your schedule placement. Shown below are the standard conversions:
Credit Type |
Conversion to Quarter Hours |
Quarter |
1.0 Quarter = 1.0 Quarter Hour Credits |
Semester |
1.0 Semester = 1.5 Quarter Hour Credits |
Units |
Some institutions record in units. The transcript will identify that conversion. For example, some institutions are 1.0 Unit = 5 Quarter Hour Credits and some are 1.0 Unit = 6 Quarter Hour Credits. |
Clock Hours |
10.0 Clock Hours = 1.0 Quarter Hour Credits. *Clock hours are NOT academic credits. See the Clock Hour information below. |
In addition to being earned after the BA earned date, and the requirement to be from a regionally accredited institution, there are a few more rules about academic credits that are important for you to know.
- Courses must be 100 level or above.
- Courses must be applicable to an academic degree program. At times courses are recorded on an official transcript and appear to be an “academic credit” but they are not because the transcript indicates they are not transferable to a degree program. Typically, these are easy to identify by the course number being something other than the standard 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 or 600, such as EdX2011 or WkP X946. We identify these by examining the information on the transcript and/or contacting the Registrar’s Office at the college/university. In the event the course does not meet the “transfer” standard, if the course was completed after 8/31/1987, we can convert that course to clock hours and use it for your salary placement, as long as all other requirements are met.
- Courses must meet one of seven (7) possible criteria. Washington State has identified specific course criteria. Each course must meet one of the following criteria. Human Resources reviews your courses to make this decision. If a course does not meet one of the criteria, we will notify you so that you may appeal the decision and/or provide additional information.
Clock Hours - More information:
Clock hours are typically professional development training activities. Only those clock hours that are offered and documented from an approved Washington State clock hour provider can be used toward your schedule placement. Here are some other important rules about clock hours:
- A list of approved clock hour providers can be found on the web site of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). A list is provided for each year. That web site is: http://www.k12.wa.us/certification/clockhours.aspx
- Clock hours were initiated on September 1, 1987, so only clock hours completed on or after that date are allowed.
- Clock hours must be a minimum of one (1) hour.
- Clock hours must also meet one of the seven (7) course criteria as noted previously.
- Every ten (10) clock hours converts to one (1.0) quarter hour.
Cut-Off Dates:
- All degrees, credits, clock hours or other forms of in-service credits must be earned by October 1st of the current year to be utilized for placement for the current school year. As an example, all degrees and credits must be earned on or before October 1, 2019, to be used for placement for the 2019-2020 school year.
- For new hires, all documentation for degrees, credits and clock hours must be received as soon as possible to correctly place you on the salary scale for the upcoming school year.
- During the course of your employment with South Whidbey School District, it is important that your educational records are current. As you complete additional degrees, academic credits or clock hours, you are responsible for submitting official documentation to our Human Resources office.
- No clock hours will be accepted beyond MA+90, please keep documents beyond MA+90 credits for your own records.
- All educational records that would create a salary change for the current school year must be completed by October 1st of that year and documentation of completion of the credits or clock hours must be received by Human Resources no later than October 1st annually. Applicable changes will be retroactive to your first work day for that school year.