Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
The Washington state paraprofessional requirements are set by RCW 28A.413.040: be 18 with a high school diploma, then meet one of four options: 72 quarter or 48 semester credits at an accredited college, an associate degree, a board-approved test, or a registered apprenticeship. The hiring district checks it. UPI Study courses can help only once an accredited college lists them on its transcript.
Under RCW 28A.413.040, a Washington paraeducator must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and meet one of four options: 72 quarter credits or 48 semester credits at an institution of higher education (PESB: 100 level or higher at an accredited college or university), an associate degree, a passing score on a board-approved assessment, or a registered apprenticeship.
The rule asks for 72 quarter credits or 48 semester credits. The legal source is RCW 28A.413.040.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Age and diploma | At least 18 with a high school diploma or its equivalent | [1] |
| Option 1: credits | 72 quarter or 48 semester credits, 100 level or higher, at an accredited college or university | s1, s2 |
| Option 2: degree | An associate degree (PESB: or higher, from an accredited college) | s1, s2 |
| Option 3: test | A passing score on a board-approved assessment; ParaPathways approved 27 Oct 2025, ParaPro usable through 31 Dec 2026 | [2] |
| Option 4: apprenticeship | A registered paraeducator apprenticeship | s1, s2 |
| After hiring | Four-day fundamental course of study, provided by the district | [3] |
Washington Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB), with the hiring school district checking each new paraeducator decides how this rule applies to you. We read its published rule and the pages below; each was checked on 15 Nov 2026.
Each course below is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended for college credit. Whether it counts here is the decision of the college and of Washington Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB), with the hiring school district checking each new paraeducator.
A first-year writing course that most degree plans list in general education.
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
A common math requirement and good preparation for the math part of any paraeducator test.
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Social science credit that fits classroom support work.
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
How students learn, close to the daily work of a paraeducator.
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Another social science course many colleges list in general education.
Self-paced online Introduction to Sociology course (Sociology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
A humanities or social science option for the credit total.
Self-paced online US History 1 course (HIST 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; ask them first how they would evaluate your courses, then send their transcript to the district.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
| Option | Price | For this rule | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI Study PRO | $99 a month, every course | $99 for each month you are subscribed; take as many courses as you finish in that time | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Washington community or technical college (resident, lower division) | $1,697 per 15-credit quarter (2026-27 ceiling) | 72 quarter credits is about 4.8 full quarters, roughly $8,150 in tuition before books and college fees | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Sophia Learning | $99 a month | Also needs a college to put the credit on its transcript before a district can count it | 15 Nov 2026 |
| StraighterLine | $99 a month plus a course fee (for example $79 for English Composition I) | Membership plus a fee for each course; same college-transcript step applies | 15 Nov 2026 |
The test route can cost far less than credits if you only need the job: check the current fee with the test provider. Credits make sense if you also want a degree later, because the same courses can count toward an associate degree.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
Ask the district's human resources office in writing whether 48 semester credits on an accredited college transcript, including credit that college transcribed from ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, meet RCW 28A.413.040 before you enrol.
Washington uses the word paraeducator in its law, but districts, job boards and most people say paraprofessional, teacher's aide or para. They all mean the same job, and the same minimum rule applies to every one of them under RCW 28A.413.040.
Since 23 July 2023 every employed paraeducator must meet the minimum, not just new hires. You first need to be 18 and hold a high school diploma or equivalent. Then you choose one of four routes: college credits, an associate degree, a passing test score, or a registered apprenticeship. Once you are hired, the district gives you a four-day fundamental course of study on the state standards of practice.
Washington community and technical colleges run on quarters, so the law gives both numbers. 72 quarter credits equal 48 semester credits, because one quarter credit is two thirds of a semester credit. If your transcript mixes both, convert everything to semester credits before you add it up.
A typical three-credit semester course is worth 4.5 quarter credits. That means about 16 three-credit semester courses reach 48 semester credits. If you already have 30 quarter credits from a Washington college, you hold 20 semester credits and need 28 more.
If you only need the job and not a degree, the test is usually the shortest route. PESB lists the approved assessments and their passing scores on its current paraeducators page. For ParaPathways, both the Reading and Writing score (324) and the Mathematics score (325) must be met. ParaPro stays usable through 31 December 2026 with a passing score of 455, and two other assessments are also on the list.
Credits are the better choice when you want the hours to count later toward an associate degree or a teaching route. Courses such as College Algebra and English Composition also prepare you for the reading, writing and math sections of a test, so some people study first and decide later.
Be at least 18 with a high school diploma or equivalent, then meet one option under RCW 28A.413.040: 72 quarter or 48 semester credits at an accredited college, an associate degree, a passing score on a board-approved test such as ParaPathways, or a registered apprenticeship. After hiring, the district provides a four-day fundamental course of study.
72 quarter credits or 48 semester credits at the 100 level or higher, earned at an accredited college or university. Credits from several colleges can be added together. The hiring district reads your official transcripts and decides whether you meet the rule, so ask them in writing before you start new courses.
PESB lists the scores. For ParaPathways you need 324 in Reading and Writing and 325 in Mathematics, and both must be met. ParaPro needs 455 and can be used through 31 December 2026. Pearson Paraprofessional needs 220. Check the PESB page before you book, because the list changes.
Only once an accredited college or university lists them on its own transcript. UPI Study courses are ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended; a college may evaluate them and post credit, and the district then reads that college's transcript. Ask both the college and the district in writing before you enrol.
The minimum in RCW 28A.413.040 is the same statewide. Districts can add their own hiring needs, such as a background check, a language skill or a special education role. Read each job posting and ask human resources what they check on top of the state minimum.
For this rule they are equal: either one meets the minimum. An associate degree takes about 60 semester credits, so it is more work, but it also opens later steps such as a bachelor's degree. If you are close to a degree, finishing it may be worth it.
Plan your 48 semester credits course by course, then send them to a college for its transcript.