English Composition 1
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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72 quarter credits or the test: Washington paraeducator rules
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Washington lets you meet the paraeducator minimum with either 72 quarter (48 semester) credits at an accredited college or a passing score on a board-approved test. The test is faster if you only need the job. Credits take longer but can count toward a degree. The hiring district checks either one under RCW 28A.413.040.
The two most common routes side by side
RCW 28A.413.040 gives four ways to meet the minimum after the diploma: credits, an associate degree, a test, or a registered apprenticeship. Most people choose between the first and the third, because they do not have a degree yet and there is no apprenticeship near them.
| Credits route | Test route | |
|---|---|---|
| What you need | 72 quarter or 48 semester credits, 100 level or higher, accredited college | A passing score on a PESB-approved assessment |
| Typical time | Months, depending on how many credits you already have | Study time plus one test date |
| What the district sees | Official college transcript | Official score report |
| Later value | Credits can count toward an associate degree | Meets this rule only |
Who should choose the test
Choose the test if you have few or no college credits and want to start work soon. PESB approved ParaPathways on 27 October 2025 and candidates could use it from 1 November 2025. Both sections, Reading and Writing (324) and Mathematics (325), must be passed. ParaPro still counts through 31 December 2026.
The test does not move you toward a degree. If you think you may want to teach later, look at the credits route as well.
Who should choose credits
Choose credits if you already have some college behind you, or if you want this job to be a step toward a degree. Many people find they are closer than they thought: one year at a community college is often 45 quarter credits, which is already 30 semester credits.
The rule says the credits must be at the 100 level or higher at an accredited college or university. Remedial courses do not count, and neither does a course certificate on its own.
Where ACE-recommended and NCCRS-recommended courses fit
UPI Study courses are ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended. They are not college credit by themselves. A college can evaluate them and place credit on its own transcript, and only then can a district count them. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit.
So the order matters: ask the district, ask the college, then enrol. The district reads the college's transcript, never a certificate from us.
- Ask the district whether transfer credit on an accredited transcript counts.
- Ask the college how it evaluates ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses.
- Keep both answers in writing before you pay for anything.
Mixing routes while you decide
Nothing stops you from studying College Algebra and English Composition while you prepare for the test. Those subjects match the math and reading-writing parts of the assessment. If you pass the test, you are hired on that basis; the courses can still go toward a degree later, as long as a college transcripts them.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
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.
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.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Is the paraeducator test easier than earning 48 credits?
It is usually quicker, because it is one sitting instead of many courses. Whether it is easier depends on your reading, writing and math skills. Look at the practice materials for the assessment you plan to take, and compare that with how many credits you are missing.
Can I use credits from an out-of-state college?
The rule asks for credits at an accredited college or university; it does not limit them to Washington. The hiring district reads the official transcript and decides. Ask human resources in writing if your credits come from out of state or from several colleges.
Does passing the test count toward a degree later?
No. The test meets the paraeducator minimum only. If a degree is your goal, college credits on an accredited transcript move you toward it, and those same credits can meet the paraeducator rule at the same time.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
College Algebra
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Educational Psychology
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Plan your 48 semester credits course by course, then send them to a college for its transcript.
Sources
- RCW 28A.413.040: Minimum employment requirements (Washington State Legislature) (official)Age 18 and a diploma, plus one of: a passing score on a board-approved assessment, an associate of arts degree, 72 quarter or 48 semester credits at an institution of higher education, or a registered apprenticeship; amended 2017, 2018 and 2023. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- PESB: Current paraeducators (minimum employment requirements) (official)Since 23 July 2023 all employed paraeducators must meet the requirements; credits must be 100 level or higher at an accredited college or university; ParaPathways approved 27 Oct 2025, usable from 1 Nov 2025; ParaPro use extended to 31 Dec 2026; passing scores listed. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.