At a glance
An institution seeking to have its class or conference apply toward the ESP Certificate must submit an application for approval in advance of the session. Once that's processed, the Academy will send the provider a packet that includes: a copy of the approved application, a Verification of Attendance form, a Verification of Hours form, and an Evaluation form. Instructions will accompany the forms.

Once the session is completed, the provider returns the attendance and evaluation forms to the Academy office. The Verification of Hours form is distributed to each participant at the conclusion of the class, and they take responsibility for maintaining these while pursuing the Certificate.

Program applications
An Application for Approval or Course Approval form must be prepared describing each program or class. The information required on the Application includes: objectives, content, a schedule of activities, length of program, qualifications of the instructor, and the signature of the individual designated as being responsible for the program and attendance verification.

Programs submitted for approval are reviewed for their alignment with quality learning standards and the curricular area covered in the session. They are then approved for a specific number of hours in a particular curricular area. As part of the process, providers may want to submit a copy of their marketing brochure to the Academy.

The Academy will assist in advertising the program by including it in its listing of approved offerings maintained on the WEAC Web site.

Only "direct learning time" is counted when determining the number of hours for approval. Time spent in registration, breaks, exhibits, entertainment or meals do not count. Because the ESP Certificate Program is directed at the professional growth of individuals, only programs with the primary objective of facilitating participants' professional growth are eligible for inclusion in the Academy's program.

District or school inservice programs are often appropriate learning experiences for support staff, and can be approved for the Certificate by following the regular application process.
Providers offering approved programs may include in their marketing that their program has been "Pre-approved by the WEA Professional Development Academy, Inc. for the ESP Certificate Program."

Providers should inform the Academy in the event an approved program is canceled.

Program Application form.

Program application fees
A processing fee will be assessed for each program each time it is offered. In most cases, the provider should pay the fee when a program application is submitted. Purchase orders may be used if that is the normal procedure for the school or institution.

Program application fees.

Procedures for program verification
Program providers are responsible for verifying that participants attend and complete their entire session. This is accomplished in two ways: (1) making sure participants fill out the Verification of Attendance form, and (2) supplying each participant with their own Verification of Hours form.

The designated coordinator submits to the PDA the Verification of Attendance form at the conclusion of the program. The form includes the participant's name and other pertinent information for program records. This form must be submitted within 30 days of completion of the program.

Class evaluations
Providers are asked to return a Program Evaluation for each class. This feedback is essential to the overall quality of the Certificate. Although the PDA supplies an evaluation form with each program approval, providers are free to use their own if desired. There is no need to fill out two separate evaluations.

Providers can send evaluations from each participant or a compilation of the individual responses. Evaluations should be returned with the Verification of Attendance form.

Checklist for program providers

© 2003 WEA Professional Development Academy, Inc.