Guidelines for Program Providers
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.