Definitions: CEUs vs. Clock Hours
The following is provided to assure there is no misunderstanding about the awarding of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and Clock Hours for in-service education programs.
CEUs and Clock Hours are not the same and they are not interchangeable.
CEUs and Clock Hours may appear to be similar. However, they have different approval procedures and record maintenance, and they are governed by different administrative offices. To receive Clock Hour credits, they must be requested before the beginning of the class with the inservice agency. Clock hour credit will not be awarded retroactively.
In December 1987, the State Board of Education adopted rules "Requiring continuing professional and educational development of educators who are certified to practice their professions in the elementary and secondary schools of Washington. " These persons must complete 150 Clock Hours of study every five years for the maintenance or continuation of their certification. CEUs cannot be used to meet this requirement.
In-service education programs that meet these requirements may offer CEUs and/or Clock Hours for their programs but proper procedures must be followed. If they are not adhered to, there is a breach of contract with the program participants and their certification for employment and promotion may be jeopardized.
The following definitions are provided for clarification:
A CEU is given for noncredit continuing education and is equivalent to ten contact hours of participation in an organized noncredit continuing education experience with qualified instruction under WSU sponsorship and direction. For information and guidelines on offering CEUs - contact Conferences and Institutes (C&I), a division of WSU Extended University Services, (509)335-3530.
Clock Hours are credits given for attending approved in-service programs. Sixty minutes of continuous in-service is equivalent to one (1) Clock Hour. Ten Clock Hour credits equal one (1) college credit for compensation, endorsement, and certificate maintenance purposes. To receive Clock Hour credits, they must be requested before the beginning of the class with the inservice agency. For information and guidelines on offering Clock Hours - contact College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS) Academic Programs, Jeanne Dahmen, (509) 335-9115 before the program is presented.
1. Sponsoring Agency contacts WSU-CAHNRS with request for information.
2. WSU-CAHNRS provides the Sponsoring Agency with procedures packet. (For web site users, this information is the procedures packet.)
3. Sponsoring Agency is requested to prepare and submit to WSU-CAHNRS [at least three (3) weeks prior to event] the following:
- Statement of Need
- Written objectives for the course
- Course agenda/outline
- Vita from course instructor
- Sample of handout material
4. After receiving the above materials, WSU-CAHNRS's Curriculum Committee will review and approve qualified programs for Clock Hour credit.
5. Written approval or denial will be provided to the Sponsoring Agency, who will in turn notify the instructor of the course. (The approval notification will include a sample evaluation form and an original of the "Inservice Registration Form" that can be copied.)
6. Sponsoring Agency will:
- Publicize the course to potential participants (NOTE: Clock Hours can not be advertised in a course until signed approval has been received from the Approved Agency-WSU-CAHNRS.)
- Complete Section II of the In-service Registration Form (IRFs)
- Provide the instructor with the IRF, Evaluation Form, and other necessary materials
7. The instructor(s) will:
- Provide the participants with an Agenda/List of Objectives, IRF, and Evaluation Form.
- Advise participants of responsibility of record maintenance of Clock Hour forms.
- Return completed IRF and evaluations to the Sponsoring Agency
8. The participant(s) will:
- Complete the IRF (Section I and III), being sure to include their Certificate Number.
- Submit payment of course fees - $10.00 per participant - (check or IRI) payable to WSU
9. After the course is completed, the Sponsoring Agency will forward to WSU-CAHNRS at the address below the original IRF, a copy of the evaluation form, a summary of the evaluations, course fees, and an alpha list of participants with the number of Clock Hours earned. The address is:
-
Clock Hours
Academic Programs c/o Jeanne Dahmen
College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences
P.O. Box 646243
Pullman, WA 99164-6243
10. A WSU-CAHNRS official will sign Section IV of the original IRF and return it to the Sponsoring Agency. The Sponsoring Agency is responsible for mailing the original IRF to the program participant, sending a copy to the instructor, and maintaining an optional copy for their files.