Nationally Certified School Psychologist Application
for Graduates of Non-NASP-Approved Programs

General Information

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) created the National School Psychology Certification System (NSPCS) for the purpose of credentialing school psychologists who meet a nationally recognized standard. The NSPCS is open to members of NASP as well as to nonmembers. The administration of the NSPCS is vested under the authority of the National School Psychology Certification Board (NSPCB).

What is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP)?
Individuals who successfully meet the credentialing standards established by the NSPCs are entitled to use the designation Nationally Certified School Psychologist or NCSP (NASP policy adopted by the Delegate Assembly, 1988). Any individual who uses this designation or represents himself or herself as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist without having fulfilled the requirements of this certification process is deemed to be in violation of the NASP Principles for Professional Ethics and may be denied the right to future certification or may be subject to legal action.

Specific Goals of the national School Psychology Certification System Include the Following:

• To promote uniform credentialing standards across states, agencies, and training institutions
• To monitor the implementation of NASP credentialing standards at the national level
• To promote continuing professional development (CPD) for school psychologists
• To facilitate credentialing of school psychologists across states through the use of reciprocity
• To ensure a consistent level of training and experience in service providers who are nationally certified
• To promote the utilization of NASP Standards for Graduate Preparation of School Psychologists, 2010 by training institutions (formerly known as the Standards for Training and Field Placement Programs in School Psychology, 2000)
• To encourage individual members to seek national certification

Qualification Standards
To qualify for our national certification, a school psychologist must meet established standards of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). NCSP applicants are required to meet the 2000 Standards for Credentialing of School Psychologists through December 31, 2014

• Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services, 2010 (Effective March, 2010)
• Principles for Professional Ethics, 2010 (Effective January 1, 2011)
• Standards for Graduate Preparation of School Psychologists, 2010 (Fully effective for NASP program review and approval Fall 2012)
• Standards for the Credentialing of School Psychologists (NCSP applicants are required to meet the 2000 standards through December 31, 2014, and the 2010 standards beginning January 1, 2015)

These documents may be viewed on the NASP website at www.nasponline.org/standards/2010standards.aspx

For your reference, the previous version of the Professional Standards can be found at:
www.nasponline.org/standards/professionalcond.pdf
www.nasponline.org/standards/FinalStandards.pdf

Requirements for National Certification

Note: For your NCSP application to be reviewed, clear evidence must be provided that the following requirements have been met.

Program Requirements

• Completion of an organized program of study that is officially titled "school psychology."
• Completion of 60 graduate semester/90 quarter hours of study in school psychology. At least 54 graduate semester/81 graduate quarter hours must have been exclusive of credit for the supervised internship experience.

Practica: Completion of a sequence of supervised experiences that occurred prior to the internship. These experiences were conducted in laboratory or field-based settings and provided for the application of knowledge and specific skills.

Internship: Successful completion of a 1200-hour internship in school psychology, of which at least 600 hours must be in a school setting. The internship must be recognized through institutional (transcript) documentation. Individuals who graduated prior to December 31, 1994, from a training program that did not offer a 1200-hour internship may complete a field-based internship. If the prospective applicant is currently working in a school setting, it is suggested that the individual contact the program director, preferably of a NASP-approved program, enroll in an internship seminar at the university, and have a credentialed school psychologist supervise them in their work setting. Contact cert@naspweb.org for additional information on documentation for graduation or internship served prior to December 31, 1994.

Examination: If taken before September, 2008, applicants must achieve a passing score (660) on the School Psychologist Praxis II Examination (code 10400) administered by the Education Testing Service (ETS). If taken after September, 2008, applicants must achieve a passing score (165) on the School Psychologist Praxis II Examination (code 10401) administered by the ETS. Test scores remain valid for nine (9) years after the test. Test scores older than nine (9) years are considered expired and would require the retaking of the examination. ETS's Tests at a Glance contains content outlines, sample questions with rationale for the best answers, and test-taking strategies. It is located at www.ets.org/Media/Tests/PRAXIS/pdf/0401.pdf

Continuing Professional Development Required to Maintain Certification: All school psychologists who hold the NCSP must actively engage in activities designed to maintain, expand, and extend their professional training and skills. In order to meet this requirement, the NCSP must complete at least 75 contact hours of continuing professional development within a 36-month period. Among those 75 hours, NCSPs must obtain 10 CPD hours from NASP and/or APA-approved providers and 3 CPD hours in ethical practice and legal regulation of school psychology (e.g., referring to IDEA, ESEA/NCLB, Section 504, and similar issues). A list of NASP-approved providers can be found at:
www.nasponline.org/profdevel/approvedprovider/apdirectory.aspx

Resources to Assist NASP Members With the Application Process

NASP members can access two helpful fact sheets to assist them in preparing to apply for the NCSP:

• Applying for the NCSP: Tips for Graduate Students
• Recommendations, References, and Study Tips for The PRAXIS II Exam in School Psychology

* You must be a member and logged in to access these materials

NCSP Applicants From Programs Receiving NASP Approval Subsequent to Graduation

The following guideline applies to applicants for the NCSP who graduated from/completed a school psychology program no more than one calendar year prior to the effective date of NASP approval for the program.

Individuals completing a school psychology program which received NASP approval subsequent to graduation/program completion must submit a letter from the Program Coordinator/Director that attests to the equivalency between the program from which the applicant graduated and the program subsequently approved by NASP. This letter must specifically address (a) changes implemented in the program between the date the applicant completed the program and the date of NASP approval, (b) whether the applicant completed additional studies to address those changes, and (c) the equivalency of the individual's course work, practica, internship and evaluation with those of students completing the approval program.

Submission of a letter, as described above, does not assure approval of the application for the NCSP. It will, however, be given serious consideration within the review and decision-making process.

Please follow the Application Checklist for Graduates of NASP-Approved Programs. If it is determined that the applicant has not met the requirements for a NASP-approved program, the applicant will be asked to submit documentation specified in the Application Checklist for Graduates of Non-NASP-Approved Programs.

Resubmission of an Application

Applications expire 3 years from the date of initial review. Applicants are allowed two submissions per each fee payment. If deficiencies still exist after the second review, the candidate will have to reapply by resubmitting the nonrefundable fee along with submission of those portions of the portfolio deemed deficient. Partial submissions will not be reviewed.

Appeal of an NCSP Board Decision

Applicants who are denied certification may file an appeal if they believe the NSPCB erred in its decision. The appeal must be received in writing by the Board within 90 calendar days of the date of the Board's denial letter. The written appeal must specifically outline the appellants concerns and the issues that the appellant wishes the appeal panel to consider.

The Board shall forward the appeal to the Certification Appeal Panel. An appeal must be based on the contention that the Board erred in making its decision about the applicant based on the information that was submitted in the application and supporting documentation as of the last Board review. Changes and additions to the original documentation will not be considered as an appeal, but will be reviewed by the NSPCB through the regular review process (see above). An appeal may include arguments concerning the misapplication of standards or the misinterpretation of information or documentation by the NSPCB. The decision of the appeal panel will be considered final.