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NASP Response to APA’s Model Act for State Licensure
January 21, 2010 Update
Updated information about
the status of the American Psychological Association’s (APA) proposed Model Act
for State Licensure is provided below. In addition, information about NASP’s past
and current advocacy efforts to preserve the right of school psychologists to
use their title and engage in the practice for which they are trained and
credentialed is detailed. Also provided are suggestions for state-level
advocacy efforts to be implemented by NASP members and state school psychology
association leaders.
The proposed revised MLA is
on the agenda for adoption at the APA’s Council of Representatives meeting in
February 2010. The proposed MLA restricts use of the title school psychologist
or certified school psychologist to only those individuals who have a doctoral
degree in psychology, are certified by the state education agency, and are
using the terms only during their practice in schools. Specialist level school
psychologists would be able to use “psychology” or “psychological” in their
title but not “psychologist” and be restricted to practice in settings under
the purview of their state education agency.
NASP strongly opposes the restriction of the school
psychology exemption in the proposed MLA. The current exemption has a 40-plus year precedent and long history of
serving the needs of children, families, and schools. Restricting the title and
practice of school psychologists will cause public confusion, waste resources,
and curtail needed school psychological services.
Many organizations have
joined NASP in support of retaining the school psychologist exemption for
individuals at the specialist and doctoral level, including other groups in the
school psychology community, virtually every major education organization at
the national level, many state professional organizations, and state boards of
education. During two public comment periods, APA’s MLA Task Force received
approximately 30,000 comments from
individual and organizations supporting the retention of the school
psychologist exemption. NASP will continue to work to ensure that the title and
practice of school psychologists remain strong.
Check back frequently for updates to this webpage.
NASP Analysis of and Response
to the Model Licensure Act
Archive of Previous MLA Materials