In May 2020, the NASP Leadership Assembly, composed of more than 80 leaders from across the United States, approved the NASP 2020 Professional Standards. These standards consist of four separate, yet integrated, documents:

• Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services (also known as the NASP Practice Model)
• Standards for Graduate Preparation of School Psychologists
• Standards for the Credentialing of School Psychologists
• Principles for Professional Ethics

All standards go into effect July 1, 2020, at which time they should serve as a foundational guide for professional practice and ethical decision-making. Graduate programs should begin working toward implementing the 2020 graduate preparation standards as the program accreditation process will begin using rubrics reflecting the 2020 standards in 2022. Individuals applying for the NCSP will continue using the 2010 credentialing standards until 2024.

Revision Process and Outcomes

NASP professional standards are updated every 10 years through a rigorous process that includes review and input from NASP members, elected and appointed leaders, other leaders in the field of school psychology, and relevant stakeholder groups. The NASP 2020 Professional Standards were developed:

• within the context of current issues relevant to education and psychology
• in consideration of NASP’s strategic goals for the profession
• with a visionary look ahead to anticipated future developments and issues in our field

Based on this extensive and integrated experience and expertise, the 2020 standards represent an evolution, rather than a new direction, in foundational guidance for the field of school psychology for the coming decade. These major NASP policy documents will be used to communicate NASP’s positions and advocate for qualifications and practices of school psychologists with stakeholders, policy makers, and other professional groups at the national, state, and local levels.

For additional information on the revision process, see the Preface of the 2020 standards document (PDF). See the Crosswalk for highlights on the key changes in the 2020 Standards.

Acknowledgment of NASP Standards Writing Team Members

Special thanks to the members of the Writing Teams who contributed to the revision process:

Standards Revision Leader

• Lori Unruh

Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services

• Andrea Clyne (team lead)
• Lisa Lipscomb
• Brian McKevitt
• Kari Oyen
• Melissa Pearrow
• Shawna Rader Kelly
• David Wheeler

Standards for Graduate Preparation of School Psychologists

• Natalie Politikos (team lead)
• Leah Nellis (team lead)
• Pamela Fenning
• Susan Ruby
• Katherine Wickstrom
• Joseph Prus (consultant)

Standards for the Credentialing of School Psychologists

• Nikki Sutton (team lead)
• Rhonda Armistead
• Alisa York

Principles for Professional Ethics

• Laurie Klose (team lead)
• Dana Boccio
• Barbara Bole-Williams
• John Garruto
• Susan Jacob

Other support provided by:

• Eric Rossen, NASP Director of Professional Development and Standards
• Stacy Skalski, NASP Director of Professional Policy and Practice

Providing the foundation for effective school psychological services to help all children thrive in school, at home, and throughout life!